Friday Okonofua

Last updated
Professor
Friday Okonofua
FWACS, FAS, FAAS, FMCOG
Born
Friday Okonofua

1955 (age 68–69)
Ewu, Western Region, British Nigeria (now in Edo State, Nigeria)
Nationality Nigerian
Alma mater Obafemi Awolowo University
Occupations
Years active1986–present
Known for
Gynecology
Obstetrics
Public health
female reproductive health
Andrology

Friday Okonofua (born 1955) FAS is a Nigerian professor of Gynecology and Obstetrics. [1] He is the pioneer Vice Chancellor of Ondo State University of Medical Sciences and founder of Women Health and Action Research Centre, a not-for-profit organization headquartered in Benin City, that focuses on promoting female reproductive research. [2] [3]

Contents

Prior to his appointment as the 1st substantive Vice Chancellor of Ondo State University of Medical Sciences, he served as the Provost of the College of Medical Science, University of Benin and currently the Program Officer of Ford Foundation's West Africa office. [4] Ford Foundation is a New York headquartered, globally oriented private foundation with the mission of advancing human welfare. [5] Professor Okonofua's research interest is in the area of Public health, sexual and female reproductive health as well as Andrology. [6]

The results of his research on maternal mortality rate published by Business Day on Sunday, July 19, 2015 suggests that the mortality rate of a pregnant woman in Africa is 1 in 42 and 1 in 25, 500 in developed countries. [7] Commenting on BusinessDay's Research and Intelligence Unit report published on June 2, 2015, he said “the major problem is that about 40% of doctors we train locally are going abroad because of better remuneration and better working environment. Also, there are less resources devoted to training doctors in the country, especially in public training institutions. What happens these days is that even when players in the private sector set up institutions to train doctors when members of the Nigerian Dental and Medical Association inspect such institutions, they are forced to approve it for very few students”. [8] In recognition of his outstanding research and expertise in Gynecology and Obstetrics, he was appointed as executive director of the International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics and was the only African Gynecologist and Obstetrician shortlisted for the interview held in London in April 2005. [9]

In 2012, he was elected as fellow of the Nigerian Academy of Science, the apex scientific organization in Nigeria. He was inducted into the academy, alongside Professor Isaac Folorunso Adewole, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Ibadan and Professor Akinyinka Omigbodun, the President of the West African College of Surgeons and former Provost of the College of Medicine, University of Ibadan. [10]

Education

Okonofua attended the University of Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University where he obtained a bachelor's degree in Health science and a Doctor of Medicine in 1978 from the same university. [11] In 1981, he simultaneously enrolled at the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria and the West African College of Surgeons. He became a fellow of the West African College of Surgeons in 1984 and a fellow of the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria in 1985. Between 1984 and 1985, he was a Clinical Research Fellow at the Department of Chemical pathology of Royal Free Hospital, the teaching hospital of the University of London. Between 1991 and 1992, he was a Takemi Fellow in International health at School of Public Health, Harvard University. In 2004, he became a fellow of the International College of Surgeons. In 2005, he received a doctorate degree (Ph. D) in Public health and Population health from Karolinska Institutet, Sweden's third oldest medical school, after Uppsala University. [9] [12]

Career

He began his career in 1978 at University of Benin Teaching Hospital as a rotating intern. He left the Teaching Hospital in 1979 for the compulsory one year youth service and was deployed to Ipokia District Hospital, Ogun State as a Medical Officer. He completed the service in 1980, the same year he became a Senior House Officer at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital. In 1983, he became a Senior Registrar in the same department and in 1984 he was promoted as Chief Resident before he became a Clinical Research Fellow in clinical endocrinology at the Royal Free Hospital, London. [13]

In 2002, he was appointed as Provost, College of Medical Sciences and served in that capacity for 5 years. He served in several committees of the University as a member of senate and member of the University Governing board. [14]

Appointments

In 1991, he was appointed as Takemi research fellow in international health at the Harvard School of Public Health. [15] In October 2009, he was appointed as Executive Director of International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics. In July 2006, as a result of his immense contributions to the field of medicine and public health, he was appointed to serve as Honorary Adviser to Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, the former President of Nigeria. He held the position till May 29, 2007 and during this period, he initiated the free maternal and child health policy adopted by the Federal Government of Nigeria and some States of Nigeria. He also initiated the deployments of midwives to rural communities across the six geopolitical zones during their compulsory one year National Youth Service in Nigeria. [16] On May 1, 2010 he was appointed as Program Officer of Ford Foundation West Africa office in Lagos State and in 2012, he was appointed as Chairman of Ethical Review Board of the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research. He held the position till date. In June 2010, he contested the position of Vice Chancellor of the University of Ibadan and came second among the five shortlisted candidates. In 2014, he was appointed as the Team Leader of the University of Benin chapter of the West African Regional Centre of Excellence in Reproductive Health Research and Innovation (CERHI). [17]

