Professor Oladapo A. Ladipo an Obstetrician and Gynaecologist has over 40 years’ experience in healthcare delivery and development work. He is the founder and President/Emeritus and Co-founder of Association for Reproductive and Family Health [ARFH], a leading not-for profit, non-governmental organization (NGO) in Nigeria that is noted nationally and internationally for its contributions towards improving sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). Many Nigerian Local, State and Federal agencies have also benefited from mentoring and technical assistance through ARFH.
Prof Ladipo qualified as a Medical Doctor at the University of Wales, Cardiff, UK in 1967 and later specialized in Obstetrics and Gynaecology. In 1972, he joined the department of O&G, University College Hospital, Ibadan where he introduced innovative programs and research which led to the introduction of new technologies in particular the use of laproscope, intrauterine contraceptive devices, implants and third generation oral contraceptive pills, and innovative adolescent and community based project. On retirement from UCH, he served as the Executive Secretary and Program Director for South-to-South Cooperation in Reproductive Health in Bahia, Brazil where he coordinated research in 15 countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America with a focus on the development of new contraceptive technologies and microbicides.
Working with other agencies and non-governmental organizations to achieve better health outcomes, he motivated and built the capacity of health workers, lend his voice to the policy change that improved access to quality Healthcare services. He sits on many boards and committees of both national and international organizations. He was the immediate past President of African Federation of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (AFOG), the African arm of International Federation of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (FIGO) and also a member of IPPF’s International Medical Advisory Panel (IMAP). Prof Ladipo was the Chair of the National Reproductive Health and Technical working group(NRTWG), also a foundation chair of Association for Advancement of Family Planning (AAFP) in Nigeria and currently the Chair of the High level National Advocates for increased funding to the health sector in Nigeria.
He is an erudite scholar with over 184 publications and he has also earned international and national awards. In acknowledgment of various community health developmental works he had conducted in several communities, he was accorded the Chieftaincy title of Aare Atayese of Osi Ekiti, Ekiti State (2005) and Aare Baasegun of Edeland, Ede, Osun State (2009).Notable among his awards are the Advocates for Youths Award presented to him in Washington DC in recognition of his contributions to youth and adolescent health, National Merit award of the Officer of the Order of Niger (OON), the WHO Sasakawa Health award (1993) for which he was the first African recipient. In 2018, he was given the Lifetime Achievement award by Bill and Melinda Gates Institute at the John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public health, Baltimore, USA for his immense contributions to Sexual Reproductive Health including Family Planning. He was also awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by the University of Ibadan in 2018. The President/CEO was part of the Project Management Board of the DFID supported MNCH2 project providing technical support and playing key advisory role. He is also a Board member of AIDS Prevention Initiative in Nigeria (APIN), Pathfinder and others.