EquiHealth International

Departments

DEPARTMENTS

Explore our specialized core departments driving impactful change worldwide.

Research and Policy

Conducts ethical, community-based research on health equity, the social determinants of health, climate and health, food security, and mental health and psychosocial well-being. It turns evidence into policy briefs and recommendations for decision makers.

Health Rights Advocacy and Community Programs

Designs and delivers community programs that help people understand and claim their right to health. This includes health rights education, community engagement and outreach, and work with local leaders, with communities taking part in decisions at every stage.

Human Rights and Conflict Resolution

Promotes and protects human rights, with a focus on the right to health, gender equality and the rights of vulnerable groups. The department offers mediation and other alternative dispute resolution (ADR) services to resolve conflicts in communities and health care settings. It also advocates for safe working conditions and protection from labour exploitation for health workers, and supports peacebuilding in communities affected by conflict.

. Legal Affairs

Provides legal guidance to the organization and supports its human rights mission. The department oversees registration and legal compliance in each country where EquiHealth International operates, reviews contracts and partnership agreements, and develops organizational policies. It also carries out legal research on health and human rights law, supports strategic and public interest litigation, and works with partner lawyers to connect vulnerable people with legal aid.

Partnerships and Resource Mobilization

Builds relationships with governments, UN agencies, NGOs, universities and donors. It leads grant writing, fundraising and partnership agreements.

Finance and Operations

Manages budgets, financial reporting, governance records, safeguarding and day-to-day operations. This department supports our commitment to transparency, accountability and the protection of the people we serve.

Communications and Outreach

Manages the website, social media, publications, newsletters and events. It shares the organization’s work and stories with the public.

Digital Health, Technology and Artificial Intelligence

Explores how digital health tools, telehealth, technology and artificial intelligence can improve access to health services and support health equity, especially for rural and underserved communities. It works to ensure these tools are used ethically, protect privacy and respect the rights of the people they serve.

Diverse professionals collaborating around a conference table.

Advance Global Health Equity and Human Rights Today

Discover how our specialized teams work across research, policy, advocacy, legal affairs, partnerships, finance, communications, and digital health to drive meaningful change.

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Prof. Justice Sir Dennis Dominic Adjei

Member, Advisory Council, EquiHealth International

Prof. Justice Sir Dennis Dominic Adjei is a Justice of the Supreme Court of Ghana and a Judge of the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights. He is one of Africa’s most respected jurists, legal scholars and judicial educators. He serves on the Advisory Council of EquiHealth International, where he offers guidance on human rights, the rule of law and good governance.

Justice Adjei was sworn in as a Justice of the Supreme Court of Ghana in July 2025. Before that, he served for 15 years on the Court of Appeal of Ghana, from 2010 to 2025. In 2022 he was elected a Judge of the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights for a six-year term. He has also served as a member of the Advisory Committee on Nominations of Judges of the International Criminal Court.

Before joining the bench, Justice Adjei practised law for 17 years in Kumasi. He was an associate at Owusu Bempah Law Chambers and later founded Holy Trinity Chambers, where he was Managing Partner. He served as President of the Ashanti Regional Branch of the Ghana Bar Association and as a member of the Ghana Bar Council.
He has been a leader in judicial reform and training. He served as Director of the Judicial Training Institute of Ghana and as Director of the Public Complaints and Courts Inspectorate Units of the Judicial Service. He was twice elected President of the Association of Magistrates and Judges of Ghana. He helped develop Ghana’s Sentencing Guidelines and the Practice Direction on Disclosures and Case Management in Criminal Proceedings. He also chaired the Africa Judicial Network on Environmental Law.

Justice Adjei is a distinguished teacher of law. He served as Dean of the Faculty of Law at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA). He is a Senior Lecturer at the Ghana School of Law and has served as an Adjunct Professor of Law at the University of Cape Coast, the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology and Accra Metropolitan University. In the 2022 to 2023 academic year, he was the Senior Judges Fellow for Common Law jurisdictions at the Inns of Court and Advanced Legal Institute, University of London..

