Policy Fellows Profiles

DR TOLULOPE OLADELE, Nigeria, 2020 Policy Fellow

Dr. Tolulope Oladele is a medical graduate of the University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria. She proceeded to pursue a residency program in Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria graduating as a Fellow of the West African College of Surgeons (Obstetrics & Gynaecology). She has a diploma in International Health and Policy Evaluation from Erasmus University, Rotterdam, Netherlands and a Masters of Health Economics and Policy from the University of Adelaide, South Australia. Presently she works as an Assistant Director, Health Sector Response Support Division, Department of Community Prevention Care Services at the National Agency for the Control of AIDS. Her research project for the CPIGH global health policy fellowship is Estimating health insurance liability for the treatment of HIV in Nigeria when donors exit.

Tolu participated in the Think Global roundtable on “grand challenges in global health policy” on Feb 25, 2020.

DR GILBERT ABIIRO, Ghana, 2020 Policy Fellow

Dr. Gilbert Abotisem Abiiro is a full time lecturer/researcher in the Department of Planning, University for Development Studies, Ghana. He is a young Ghanaian researcher with a keen interest in developing his career in health policy and systems research. Gilbert holds a Doctor of Human Science degree in Public Health from the University of Heidelberg, Germany; a Master of Public Health (Specializing in Health Economics) degree from the University of Cape Town, South Africa; and a Bachelor of Arts (Integrated Development Studies) degree from the University for Development Studies, Ghana. Gilbert has over eight years of research experience in health economics, health policy and health systems in sub-Saharan Africa. His research project for the CPIGH global health policy fellowship program is A retrospective stakeholder analysis of the capitation policy reform within the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) of Ghana.

Gilbert participated in the Think Global roundtable on “grand challenges in global health policy” on Feb 25, 2020.

DR KURFI ABUBAKAR, Nigeria, 2020 Policy Fellow

Dr. Kurfi Abubakar is a medical doctor with a Master’s degree in Public Health and an MBA in International Health Care Management. He is presently an Assistant General Manager and Head of the International Collaboration Divisions in the Planning, Research and Monitoring Department of the Nigerian National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS). His major responsibility is to coordinate and implement interventions with donors and implementing partners in order to advance the course of universal health coverage (UHC) in Nigeria. In addition Kurfi also convenes health and social science research under the NHIS with a focus on strengthening the health financing system in order to improve the functioning of the health system. His research project for the CPIGH global health policy fellowship program is Achieving UHC in Nigeria: does quality matter under the National Health Insurance Scheme?

Kurfi participated in the Think Global roundtable on “grand challenges in global health policy” on Feb 25, 2020.

DR DANIEL OGBUABOR, Nigeria, 2020 Visiting Scholar

The Right Honorable Dr Daniel Ogbuabor holds a PhD in Health Economics, Management, and Policy. He is a senior lecturer in the Department of Health Administration and Management, University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus. He is a Member of the Enugu State Conflict Resolution Committee. As a Member of Parliament, he chaired the House Committee on Health in the Enugu State House of Assembly in Nigeria for eight years. He was also technical specialist in Enugu’s Partnership for Transforming Health Systems and Medical Advisor to the German Leprosy and TB Relief Association in Nigeria. Moreover, he served as a Member of the Governing Council of the Institute of Management and Technology and Chairman of the Isi-Uzo District Health Board in Enugu State, Nigeria. At Duke, Daniel’s research will compare Nigeria’s and India’s approaches towards universal health coverage (both countries have devolved systems)

Daniel delivered a public lecture on health diplomacy, on Feb 27, 2020, as part of the Rethinking Diplomacy Program run by the Duke Center for International and Global Studies (DUCIGs). He also participated in the Think Global roundtable on “grand challenges in global health policy” on Feb 25, 2020.

 

DR HAMPUS HOLMER, Sweden, 2020 Fulbright Commission Visiting Scholar

Dr. Hampus Holmer is a physician-researcher interested in the intersection of health, politics, and economics. At CPIGH, he will be studying the implementation of evidence-based policy solutions addressing leading non-communicable disease risk factors, particularly in the context of rapid transitions in demography, disease burden, and domestic and development financing across low-, middle-, and high-income countries. Before coming to Duke, he worked as a primary care physician in a socioeconomically disadvantaged area in Sweden. Hampus holds a medical degree and a PhD in global health and surgery from Lund University. He has previously worked for the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Health of Rwanda and the WHO Sierra Leone country office. Hampus is a Fulbright Commission Visiting Scholar and Swedish Research Council International Postdoc, with a dual appointment as a postdoc at the Karolinska Institute, Sweden, where he currently leads the cross-campus undergraduate elective course in global health.

