Dr Francis Ohanyido is physician, poet and strategist with two decades of multi-country development experience in Sub-Saharan Africa and a leading voice for quality universal health coverage and global health security. Ohanyido has had stints with United Nations agencies like UNHCR, UNICEF, and WHO and bilateral bodies like USAID and DFID across Africa to improve the health of women and children. He also worked with the prestigious Sabin Vaccine Institute, Washington DC and ONE Campaign and serially advised the Senate and House of Representatives of Nigeria in different roles. He played a key role under the UN Commission for Lifesaving Commodities for women & children (UNCoLSC), as Pneumonia Coordinator funded by USAID.

He is on the Governing Council of the Academy of Learning Nigeria and global Malaria in Pregnancy Working Group. He serves as Director–General, West African Institute of Public Health and President of its flagship Academy of Public Health. He is a faculty of the Supercourse of WHO’s Collaborating Center, University of Pittsburgh and the Library of Alexandria. A Board-certified Physician, he holds a medical degree from University of Jos, with postgraduate education in public health. He is a certified Professional Manager and has postgraduate qualifications in administration. He is also a Fellow of the UK’s Faculty of Public Health (FFPH), Fellow of the UK’s Royal Society for Public Health (FRSPH), Fellow of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine & Hygiene (RSTMH) UK and Fellow of Academy of Public Health. He is a Trustee of iNovate 2100 and Council Trustee of the United Nations SDGs Professional Support Group for Africa.