He is the author of many leading law texts. These include International Human and Peoples’ Rights: Law and Practice (2025), Constitutional Law of Ghana: Evolution, Theory and Practice, Modern Approach to the Law of Interpretation in Ghana, Criminal Procedure and Practice in Ghana, Contemporary Criminal Law in Ghana and Land Law, Practice and Conveyancing in Ghana. He is also co-author of The Alternative Dispute Resolution: A Ghanaian Perspective.

Justice Adjei holds a Bachelor of Arts in Law and Linguistics from the University of Ghana and was called to the Ghana Bar in 1993. He holds a Master of Laws in Criminology and Criminal Justice from the University of London and a Master of Judicial Studies from Duke University School of Law in the United States. He also holds an Executive Master of Public Administration from GIMPA.
He is a Fellow of the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences. In 2005, Pope Benedict XVI made him a Knight of the Order of St. Gregory the Great.
EquiHealth International is honoured to benefit from Justice Adjei’s wisdom and global experience. His lifelong work for justice, human rights and the rule of law reflects the organization’s belief that health is a right, not a privilege.

Benedicta Princess Dotse, MPhil, PGDE, BSc, RGN

Regional Coordinator, Upper East, Upper West and Savannah Regions, Ghana, EquiHealth International

Benedicta Princess Dotse is the Regional Coordinator for the Upper East, Upper West and Savannah Regions of Ghana at EquiHealth International. She is a nurse educator, researcher and health care leader with more than 15 years of experience in clinical nursing, health education, research and institutional leadership. She leads EquiHealth’s work with health institutions, community leaders and partners across Ghana’s northern regions.

Ms. Dotse is Vice Principal (Academics) and Deputy Chief Health Tutor at the College of Nursing and Midwifery, Tanoso. Her work covers academic leadership, quality assurance, health workforce development, programme management, clinical education and mentorship.

She is an active researcher with 11 peer-reviewed publications. Her studies address diabetes, hypertension, maternal health, patient rights and other public health concerns. Her research interests include chronic disease management, health behaviour, patient empowerment and culturally appropriate health care.

Ms. Dotse holds a Master of Philosophy in Nursing from the University of Ghana. She also holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Education, a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and a Diploma in General Nursing. She is a Registered General Nurse with the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Ghana..

The Upper East, Upper West and Savannah Regions include many rural and underserved communities, where distance and cost often limit access to care. At EquiHealth International, Ms. Dotse works to build strong partnerships with health facilities, traditional and community leaders, civil society groups and local authorities. Her focus is on community health education, advocacy and fair access to quality care.

She believes that access to quality health care is a fundamental human right. She is committed to turning research evidence into practical, lasting solutions that improve the health of individuals, families and communities.

Ebenezer Kwame Arthur, Esq., LL.M., M.A.

Global Director of Legal Affairs, EquiHealth International

Ebenezer Kwame Arthur is the Global Director of Legal Affairs at EquiHealth International. He is a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Ghana and a human rights professional with more than 14 years of experience in public service, administrative justice and dispute resolution. He leads EquiHealth’s legal work across its offices in North America, Africa, Asia and South America. This includes legal compliance, governance, partnership agreements, safeguarding and the protection of health rights.

Mr. Arthur brings deep experience with national human rights institutions. He served as District Director of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) in Fanteakwa, Ghana. CHRAJ is Ghana’s national human rights institution, ombudsman and anti-corruption body. In that role he led the district office and investigated complaints on human rights, administrative justice and corruption. He also educated the public on their rights and helped people use fair complaint mechanisms. His work reflects the core values of the international human rights system: access to justice, accountability and fair treatment for all.

He has a strong record in public administration. He currently serves as a Revenue Officer with the Ghana Revenue Authority, where he works on compliance, regulation and stakeholder engagement. He began his career as a teacher with the Ghana Education Service.

Mr. Arthur holds a Master of Laws (LL.M.) in Energy Law and a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.). He also holds a Master of Arts in Human Resource Development and a Bachelor of Education in Psychology. His research examines plea bargaining under Ghana’s Criminal and Other Offences (Procedure) (Amendment) Act, 2022 (Act 1079), with a focus on fair trial rights and the rights of victims.

His expertise covers human rights and administrative justice, family law, child rights and welfare, mediation and conflict resolution, comparative legal research, and legal drafting. This mix of skills supports EquiHealth’s mission across very different legal systems and cultures.

