A Nigerian Professor of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Ibrahim Abubakar, has been recognised for his unwavering commitment to improving global health outcomes. According to a report by Premium Times Nigeria, Professor Abubakar was awarded the 2023 Roux Prize by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington's School of Medicine. The esteemed professor, who serves as the Dean of the Faculty of Population Health Sciences at the University College London (UCL), was honoured at a ceremony in London on 12 October.
The UCL stated that the award aims to bolster Professor Abubakar's efforts to enhance health systems in Nigeria and Africa's Sahel region. Such initiatives are pivotal for the world's most impoverished nations and other significant global health programmes. This accolade is significant for Nigeria, where the healthcare system faces challenges such as limited human resources, inadequate financing, and management.
Chris Murray, the director of IHME, lauded Professor Abubakar's contributions, emphasising that his expertise has influenced policy implementation, impacting millions. UCL highlighted the professor's recent work with The Lancet Nigeria Commission, which played a crucial role in Nigeria's adoption of a new law mandating basic health insurance, benefiting 83 million underprivileged individuals.
Professor Abubakar's dedication to public health was shaped by witnessing the devastating effects of diseases like HIV on his patients. His achievements in the medical field stem from seeing the disparities in healthcare outcomes based on wealth and opportunity.