Significant contributions

In 1993, he established the Women's Health and Action Research Center (WHARC), a not-for-profit organization based in Benin City to promote and conduct research and advocacy on women's reproductive health. Since its establishment in 1993, it has grown to become one of Nigeria's foremost Non-Governmental Organization. [18] In 1999, he established the Owan Women Empowerment Project, a not-for-profit organization headquartered in Afuze, Edo State. The organization was handed to the local community in 2008, with a handover grant of $100,000 from the Ford Foundation. [19] In 1997, he founded the African Journal of Reproductive Health, a Journal that was adjudged in 2005 as best Journal in Nigeria by the National University Commission. In 2002, he founded the Association of Private Obstetrical Providers of Nigeria (APOP) to promote women's health. [20]

Works

Selected Scholarly published articles

Books and book chapters

“Reproductive Health Challenges in Africa: Textbook for Students and Development Practitioners” Ed: Friday Okonofua, Publishers: Adonis and Abbey, UK forthcoming April 2014.

Monographs and technical reports

See also

Related Research Articles

Abortion is the termination of a pregnancy by removal or expulsion of an embryo or fetus. An abortion that occurs without intervention is known as a miscarriage or "spontaneous abortion"; these occur in approximately 30% to 40% of all pregnancies. When deliberate steps are taken to end a pregnancy, it is called an induced abortion, or less frequently "induced miscarriage". The unmodified word abortion generally refers to an induced abortion. The most common reasons women give for having an abortion are for birth-timing and limiting family size. Other reasons reported include maternal health, an inability to afford a child, domestic violence, lack of support, feeling they are too young, wishing to complete education or advance a career, and not being able or willing to raise a child conceived as a result of rape or incest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Obstetric fistula</span> Hole that develops in the birth canal as a result of childbirth

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maternal death</span> Aspect of human reproduction and medicine

Maternal death or maternal mortality is defined in slightly different ways by several different health organizations. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines maternal death as the death of a pregnant mother due to complications related to pregnancy, underlying conditions worsened by the pregnancy or management of these conditions. This can occur either while she is pregnant or within six weeks of resolution of the pregnancy. The CDC definition of pregnancy-related deaths extends the period of consideration to include one year from the resolution of the pregnancy. Pregnancy associated death, as defined by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), are all deaths occurring within one year of a pregnancy resolution. Identification of pregnancy associated deaths is important for deciding whether or not the pregnancy was a direct or indirect contributing cause of the death.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Unsafe abortion</span> Termination of a pregnancy by using unsafe methods

An unsafe abortion is the termination of a pregnancy by people lacking the necessary skills, or in an environment lacking minimal medical standards, or both. An unsafe abortion is a life-threatening procedure. It includes self-induced abortions, abortions in unhygienic conditions, and abortions performed by a medical practitioner who does not provide appropriate post-abortion attention. About 25 million unsafe abortions occur a year, of which most occur in the developing world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics</span> Professional medical organization

The International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, usually just FIGO ("fee'go") as the acronym of its French name Fédération Internationale de Gynécologie et d'Obstétrique, is a worldwide non-governmental organisation representing obstetricians and gynaecologists in over one hundred territories. It was founded on 26 July 1954 in Geneva, Switzerland, to "promote the well-being of women and to raise the standard of practice in obstetrics and gynaecology". Membership is currently composed of 132 professional societies of obstetricians and gynaecologists worldwide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maternal–fetal medicine</span> Branch of medicine

Maternal–fetal medicine (MFM), also known as perinatology, is a branch of medicine that focuses on managing health concerns of the mother and fetus prior to, during, and shortly after pregnancy.

Kelsey Atangamuerimo Harrison is an emeritus professor of obstetrics and gynaecology and former vice-chancellor of University of Port Harcourt, who contributed immensely to studies of maternal health, especially during pregnancy. As a researcher at the University of Ibadan, he mapped out the effects of severe anaemia on the mother and her baby, and established the safety of treating gross anaemia by packed cell transfusion combined with rapidly acting diuretic. He was also part of a group that discovered the dangerous threat posed by sickle cell disease to maternal and fetal lives among Africans. In Zaria, the results of the work of a team he led, became the most powerful boost to international advocacy for better maternal and perinatal health in developing countries.

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Akinyinka Omigbodun is a Nigerian professor of Gynecology, Obstetrics and former provost of the College of Medicine, University of Ibadan. He once served as president of the West African College of Surgeons and chair of the management board of the Consortium for Advanced Research Training in Africa (CARTA).

