Introducing Humans of Development: Ochiawunma Akwiwu Ibe

Leading policy change at scale in global health programming

What’s one misconception about your work?

I am Ochiawunma Akwiwu Ibe. Being a physician and pediatrician by training, my family and friends assume I work directly with patients who don’t understand what I do as a global health practitioner.

Others confuse USAID with the United Nations.

From a young age, I always said I wanted to study medicine and become a doctor. Although my mother managed her own maternity home as a nurse midwife, I don't believe that's where the desire came from.

My late aunt once shared a story: before my father had children, he reportedly said he could never bear to raise a daughter to become a doctor, only for her to marry and lose her maiden name. My aunt, in response, declared that his first daughter would be a doctor. That prophecy was fulfilled in my life.

When did you realize this was the work you wanted to do?

Yes, it was when I transitioned from clinical practice to working on child health policy development and implementation. I realized that through policy, I could impact the lives of millions of children, far more than I could ever reach in clinical practice alone.

After approximately five years as a pediatrician, I transitioned to a policy advisor role on a USAID-funded policy project. Seeing how a single, well-implemented child health policy could transform outcomes for millions solidified my calling.

I’ve been in global health and development ever since, driven by my passion for meeting the needs of the most vulnerable: mothers and children.

What is a global health story that’s stayed with you?

In 2014, I was working in Liberia as a technical advisor for USAID on strengthening community health systems. USAID had supported a pilot program to deploy Community Health Workers (CHWs) in hard-to-reach areas (more than 5 km from a health facility).

The pilot recommended that the Ministry of Health adopt a standardized training and incentive package—just $20 per CHW, plus non-monetary benefits.

This was after Liberia’s initial Ebola outbreaks in March and May. However, the Ministry was reluctant to act on the recommendation. By August 2014, when the outbreak escalated dramatically, the country had no robust community engagement structure in place.

Suddenly, CHWs were urgently needed as contact tracers and were being paid $70 to $100 per month.

The delay in deploying them contributed to the rapid spread of the virus. Ultimately, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf became a champion for a trained and well-compensated community health workforce to help prevent future epidemics.

That experience stayed with me. As the saying goes, a stitch in time saves nine. Earlier action might have prevented the loss of more than 11,300 lives.

Living and working in Liberia also had the most profound impact on me. As a Nigerian-born professional, I found Liberia to be the most welcoming country I’ve experienced.

In contrast, many other African countries where I’ve worked or visited have displayed some degree of resentment towards Nigerians. Liberia felt different—open, warm, and accepting.

You’re a seasoned leader, but what’s something you still find hard?

Managing my time effectively with a to-do list is something I continue to work on. As an ESFP personality type, I naturally thrive on spontaneity and flexibility, which can sometimes make structured planning a challenge.

I remember a time at ICF, where I was serving as a Senior Technical Specialist for Community Health on USAID’s Maternal and Child Survival Program. I was leading a high-stakes interagency scoping visit for the IDDS project, with senior representatives from USAID and CDC involved.

The success of that assignment hinged on careful coordination and meticulous planning. I had to be extremely intentional, using project management tools, documenting outcomes, and structuring each day to keep everything on track.

That experience reinforced the importance of staying organized. To this day, I continue to push myself to write down my top priorities each morning and use my calendar to stay focused and accountable.

What excites you most about the future of global health?

The growing agency of the Global South deeply inspires me, particularly in countries like Rwanda and Ghana. Namibia, where I’ve also worked, is making remarkable progress and is on track to eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV.

What excites me most is how these countries are increasingly taking ownership of their health agendas: mobilizing domestic resources, setting priorities, and leading development efforts in partnership with institutions like the African Development Bank, the African Union, and Africa CDC.

Even more powerful is the rise of technical leadership from the Global South. Experts are stepping forward as equal partners in research, policy, and academia, not just as recipients of aid, but as co-creators of solutions that are locally grounded and globally relevant.

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