IN an era of unprecedented digital disruption, healthcare stands on the brink of a radical transformation – a revolution poised to save lives, optimise scarce resources, and ex­tend equity to even the world’s most underserved populations.

At the frontline of this movement is Dr Henry Okorie Ugorji, a visionary healthcare policy and data analytics expert based in Corvallis, Oregon.

His mission is to forge a smarter, faster, and fairer healthcare system, powered by the twin engines of ar­tificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML).

The power of predictive insight

Dr Henry’s work is anchored in a profound belief: health data, when harnessed intelligently, becomes a force multiplier for prevention, effi­ciency, and justice.

With over seven years of experi­ence advancing public health through data modernisation, informatics, and strategic policy development, he has mastered the art of transforming raw numbers into life-saving knowledge.

Through the deployment of sophis­ticated ML models, Dr Henry crafts predictive tools that not only fore­cast health risks but also streamline patient flows and ensure that critical resources reach the right place at the right time. These innovations are no longer confined to theoretical papers — they are actively revolutionising hospitals, public health agencies, and entire national health systems.

Research that redefines systems

Among his most groundbreaking research, Dr Henry investigates the subtle but significant ways hospital ownership models – whether public, private, or mission-based – shape patient outcomes and resource use.

Leveraging vast datasets and cut­ting-edge algorithms, he exposes how ownership dynamics can drive varia­tions in treatment efficacy, efficien­cy, and even mortality rates.

These findings carry seismic impli­cations for policymakers worldwide: offering them the analytical clarity to design smarter healthcare policies, distribute resources more equitably, and pivot health systems from reac­tive to deeply proactive models.

“In resource-constrained envi­ronments, AI offers us a roadmap for doing more with less,” Dr Henry explains. “It tells us where to in­vest, where to intervene, and how to optimise every decision and every dollar.”

Building the future’s digital infra­structure

Yet Dr Henry is not just a research­er – he is a builder of systems. He has led the creation of robust data gov­ernance frameworks, interoperability strategies, and evaluation models that are aligned with national ambi­tions and global health priorities.

His leadership, characterised by his ability to bridge the worlds of clinicians, technologists, and policy­makers, catalyses systemic change that endures. Central to his vision is the creation of scalable digital health systems that serve both resource-rich cities and underserved rural com­munities. His work ensures that no patient, no matter how remote, is left behind.

A global footprint

Though based in Oregon, Dr Hen­ry’s impact transcends borders. His research and innovations are already influencing health systems in Africa, North America, and beyond — shaping the future at a time when universal health coverage and digital transfor­mation are global imperatives.

Today, real-time triage systems, early outbreak detection tools, and AI-powered resource optimization models are not futuristic concepts – they are operational realities, thanks to innovators like Dr Henry. His contributions are helping reduce maternal and infant mortality, bolster health systems against pandemics, and equip clinicians with lifesaving, data-driven decision support.

The future: smarter, safer, and more equitable

Looking ahead, Dr Henry envi­sions a healthcare ecosystem that is not only smarter and safer but also profoundly more equitable. In his model, AI does not replace human caregivers; it empowers them. It illuminates hidden patterns, cuts through complexity, and refocuses attention on what matters most: saving lives.

“Healthcare is becoming increasingly complex,” Dr Henry notes. “But machine learning gives us clarity. It helps us see patterns, reduce the noise, and focus on what truly matters.”

As nations around the world invest in digital health strate­gies, Dr Henry Okorie Ugorji offers a bold and inspiring blue­print for success: a future where data speaks, algorithms guide, and every healthcare decision is grounded in insight – not guesswork.

In a world where mil­lions still lack access to quality care, that vision has never been more ur­gent – or more inspiring.

 By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu

The infectious smiles and beam­ing grin on the faces of children is one of life’s greatest joys. It also has a way of brightening even the darkest days.

Most children have their smiles dimmed because their parents have no means of providing them with their basic needs and rights.

While some have lost their child­hood to struggles of life, others have lost it to the cruelty of abuse, ne­glect and harsh realities of poverty.

Helping bridge the gap by putting smiles on faces of less privileged children, Reach out for a Child (ROFAC) is gradually becoming a household name in the Greater Accra Region, especially within the Ada and the Madina- Adenta enclave.

With the aim to improve education, healthcare, and facilities for the un­derprivileged group in Ghana, ROFAC believes that by improving school infrastructures, learning will be at­tractive to children, thus increasing attendance and providing a pleasant and safe learning environment.

