The Community Bridge Health Initiative (BRIDGHI) is a registered non-profit aimed at transforming healthcare delivery and empowering patients through effective engagement. Our founders have witnessed firsthand the critical gap between patient engagement and healthcare outcomes, especially in low- and middle-income African healthcare contexts. This gap is not just a consequence of structural and systemic limitations but also a reflection of the disconnect in communication between healthcare systems and patients.
Persistent challenges such as limited health literacy, scarce resources, communication barriers, and cultural dynamics silence the very people at the heart of healthcare journeys. This results in a fragmented healthcare ecosystem that fails to leverage a critical component of healing: the patient’s agency, understanding, and engagement. As a result, both individual and collective health outcomes suffer, while a cycle of healthcare inequality persists, leaving patients to navigate their care without the support needed to participate meaningfully in it.
BRIDGHI leverages innovative strategies and data-driven solutions to tackle these health challenges, empowering patients and their carers to take on more active roles in their healthcare journeys.
Oluchi is a pharmacist who leverages multi-sectoral experiences to bring fresh perspectives and innovative solutions to patient care. With undergraduate and postgraduate degrees - BPharm, MPharm and PhD - she is experienced in teaching and research. Passionate about empowering patients and their carers, and fostering collaboration for healthcare, she is interested in making complex medical information understandable, relatable and meaningful for patients and carers. Through innovative research, education, and advocacy for health literacy, Oluchi strives to enhance patient and carer engagement, bridging the gap between science and patient experiences to improve treatment adherence and outcomes.
Kenneth Egwu is a global health pharmacist passionate about tackling Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) through education, innovation and collaboration, especially across Africa. He co-founded the AMR Intervarsity Training Program, serves as a Training Facilitator with the Stop Superbugs Squad, and is a member of the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy (BSAC). A recipient of grants from the PAR Foundation and BSAC, he has established 35 AMR Clubs across Nigeria, inspiring students and communities to act against AMR through effective education and communication, innovation, and collaboration.
Ogo is a registered nurse whose clinical work spans multiple specialties across four different countries, giving her a broad perspective on patient needs and healthcare systems. Her qualifications in Nursing, Medical Laboratory Sciences, International Public Health, and Hospital Management equip her with both hands-on expertise and organizational insight into patient care. This rare blend of skills and her experiences as a patient have fueled her interest in improving healthcare communication, and enables her to bridge gaps between clinicians, administrators, and patients in different healthcare environments.
Dr. Nwachukwu is the Chief Impact Officer for the Bank of Industry in Nigeria. With multiple health degrees; BPharm (UNN), MPH - Health Economics (Leeds), MPA (Harvard), and years of experience driving implementation projects on behalf of the Nigerian government at the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), he is passionate about improving health and healthcare communication. Earlier in his career as a management consultant at KPMG and Technical Adviser to a former Minister of Finance, he witnessed how clear communication and effective strategies can transform outcomes, fueling his commitment to advancing health through better communication.
Dr. Asma Awadh is the Sub County Medical Officer of Health for Kibera in Kenya, Chair of the Australian Awardees Women in Leadership Network, and a Fellow of the Women in Global Health Leadership at the University of Toronto. With over a decade of experience in patient care, neonatal health, and public health leadership, she has successfully led healthcare teams and community health initiatives in Kenya and beyond. She holds medical and public health degrees from the University of Nairobi and the University of New South Wales, Australia, and is passionate about advancing health equity in underserved communities through clear and impactful communication.
Mr. Agubata holds a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree from the University of South Africa (UNISA) and works as a legal adviser in South Africa. With years of experience advocating for fairness and clarity, he recognizes that effective communication is vital in empowering individuals to make informed health decisions. As a senior citizen, he prioritizes health and wellbeing and believes that clear and compassionate communication leads to better understanding and health outcomes for everyone.
Dr. Phumzile Skosana is a pharmacist and lecturer at Sefako Health Sciences University in Pretoria South Africa, and the Chairperson of the School of Pharmacy Research Committee. She has been involved in initiatives to improve health and healthcare. Her academic expertise and hands-on experience in the healthcare sector provides valuable insights on the importance of clear and compassionate dialogue in patient care.
Mrs Kemi Oguntimehin is a Patient Engagement Specialist and passionate advocate for sickle cell anaemia. With extensive experience designing health education programs and championing patient voices in healthcare systems and research, she bridges the gap between scientific evidence and lived experience. Through her leadership in both grassroots and digital patient engagement initiatives, Kemi brings a unique perspective and deep commitment to improving health communication and fostering more patient-centered approaches to healthcare delivery.
Vanessa became an AMR patient advocate in 2013 after surviving a serious car accident and 10-year facial reconstruction that caused a highly-resistant MRSA infection on her face. She was a patient advisor to several organisations including CIDRAP (USA) and served for three years as a member of the WHO Strategic Technical Advisory Group on AMR (STAG-AMR) between 2020 and 2023. She currently serves as a lay member to the Advisory Committee on Antimicrobial Prescribing, Resistance and Healthcare Associated Infection, UK (APRHAI) and is a civil society champion at Africa CDC. She has won awards for her advocacy including a Woman of Stature (WOS) Woman of the Year Award, FINDdx Voices for Diagnostics Award, and Antibiotic Guardian Award in the Community Communications category organised by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). She further was awarded an e-Patient Scholarship at Stanford University Medicine X in the USA. With a professional background in marketing, Vanessa has also lectured on various topics including effective communication and infodemic management in relation to AMR, and completed training by the WHO in 2020. She has also advocated on the importance of patient and public involvement in care. Vanessa is the founder and currently serves as an Executive Director for The AMR Narrative, a UK registered patient organisation. Originally from South Africa, she now resides in the UK and has worked globally.
