V MHIPAS 2026

MHIPAS 2026 was held alongside the European Academy of Neurology Congress — the annual congress of one of the largest gatherings of neurology specialists from around the world. The days in Geneva were filled with learning from leading experts in migraine science, hearing about newer treatments targeting novel pathways in the pipeline, and connecting with patient organisations from across the world.

The conversations were rich, the science was advancing, and the sense of shared purpose was palpable. But one reality stayed with us throughout. Science is already talking about the next generation of treatment options. In Sub-Saharan Africa, we still don't have reliable access to the current ones. Reaching for newer treatments is ambitious, at least in the short term. What we can do, and what we must do, is build the foundation. Education at every level of the healthcare system. Awareness in every community. Support that helps individuals living with migraine improve their quality of life today, not when the next breakthrough arrives.

That foundation changes the landscape. It makes Sub-Saharan Africa ready for better care now, and for the moment when industry and policy align to make newer treatment options genuinely accessible to African patients. This is the gap Migraine Outreach exists to fill.

The defining moment of the summit was our presentation during the Best Practices Exchange session — a dedicated forum for patient organisations to share their approaches, innovations, and challenges in migraine advocacy. Olarinde Akinwumi, Founder and Executive Director of Migraine Outreach, presented alongside:

Constantinos Bilias — Greek Society of Migraine and Headache Patients, Greece

Susan Doughty — Coalition for Headache and Migraine Patients, United States

Gusta Timmerman — Hoofdpijnnet, The Netherlands

Antonia Ignacia Cancino Peña — Club de la Migraña, Chile

The presentation covered the founding story of Migraine Outreach — why Africa had no migraine patient advocacy organisation before 2025, how cultural perceptions have deepened the misunderstanding of migraine across the continent and further delayed care, the impact of our first year of work, and the plans for the next 12 months.

The reception was extraordinary. Following the session, we were approached by representatives from patient organisations, pharmaceutical companies in the migraine space, and global health bodies, all eager to learn more about the work being done in Africa.

We also deepened our engagement with the European Migraine and Headache Alliance, a valued partner whose Executive Director, Elena Ruiz de la Torre, welcomed us with words that will stay with us — "Welcome to the migraine family."

Alongside MHIPAS, we had the privilege of attending World Brain Day at the EAN Congress, a reminder of the broader global commitment to neurological health and the place migraine holds within it.

Migraine Outreach's participation at MHIPAS 2026 is a defining moment — not just for the organisation, but for African representation within the global migraine advocacy movement.

For too long, the lived experiences of African patients with migraine have been absent from international conversations, from research, and from policy. Geneva did not close that gap. But it opened a door that will not be shut again.

The work that began in Abuja, Nigeria, in May 2025 now has a seat at the global table. And it is only the beginning.

The work continues.