Yvonne Mawufemor Pedersen is an Acute & Emergency Care Nurse (RN, BSN), working in one of the first and largest super-hospitals in Denmark. 

How it started

Life in Denmark is far from life in Ghana, where Yvonne grew up.

In 2008 while living in Denmark, Yvonne watched a “United Danish Appeal For Funds” program on television, raise funds to support third world countries, targeting all countries that appear on “The Organization For Economic Cooperation and Development” (OECD), list of third world countries, Ghana was on the list. The television program lit a fire of curiosity in me, but also a level of rage of helplessness.

Growing up in Ghana I knew of some of the challenges some children were subjected to, having to skip school to sell on the streets and in markets to help support the rest of the family. Some, runaways due to domestic violence and abuse. Inadequate infrastructure in most schools didn’t make school attractive either.  

I have always had the drive of “Florence Nightingale” I wanted to do something. I wanted to contribute to shifting the narratives of the less privileged. These, and the television program I saw in 2008, contributed to a visit to Ghana, earlier than planned.

The Charity

Reach Out For A Child- (ROFAC) is a small Danish registered charity, started in 2009 by Yvonne Mawufemor Pedersen, a Ghanaian/Togolese resident in Denmark.

The charity was initially formed to raise funds for street children and head potters, after being inspired by a trip while visiting family in Ghana, and sourcing out how to shift the narratives of the above-mentioned group of people. As a result, ROFAC, Ghana was established in the same year, now our partner in Ghana.

Astonishingly, the original target funds were exceeded, and we decided to expand our support to single mothers. We started to raise funds to support the target group, meeting them in the rural areas before their migration to the capital.

As our understanding of rural communities in Ghana grew, so did the scope of our projects, because we understand, there are many factors that contribute to getting a child off the streets and into a classroom, therefore we expanded further to supporting hospitals and schools in rural Accra with teaching aids, hospital equipment’s and giving health education.

As well as lessons in first aid and CPR. This not only includes knowledge to our direct beneficiaries alone, but also that of their families and wider community.

We also, in partnership with our local partners, tailor internship programs for nursing students from Denmark to Ghana.

Our project and since 2009, ROFAC has helped many families in various communities through our numerous projects, and we are determined to ensure that this continues despite challenging circumstances we sometimes encounter.   

Through her initiative, ROFAC has over the years, donated school furni­ture and writing boards for teach­ers and pupils at the Nuhalenya D/A Primary School in the Ada district, explaining that the organisation has been part of the growing process of the school since the year 2018 for which the head teacher, Mr Narh, together with teach­ers and some opinion leaders had always expressed their grat­itude to the team.

Speaking to The Spectator in Accra last Thursday, Ms Ped­ersen said the organisation has also begun teaching Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) in some basic schools, including Nuhanenya in Ada District and Pauline Queensland schools at Agbogbloshie in the Greater Accra Region to equip young learners with essential skills that can help save lives during cardiac emergen­cies.

CPR is a lifesaving emergency procedure performed when the heart stops beating.

Introducing the CPR programme in the basic schools, she indicated would not only empower the chil­dren with practical knowledge but also promote a culture of safety and responsibility.

In this cause, ROFAC has been ad­vocating the subject matter to teach students the basic steps of CPR, including chest compressions and rescue breaths.

She mentioned that to educate children on recognising emergencies and the importance of seeking adult help will increase awareness of heart health.

As part of the safety measures, ROFAC has also introduce the idea of using child friendly mannequins for the learners to practice chest compressions and breathing tech­niques under the guidance of medical trainers.

The programme, she said, em­phasises on safety, including how to avoid panic and handle emergency situations calmly. The schedule for subsequent teaching children CPR will potentially assist in saving lives within their families and communi­ties.

“Implementing a CPR programme in basic schools is a valuable invest­ment in public health and safety. It empowers students with essential life-saving skills and fosters a sense of responsibility and confidence. By integrating CPR education into the curriculum, schools contribute to building safer communities,” she explained.

Ms Pedersen further indicated that the programme not only prepares children to respond to emergencies but also cultivates a generation of informed and proactive individuals.

ROFAC also embarked on another project by donating a laboratory incubator to the Duala Medical Clinic based at Burma Camp in Accra.

This follows a request made by the medical doctor in charge, Dr Awura Adjoa Nunoo, for the equipment for services at the facility.

By Lawrence Vomafa-Akpalu