The Women Health and Action Research Centre is a Nigerian non-profit and charitable organization based in Benin City, Edo State to promote reproductive health through research and advocacy. The organization was founded in 1993 by Professor Friday Okonofua as a means to provide lasting solutions to female reproductive related problems.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abayomi Ajayi</span> Nigerian obstetrician/gynecologist (born 1961)

Dr. Abayomi Ajayi is a Nigerian obstetrician/gynecologist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eli Adashi</span> American physician and scientist

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University of Medical Sciences, Ondo (UNIMED) is a university of medical sciences in Ondo City, Nigeria, owned by the Ondo State Government, established in 2015. It is the third specialized medical university in Africa and Nigeria's first specialized medical university to be accredited by the National Universities Commission.

Paul D. Blumenthal is an American physician, researcher, cervical cancer prevention advocate, and abortion provider who is certified in obstetrics and gynecology. He is known for his cervical cancer, abortion, and contraception research. He is also known for his commitment to international women’s health—evidenced by his contribution to public health initiatives in over 30 countries.

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Bosede Bukola Afolabi is a UK-born Nigerian Gynaecologist, Professor, and Head of Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the College of Medicine, Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Lagos, Nigeria. She is the founder and chairperson of the Maternal and Reproductive Health Research Collective (MRHRC), a research and training NGO. She is also the Director at the Centre for Clinical Trials, Research and Implementation Science (CCTRIS).

Ebony Carter is an obstetrician, reproductive health equity researcher and professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine. Carter is the Director of the Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine at University of North Carolina School of Medicine. As a physician-scientist, Carter is known for her research and implementation of community-based interventions to improve health equity among pregnant patients. Carter is the inaugural Associate Editor of Equity for the academic journal Obstetrics and Gynecology, published by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG).

References

  1. ↑ "Maternal & Infant Mortality Reduction: Airtel playing significant role". worldstagegroup.com. Retrieved October 6, 2015.
  2. ↑ "Ondo Medical Science varsity will end medical tourism —VC". Nigerian Tribune. Archived from the original on March 9, 2016. Retrieved October 6, 2015.
  3. ↑ "Okonofua pledges affordable fees". The Punch News. Archived from the original on October 7, 2015. Retrieved October 6, 2015.
  4. ↑ "College awards Ahiru, others on medical research". Vanguard News. 30 May 2011. Retrieved October 6, 2015.
  5. ↑ Joel Fleishman; J. Scott Kohler; Steven Schindler (2009). Casebook for The Foundation: A Great American Secret. PublicAffairs. pp. 298–. ISBN   978-0-7867-3425-2.
  6. ↑ Friday Okonofua (November 2013). African Journal of Reproductive Health: Vol.17, No.4, Dec. 2013. Universal-Publishers. pp. 166–. ISBN   978-1-61233-732-6.
  7. ↑ "Nigeria ranks high in global infant, maternal death rates". Business Day. Retrieved October 6, 2015.
  8. ↑ "Long waits, rude staff, bureaucracy, top complaints against public hospital-BRIU report". Business Day. Retrieved October 6, 2015.
  9. 1 2 Michael Reich; Keizo Takemi (14 April 2015). Governing Health Systems: For Nations and Communities Around the World. Lamprey & Lee. pp. 11–. ISBN   978-1-942108-01-6.
  10. ↑ "Fellows of the academy". www.nas.org.ng. Archived from the original on November 9, 2015. Retrieved September 15, 2015.
  11. ↑ "Friday Okonofua / Team / West Africa / Regions / Ford Foundation". FordFoundation.org. Retrieved October 6, 2015.
  12. ↑ "Professor Friday Okonofua- WHARC". WHO. Archived from the original on October 7, 2015. Retrieved October 6, 2015.
  13. ↑ "Professor Friday Okonofua". wharc-online.org. Retrieved 2020-05-03.
  14. ↑ "Uniben Provost Seeks N500m for Medical College". allAfrica.com. Retrieved October 6, 2015.
  15. ↑ "Takemi Program celebrates 30 years at symposium on health". hsph.harvard.edu. 30 October 2013. Retrieved October 6, 2015.
  16. ↑ Confronting the Challenge of Reproductive Health in Africa . Retrieved October 6, 2015.{{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  17. ↑ "Six Shortlisted For UI VC Job- P.M. NEWS Nigeria". PM News Nigeria. Retrieved October 6, 2015.
  18. ↑ Friday Okonofua; Kunle Odunsi (2003). Contemporary Obstetrics and Gynaecology for Developing Countries. Women's Health and Action Research Centre. ISBN   978-978-35481-1-4.
  19. ↑ Dennis Ityavyar (2002). Women's Health and Economic Empowerment Initiative in Nigeria. International Centre for Gender & Social Research. ISBN   978-978-166-236-2.
  20. ↑ Friday Okonofua (September 2014). Confronting the Challenge of Reproductive Health in Africa: A Textbook for Students and Development Practitioners. Universal-Publishers. pp. 13–. ISBN   978-1-62734-513-2.
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