Draft:Dr. Akinwumi Fajola

Dr. Akinwumi Fajola (Akin) is a Public Health Medicine physician, specialist and business leader. He currently is the Health Manager-Community Health, at Shell Nigeria (SPDC JV).[1]. He leads and provides community health care support for communities in Nigeria and other Sub- Saharan African countries where Shell has its operations[2][3]. A specialist in Public Health Medicine and Epidemiology, he has served as World Health Organization/NPI - N.I.D’s core consultant on immunization in Imo & Kano states of Nigeria and as In-Country coordinator (Nigeria) of the Institute of Human Virology, University of Maryland, Baltimore, now IHV Nigeria, under its University Technical Assistance Program (UTAP) where he supported the commencement of the HIV/AIDS PEPFAR program in collaboration with the Government of Nigeria and CDC gap Atlanta.[4]

Early Life and Education

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Akinwumi was born in Ibadan at the University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria. He attended The International School Ibadan(ISI) from 1983-1988 and proceeded to study Medicine and Surgery at the University of Ilorin from 1989-1997.

A MASHAV scholar, he bagged an International Master’s Degree in Public Health from the Braun School of Public Health & Community Medicine, Hebrew University (Hadassah), Jerusalem, Israel (iMPH in 2002). He received his Fellowship of the West African College of Physicians (FWACP) in Community Medicine (by examination), after completion of his senior medical residency at the College of Medicine, University College Hospital, Ibadan. He is a fellow of the Royal Society of Public Health and has a Diploma in Health Systems Management from the Galilee International Management Institute.

‘Akin is an alumnus of the flagship course on health systems strengthening and sustainable financing of the World Bank Institute, facilitated by the Harvard (T.H. Chan) School of Public Health.

He has attended various management courses and has ongoing interests in renewable energy solutions & sustainability.

Career

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He co-led the $1.5M Niger Delta HIV/AIDs response project (NIDAR)[5], a partnership between Shell, Communities and FHI 360 between 2007 to 2008 which then transited to NiDAR plus 2008-2011 that delivered and took HIV care treatment and support services (PMTCT/HAART) to primary Health care facilities in rural communities in 4 states of the Niger Delta.

Akinwumi co-led the Shell team in support of the national Ebola response in Rivers & Lagos state’s and serves as a member of the Emergency Operations Center (response and preparedness) in Rivers  state.

In 2019, he led Shell Nigeria's (SNEPCo) private sector support and donation of a state of the art $2Million Cancer Care LINAC Radiotherapy Machine including its bunker to the National Hospital, Abuja, Nigeria, which provided high end radiotherapy services to cancer patients and reduced treatment time, including costs of care ( including to indigent patients) for the Management of Cancer treatment cycles.

In 2020, he led Shell’s external COVID-19 (private sector)[6]response in Nigeria, coordinating and collaborating with key stakeholders like the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, Federal Ministry of Health, State governments and the other partners, aiding the activation of 9 state COVID molecular laboratories in-country and improving testing capacity and efficiency.[7]

He served as a member on the special committee on health - commissioned by former President Olusegun Obasanjos’ Centre for Human Security, that produced the document on “A new dawn for the Health Sector in Nigeria.[8]

In 2022, Akin was inaugurated on the 15 member executive committee of Nigeria’s Country Coordinating Mechanism (CCM) for the management and oversight of Global Fund grants ($1billion: 2024-2026 cycle) for Nigeria’s health system for impact.  He presently serves as the 2nd Vice Chairman of Nigeria’s CCM[9]

In January 2023 he was honored to deliver the Isaac Ladipo Oluwole keynote lecture (address) at the 39th National General Meeting and Scientific conference of the Association of Public Health Physicians of Nigeria[10]. In October of the same year, he delivered the key note at the Nigeria Medical Associations (Rivers state Branch) Physicians week, while in 2019 he delivered the inaugural address at the opening of the World Bank funded Africa Centre of Excellence in Public Health and Toxicological Research (PUTOR) at the University of Port Harcourt and serves as member of the academic advisory board.[11]

Interest and Personal Life

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Using measurable data, he presently supports implementation of innovative public health, social investment and sustainable development initiatives that impact people and communities by partnering with governments, development partners, civil society and communities[12]. One of this is a Shared Value initaitive- the model pilot Obio Community Health Insurance program in Nigeria being implemented in collaboration with the Rivers state government, Shell and host communities[13]

He also serves as Business Opportunity Manager for the $5Million Oloibiri Health Program, a local government wide comprehensive health and social determinants of health initiative catalyzed by Royal Dutch Shell and delivered in partnership with the Bayelsa state government and Ogbia local government, with technical support from the international finance cooperation (IFC)[14]; with the initiative delivering key sustainable development goal ( SDGs) elements.

He has co-developed value adding impact mitigation and social investment initiatives in Nigeria, Gabon and other operation hubs. Having worked in the Oil and gas industry for the last 2 decades, he understands the business of health, social investments including access to health, impact management, emergency response and Non-technical risk management.

RENEWABLES:

Akin is an advocate for sustainable renewable energy solutions and net zero emissions from fossil fuels.

He led the Shell Companies in Nigeria (SCiN) Clean cookstove initiative (A Shell Social Investment program) delivering the SCiN cookstove plan and led Shells team at the World Bank African Consultative Initiative (ACCI) forum (Accra), which had over 100 renewable energy development experts; with inputs into the ACCI framework. In concert with civil society and external stakeholders, he supported the successful launch of the Clean Cookstove Nigerian Alliance, providing impetus and strengthening for SCiN’s efforts in clean energy. He led SCINs team in executing the first Shell Clean cookstove awareness and exhibition day which provided an interactive platform for business interaction and opportunity platform for community, local and international entrepreneurs and clean cookstove manufacturers.