At EquiHealth International, Mr. Arthur helps the organization meet international standards on human rights, governance and ethics in every country where it works. He believes that justice and health go together, and that every person has the right to the highest attainable standard of health.

Sylvia Ahinee Adjedu, MPH

Regional Coordinator, Bono and Ahafo Regions, Ghana, EquiHealth International

Sylvia Ahinee Adjedu is the Regional Coordinator for the Bono and Ahafo Regions of Ghana at EquiHealth International. She is a Ghanaian public health professional, nursing educator and researcher with more than a decade of experience in community health, health promotion and the training of health workers. She leads EquiHealth’s work with communities, health institutions and partners across the two regions.

Ms. Adjedu is Programme Head of the Registered Nurse Assistant Preventive (RNAP) Department at the College of Nursing and Midwifery, Tanoso. She provides academic and administrative leadership, coordinates programme delivery and supports quality assurance and curriculum development. She also mentors the next generation of health professionals.

She began her career in nursing education in 2012 as a preceptor. Since then she has built wide experience in teaching, clinical and community-based student supervision, research mentorship and academic administration. She has served as Academic Officer and Quality Assurance Officer. She has twice been named Best Tutor of the Year.

Ms. Adjedu holds a Master of Public Health in Health Promotion from the University of Glasgow in the United Kingdom. She completed it with Merit as a Commonwealth Shared Scholar. She also holds a Master of Public Health in Population and Reproductive Health from the Catholic University of Ghana, where she graduated as the second-best student in her class. Her other qualifications include a Postgraduate Diploma in Education (Science) with Distinction and First-Class bachelor’s degrees in Public Health and Allied Sciences (Health Education) and in Public Health Nursing. She has been admitted to a PhD in Public Health, specializing in Health Policy and Economics, at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi.

Her research has appeared in peer-reviewed journals. It covers patient satisfaction in health care, perceptions of mental health, childhood immunization and the uptake of breast cancer screening. Her wider interests include reproductive health, health care quality, and health policy and economics. She is especially interested in turning research evidence into practical strategies that improve health services and inform policy.

At EquiHealth International, Ms. Adjedu brings strong local knowledge, health education skills and a deep commitment to communities. She works to make quality health care a right for every person in the Bono and Ahafo Regions and beyond.

Douglas Adu-Fokuo, DrPH, MPH

Executive Director, EquiHealth International

Dr. Douglas Adu-Fokuo is the Executive Director of EquiHealth International. He is based in Claremont, California, in the United States. He is a community and global health leader with experience in clinical nursing, public health programs, health policy and research. He leads the day-to-day running of the organization and turns its strategy into working programs across its regions.

Dr. Adu-Fokuo began his career as a Registered General Nurse at the Greater Accra Regional Hospital, Ridge, in Ghana. There he cared for children and adults, supported children with autism and other developmental disabilities, and led community health education. He then joined the Ghana Health Service Headquarters as a Public Relations Officer and later headed the Social Media Unit of the Health Promotion Division. In that role he turned scientific information into plain language for the public.

In Ghana he also served as Technical Aide to the Presidential Advisor on Health in the Office of the President. He supported COVID-19 response planning, policy work and data analysis. He provided operational support to national efforts such as the Agenda 111 hospital project, the Vaccine Production Committee and the Zipline medical drone program. As a Program Manager for community medical outreach, he led health screening and mobile services in 323 communities across Ghana.

In the United States, Dr. Adu-Fokuo was a Postgraduate Fellow and Project Manager at City of Hope National Medical Center. He directed operations for a multi-site cancer survivorship program with Mayo Clinic and coordinated a prostate cancer study funded by the U.S. Department of Defense. He trained more than 100 community ambassadors. As a Project Manager with the Community Translational Research Institute at Heluna Health, he led a grant-funded project serving more than 1,000 underserved residents and helped secure more than $1 million in funding. He has also worked in medical education at the Kaiser Permanente School of Medicine and taught at Claremont Graduate University and Johns Hopkins University.

Dr. Adu-Fokuo holds a Doctor of Public Health from Claremont Graduate University. He has a Master of Public Health in Healthcare Management from Tsinghua University and a Master of Public Health in Health Policy, Planning and Management from the University of Ghana. He also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies from the Ghana Institute of Journalism and a Diploma in Registered General Nursing. He is a member of the American Public Health Association.

