Leading the chart in advancing and strengthening healthcare systems in Africa is Oludare Bodurin’s forte. He is a former Acting Director and Technical Lead at SPARC and is known as a key figure in public policy and health financing and one who strives to make lasting change through seemingly impossible projects. As his leadership role continues to give the health systems a facelift and his vision enhances health equity and universal health coverage in Africa, he walks journalists through his unique leadership attributes.
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“It’s gratifying to see the healthcare system impacted positively, especially equal access and universal health coverage,” says Bodurin in a virtual interview. “I see my work in the health and non-profit space beyond a job but a calling—a calling to stop at nothing but to ensure affordable and equitable access to quality healthcare services in Nigeria and Africa at large.”

Bodunrin, whose drive is fueled by his resolve to see a true change, embodies the spirit of passion, dedication, focus, and determination. His over 16 cumulative years of experience under his belt include significant strides in business development, strategic leadership, and NGO management. He selflessly worked on designing and implementing health financing initiatives that promote equitable access to quality healthcare in Africa.

He has successfully taken a page from Will Durant’s famous quote, “The health of nations is more important than the wealth of nations,” that reverberates around the globe. This is because healthcare in Africa is still on the back burner, and a significant challenge is the lack of innovative leadership to enhance health equity and universal coverage. Thus, the World Health Organization (WHO) emphasizes that a well-organized health system requires trained workers, infrastructure, and reliable supplies supported by adequate funding and policies. And this message resonates with Bodunrin.

Driving impactful initiatives
Bodunrin, a Geology graduate from the Federal University of Technology, Minna, rolled up his sleeves and got ready to steer the ship. His odyssey in the health sector began in 2012 as the Business Development Officer with Hygeia Community Health Care (HCHC), a not-for-profit arm of the Hygeia Group that provides health insurance to the low-income population of Nigeria.

HCHC is the first and the most successful health microinsurance program in Nigeria, with over 400,000 enrollees and more than 1 million hospital utilization recorded, a feat Bodunrin was largely involved in. At HCHC, Bodunrin spearheaded several achievements. First, he contributed to the development of the strategic plan to scale up the organization’s clientele base to 1 million lives in five years and transition into a self-sustainable, non-donor-funded program.

To add more feathers to his hat, Bodunrin went on to script health applications for the organization and won grants worth over $2 million. He also supported executive negotiations with Telcos, micro-finance institutions, and donor organizations targeted at financial inclusion solutions for the low-income population. Bodunrin conducted market scoping, community assessments, and stakeholder engagement activities in peri-urban and rural areas in Nigeria, exercise in Lagos and Ogun States; contributed to the development of a self-sustainable health microinsurance product which achieved 118% of the benchmark during the test phase; developed expansion plans and budget to the tune of 120,000 Euros for three consecutive years; and implemented an increase in sales.

His achievements in health equity
Bodunrin continues to think outside the box. His career goal was in full swing to champion quality, effective health system education and health equity. He proceeded to join Purplesource Health Limited in 2015. It’s a healthcare investment and management firm building an integrated network of healthcare facilities across Nigeria and managing a number of hospitals, including Mt. Sinai Hospitals.

As he began to grow in leaps and bounds, Bodunrin rose to a business development officer from a management trainee at Mt. Sinai Hospitals. Within three years, he attained the position of senior project associate. He implemented a centralized drug procurement system which has helped to reduce the monthly cost of drugs by 30%. Bodunrin’s magic wand kept swirling; he generated demand and grew the company’s revenue through a value-driven relationship with the hospital’s host community and client segments and managed relationships with 98 institutional clients, delivering over N100 million in annual revenue.

He was the brain behind CHMI, GSK & Pfizer grant proposals valued at $120,000. The health expert also managed all proof-of-concept projects, estimated at $500,000. As the senior project associate, he coordinated the membership enrollment and effective participation of the organization at the Center for Health Market Innovation.

Leading the chart across organizations
Bodunrin made more significant strides in his career when he joined the Results for Development Institute (R4D) in 2017. As a Program Officer for the Nigeria Health Financing Technical Assistance Project, he led initiatives valued at USD 4.5 million. His work included establishing Nigeria’s largest action learning network on Universal Healthcare Coverage, involving over 30 states and multiple partners. He facilitated workshops for state actors to implement Social Health Insurance Schemes and co-developed an implementer’s manual for these schemes. Additionally, Bodunrin provided technical leadership for the Kaduna State Contributory Health Scheme and advised on the Oyo State Health Insurance Scheme’s performance review. His efforts have been pivotal in advancing healthcare financing reforms across Nigeria.

In early 2020, Bodunrin took on the role of Senior Program Officer for the Nigeria Health Financing Technical Assistance project, where he became Nigeria’s Country Focal Person. He expertly managed program affairs, representing the organization to funders, government, and stakeholders. His innovative approach led to the creation of a project performance tracking system, enhancing visibility across all Nigeria projects. Bodunrin also redesigned the team’s project management structure to emphasize knowledge management and business development. He initiated a health financing research agenda to ensure evidence-based improvements in Nigerian states.

In August 2020, Bodunrin transitioned to Amref Health Africa as Program Manager for the Strategic Purchasing Africa Resource Centre (SPARC). Here, he led the development of $13 million in grant proposals and crafted annual work plans and budgets. His strategic vision included a program monitoring dashboard and tools for prioritization alongside a staffing plan that enhanced technical competence and equity within the team. Bodunrin’s leadership extended to developing service-level agreements with business support units, positioning SPARC for expansion and institutionalization.

Bodunrin’s journey as Technical Lead and Acting Director for SPARC from August 2021 to May 2023 showcases his innovative and collaborative spirit. Leading a dynamic 10-person team, he established a sustainable resource hub that provided on-demand support to over 12 African countries, focusing on equitable financial resource allocation for health. Under his leadership, the regional health financing project portfolio expanded from $10 million to $29 million.

He forged strategic partnerships with regional bodies like Africa CDC and the Africa Health Economics and Policy Association, which led to the co-funding and scaling of SPARC’s tools and approaches. His expertise extends beyond SPARC; he serves as an Advisory Board Member of the AfroPHC Forum and is part of Health Systems Global (HSG).

As a dynamic project leader, he continues to navigate complex challenges, transforming team dynamics and delivering innovative solutions that reshaped organizational performance. His work is characterized by a commitment to evidence-based interventions, collaborative problem-solving, and a deep understanding of Africa’s unique health ecosystem. His journey illustrates how targeted, strategic approaches can drive meaningful health system transformations. His current status as a health expert represents the culmination of years of dedicated work in health policy, financing, and systems strengthening – positioning him as a key influencer in Africa’s health development landscape.