Akin is a sports enthusiast and served on the board of the Cycling Federation of Nigeria between 2019-2021, where he supports development of youth cyclists/athletes. He also supports athletics and is a football fan.

Akinwumi is Married to Olamide and blessed with children.

An incurable optimist in Nigeria and Africa to the world.

Honors

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  • Scholarship: A MASHAV scholar (under the aegis of Israel’s Agency for International development): He holds an International Master’s Degree in Public Health
  • Award for Community Service by the National Youth Service Corp(NYSC) - 1998; Certificate of Commendation on service project; Health Education and promotion activity on “Unsafe Abortion and Sexually Transmitted Infections among Youths”
  • Global Business Coalition Awards of Excellence for Collective Action & Partnership – for the “Niger Delta HIV/AIDS Response” project . 2010.
  • Community Health- Shell Chief Executives Award for Excellence in SP/HSSE for Obio Community Health Insurance Scheme. April 2012.
  • Medical Resident of the Year, College of Medicine, UCH Ibadan (2000).

Publications

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Dr. Fajola has about 30 research works published in peer reviewed journals, as abstracts and contributions to a book chapter. His areas of interest include data driven options in strengthening of health systems (across its building blocks), development of sustainable health care financing models (UHC) in resource limited settings (access to health), immunization against vaccine preventable diseases, remote health care, reproductive health & HIV/AIDS Epidemiology, including its care, treatment and support.[15][16][17][18] . He has done further work in renewable energy solutions and social determinants of health ( including the SDGs).

  1. ^ Simple tech solutions for big health issues!- Akinwumi Fajola at "Health Meets Tech" 2016, retrieved 2024-01-21
  2. ^ Watch, Nigeria Health (2020-10-09). "World Sight Day 2020: Shell, JV partners come together to give #HopeInSight". Medium. Retrieved 2024-01-21.
  3. ^ "Shell, Partners Revamp Flood-Ravaged Hospital in Niger Delta – Energy Focus Report". Retrieved 2024-01-21.
  4. ^ "Team – HTFN Home". Retrieved 2024-01-21.
  5. ^ Fajola, Akinwumi O.; Ekanem, Emmanuel E.; Ande, Babatunde A.; Usman, Rakiya S.; Umejiego, Chidozie N. (2018). "Immunization Completion Rates in a Cottage Hospital in the Niger Delta Area of Nigeria". Annals of Medical and Health Sciences Research.
  6. ^ An IOC's Support To The Nigerian COVID-19 Response, retrieved 2024-01-21
  7. ^ An IOC's Support To The Nigerian COVID-19 Response, retrieved 2024-01-21
  8. ^ Obasanjo, Olusegun; Mabogunje, Akin L.; Okebukola, Peter (2016). Towards a New Dawn for the Health Sector in Nigeria Post 2015. Centre for Human Security, Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library. ISBN 978-978-53952-9-7.
  9. ^ "Dr. Akinwumi Fajola". CCM Nigeria. Retrieved 2024-01-21.
  10. ^ Adigun, Olalekan (2023-02-01). "How Nigeria can address emerging healthcare challenges". The Quest Times. Retrieved 2024-01-21.
  11. ^ "Stakeholders Task PUTOR On High Impact Public Healthcare Research". www.uniport.edu.ng. Retrieved 2024-01-21.
  12. ^ Ihekweazu, Chikwe (2014-08-05). "An island of hope: Visiting the Obio Community Health Insurance Scheme". Nigeria Health Watch. Retrieved 2024-01-21.
  13. ^ Ajala-Damisa, Dara (2020-05-18). "Obio PMTCT Clinic: Compassionate, Confidential & Patient Centred". Nigeria Health Watch. Retrieved 2024-01-21.
  14. ^ Alagboso, Chibuike (2019-08-20). "Oloibiri to Abuja: Sustainable People-centered investments in primary and tertiary care". Nigeria Health Watch. Retrieved 2024-01-21.
  15. ^ Mustapha, Adetoun; Fajola, Akinwumi; Umejiego, Chidozie; Fakunle, Babatunde (2016-10-04). "Waiting Time is a Wasted Time: Obio Cottage Hospital Outpatient Transit Time Improvement". All Days. SPE. doi:10.2118/183609-ms.
  16. ^ Fajola, Akinwunmi; Oduneye, Femi; Onuaguluchi, Nneka; Ogbimi, Rebecca; Akenge, Suodei (2020-07-20). "Improving & Sustaining Health Through Community Partnerships – The Oloibiri Health Programme Experience". Day 4 Thu, July 30, 2020. SPE. doi:10.2118/199525-ms.
  17. ^ Fajola, A..; Oduneye, F..; Ogbimi, R..; Mosuro O, O..; Oyo-Ita A, A..; Ovwigho, U.. (2020-07-20). "Taking Goal Zero Outside the Fence: Lifestyle and Health Influences on Tanker and Commercial Drivers' Performance and Road Safety". Day 5 Fri, July 31, 2020. SPE. doi:10.2118/199440-ms.
  18. ^ Ekanem, Emmanuel (2017-08-19). "Use of Simple Information Communication Technology to Manage the Epilepsy Challenge at a Community Cottage Hospital in the Niger Delta Area of Nigeria". Journal of Medical Science and Clinical Research. 5 (8). doi:10.18535/jmscr/v5i8.117. ISSN 2347-176X.