At EquiHealth International, Dr. Adu-Fokuo brings together clinical knowledge, program management and policy experience. He is committed to making quality health care a right for every person, not a privilege for a few.

Sharjana Parveen

Country Director, Bangladesh, EquiHealth International

Sharjana Parveen is the Country Director for Bangladesh at EquiHealth International. She leads the organization’s engagement with Bangladesh, building connections with communities, partners and institutions to advance health equity and the right to health.

Originally from Bangladesh, Sharjana completed postgraduate studies in English Literature at Daffodil International University in Dhaka. She is currently pursuing a Master of Management at Crandall University in Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada.

She has more than five years of experience in customer service and operations, with strengths in teamwork, problem-solving, organization and serving people with care and professionalism.

Sharjana speaks Bangla as her native language, is fluent in English and has an intermediate knowledge of Hindi. At EquiHealth International, she brings her knowledge of Bangladeshi language and culture, her management studies and her commitment to serving others to the organization’s work in Bangladesh.

Mrs. Ophelia Nkrumah, MPH, MEd

Regional Director, Africa, EquiHealth International

Mrs. Ophelia Nkrumah is the Regional Director for Africa at EquiHealth International. She oversees the organization’s work across the African region, including Ghana, Kenya, Uganda and Cameroon. She supports country directors, builds partnerships with health institutions and governments, and guides programs on maternal health, health rights and health workforce development.

Mrs. Nkrumah is a midwife, public health professional and health educator with more than 20 years of experience in clinical midwifery, nursing and midwifery education, and institutional leadership in Ghana. She holds the rank of Chief Health Tutor and is Principal of the College of Nursing and Midwifery, Tanoso, in the Ahafo Region. She previously served as Principal of Assinman Nursing and Midwifery Training College in Assin Foso from 2019 to 2025. In these roles, she has overseen academic and administrative functions, implemented curricula to national standards and led strategic planning.

She began her career as a midwife at the Central Regional Teaching Hospital in Cape Coast and Winneba Municipal Hospital. At Winneba, she served as labour ward in-charge and as focal person for maternal mortality, organizing maternal audits and in-service training. She went on to teach and supervise midwifery and nursing students at training schools in Winneba, Jachie in Kumasi, and Sefwi Wiawso, and lectured part-time at Garden City University.

Mrs. Nkrumah is pursuing a PhD in Population and Health at the University of Cape Coast. She holds a Master of Public Health from Ensign Global University, a Master’s in Educational Management and Administration from the University of Education, Winneba, a Bachelor of Education in Health Science Education (Midwifery) from the University of Cape Coast, and a Bachelor of Science in Midwifery from Garden City University College. She has also trained in health management and administration at GIMPA, and in midwifery modules at the University of Newcastle, Australia.

She has taken part in training programs led by UNFPA, Jhpiego, USAID, PATH and the Ghana Health Service. These covered emergency obstetric care, life-saving skills, newborn health, family planning, HIV and malaria. At EquiHealth International, Mrs. Nkrumah brings deep knowledge of health systems in Africa, a strong commitment to safe motherhood, and proven leadership in developing health professionals.

Prof. Naim Ali

Global Director of Finance and Operations, EquiHealth International

Prof. Naim Ali is the Global Director of Finance and Operations at EquiHealth International. He oversees the organization’s financial management, accountability and operational systems across all regions.

Prof. Ali is a business and financial consultant with more than three decades of experience in forensic accounting, taxation, organizational development and strategic project management across emerging markets. He has held advisory roles with public institutions, private enterprises and community-based organizations. His work focuses on strengthening financial integrity, improving the use of resources and building sustainable operational systems in underserved regions. He combines rigorous analysis with practical, field-based solutions that help governments and NGOs make the most of limited resources while improving services for vulnerable people.

Alongside his professional practice, Prof. Ali is a distinguished professor and lecturer with more than 30 years of teaching experience. He has taught business administration, finance, ethics and public sector management. Trained in Trinidad and now based in New York, he brings a global perspective shaped by lived experience in developing countries and by academic leadership in North America.

At EquiHealth International, Prof. Ali brings his commitment to education, poverty alleviation and community resilience, and his expertise in financial integrity and governance. He helps ensure that the organization’s resources are managed transparently and used where they make the greatest difference.