Hampus participated in the Think Global roundtable on “grand challenges in global health policy” on Feb 25, 2020.

DR UCHE SHALOM OBI, Nigeria, 2019 Policy Fellow

Dr. Uche Shalom Obi is from the Health Policy Research Group at the University of Nigeria. She is an associate fellow of the National Post Graduate Medical College of Nigeria (NPMCN) in Community Health and a member of the West African College of Physicians (MWACP) in Community Health.

Her focus has been on clinical practice in tuberculosis and HIV patient care and management. She has also contributed to building the field of health policy and systems research in Nigeria and strengthening capacity of policy makers and practitioners in the use of evidence for policy making and practice.

She joined the Center in October 2019 for an 8 week fellowship. She is completing a case study about how Nigeria is preparing for impending donor exits.

JOSEPH NII OTOE DODOO, Ghana, 2019 Policy Fellow

Joseph Nii Otoe Dodoo is an afro-optimist who works in the Policy Analysis Unit of Ghana’s Ministry of Health as a Health Policy Analyst. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science with philosophy and a master’s degree in public health from the University of Ghana. Joseph is currently on extended leave from his health policy analyst role at the Ministry of Health to pursue a doctorate degree in public health at the University of Cape Town, South Africa. His research interest is around the convergence of health policy and systems research and political science.

During his fellowship with Duke, he conducted research on assessing the readiness of Ghana’s health system to sustain vaccination programs beyond the exit of Gavi as an aid donor. 

MUNKHSETSEG BYAMBAA, Mongolia, 2018 Policy Fellow

Munkhtsetseg Byambaa works for Mongolia’s Ministry of Health in the Department of Policy and Planning. She is currently the officer in charge of health economics and financing policy. Prior to this position she was the officer responsible for overseeing policy and planning of foreign loans and grant aid. Before joining Mongolia’s Ministry of Health, she conducted public health research at the University of Queensland, Australia, where she received her masters in health economics. She has a BA in linguistics from the University of the Humanities, Mongolia, and a bachelor of business economics and management from the Euro-Asia Institute, Mongolia.

During her fellowship she conducted a study on the cost-effectiveness of the Rotavirus vaccination in Mongolia.

ADDIS KASSAHUN MULAT, Ethiopia, 2017 Policy Fellow

Addis manages a consulting firm, called Kilimanjaro Consulting, which “aims to provide technical assistance, operations support and quality service to bring meaningful changes in the life of the community through entrepreneurial approaches.” In this capacity, he has led projects on girls’ education, improving adolescents’ reproductive health, and HIV prevention in at-risk populations in Ethiopia. Previous positions have included Deputy Ethiopia Country Director for Intrahealth International; Deputy Coordinator, Senior Operations Manager, and Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) Specialist for the ARCAN Project in Tanzania; and positions at UNAIDS and the Global Fund to AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. He also has a vision for launching Ethiopia’s first global health institute, and he will use some of his time during the fellowship on developing a business plan for this institute.

During his fellowship at the Center, Addis conducted a study on prospects and challenges for health insurance programs in Ethiopia.

DANIEL NISHCHITH VICTOR, India, 2017 Policy Fellow

Daniel Nishchith Victor currently works as Financial Adviser to Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology (KMIO) Bangalore. He is also serving as the Chief Finance Officer of Karnataka Health Systems Reforms Project and National Health Mission Project within the government of Karnataka. Daniel is actively involved in “developing a process for streamlining health finance of the state” in a unique project piloted by him in the State of Karnataka which enables the tracking of “funds and expenditure on a real-time basis from over 30,000 plus spending entities.” Previous positions held by Victor included Special Officer of the Institutional Finance and Deputy Secretary Banking Department of Finance; Deputy Chief Finance Officer of the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), Department of Health and Family Welfare; and Assistant Controller of State Accounts, Department of State Accounts all for the Government of Karnataka.

During his fellowship at the Center, Victor conducted a study on the performance of National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases and Stroke (NPCDCS) in Karnataka, India.

Research Presentations of our Policy Fellows