Daniel Erabu, MBA, CPA

Country Director, Uganda, EquiHealth International

Daniel Erabu is the Country Director for Uganda at EquiHealth International. Based in Kampala, he leads the organization’s work in Uganda, including partnerships, programs and financial management.

Daniel is a finance and academic administration leader with more than nine years of experience in financial management, grants management, budgeting, procurement and operations across the not-for-profit and private sectors. He is currently Director of Academic Programs at MAT Abacus Business School in Kampala. There he leads the strategy, delivery and quality assurance of postgraduate and undergraduate programs, including the MBA offered in partnership with Heriot-Watt University.

He previously held senior finance and administration roles at FHI 360, where he supported a USAID-funded program, and at the Network of Key Population Services. At the Network, he led financial planning, donor reporting, internal controls and human resources operations for a team of more than 250 people. He is known for strengthening internal controls, ensuring donor compliance and building strong teams.

Daniel holds a Master of Business Administration from Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh Business School, and a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting from ESLSCA International Business School, France. He is a Certified Public Accountant with the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Uganda (ICPAU). He has strong working knowledge of IFRS and GAAP and of ERP systems, including Unit4, QuickBooks and Navision.

At EquiHealth International, Daniel brings his commitment to transparent and accountable leadership, his experience with donor-funded health programs, and his skills in financial and grants management to the organization’s work in Uganda.

Lawyer Riya Naidoo

Global Director of Communications and Outreach

Riya Naidoo is the Global Director of Communications and Outreach at EquiHealth International. She leads the organization’s communications, public engagement and outreach across all the regions where EquiHealth works.

Riya is an internationally trained lawyer from South Africa and is currently pursuing her Canadian legal qualification. She has a multidisciplinary academic background in law, English and psychology from the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) in Johannesburg.

Her experience covers legal research, dispute resolution, negotiation and legal education. She has gained practical experience through law clinic work, served as a teaching assistant, and lectured in Advanced Negotiation and Communication Skills. She has also volunteered with the United Nations.

Riya is passionate about international law, commercial law, human rights, social justice and cross-cultural collaboration. At EquiHealth International, she brings her skills in communication, negotiation and legal analysis to help share the organization’s work with communities, partners and the public, and to build connections across cultures and countries.

Lawyer Donovan H.Francis

Country Director, Kenya, EquiHealth International

Donovan H. Francis is the Country Director for Kenya at EquiHealth International. Based in Nairobi, he leads the organization’s work in Kenya, building partnerships with communities, government bodies and civil society to advance health equity and the right to health.

Donovan is a Canadian lawyer with more than a decade of experience in law, policy and communications. He is the Founder and Managing Lawyer of GOOSELAW Immigration, a Canadian law firm focused on business immigration, and Co-Founder and Director of GOOSELAW Global, an international advisory firm headquartered in Nairobi. He previously practised as a business immigration lawyer at Fragomen, a global corporate immigration law firm, and led communications and marketing for a division of the global engineering firm Worley.

His community work reflects a long commitment to vulnerable people. He has served as Director of Human Resources and Legal Affairs at CANCARO, a Canadian organization working on migration and counter-trafficking in persons. He also served on the Board of Directors of London Cares Homeless Response Services in London, Ontario. He has held advisory roles with Fanshawe College and the University of Alberta, and served as Communications Director for CARIWEST, Western Canada’s largest Caribbean festival.

Donovan holds a Juris Doctor from Osgoode Hall Law School at York University and a Master of Arts in Communications and Technology from the University of Alberta. He also studied at the University of the West Indies, Mona Campus, in Jamaica. He is a member in good standing of the Law Society of Ontario and a member of the Canadian Bar Association and the Canadian Association of Black Lawyers.

He is a regular speaker and educator. He has lectured at the University of Victoria Faculty of Law, presented at the Collision Conference in Toronto and spoken on Osgoode Hall Law School panels. He hosts a YouTube channel on Canadian immigration with close to 40,000 subscribers. His commentary has appeared in The Monitor, International Business Times, Rogers TV and Asaase Radio in Ghana.

At EquiHealth International, Donovan brings his legal expertise, his experience in communications and his commitment to human rights to the organization’s work in Kenya.