Dr. Ukamaka Gladys Okafor

Dr. Ukamaka Gladys Okafor is an experienced medicine regulator, local medicines production advocate and public health professional, with expertise in health policy and health systems strengthening. She is passionate about mentoring young public health professionals and seeing how evidence from research could be used in effecting policy development and reviews for public interest.

Presently, Ukamaka is the Director, Lagos Zonal Office of the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria. On completion of her pharmacy degree in 1988, from the prestigious University of Nigeria, Nsukka (Second Class, Upper Division), she obtained MSc and PhD degrees in Public Health from University of Lagos and University of Central Nicaragua, respectively. She holds MSc in Biotechnology Innovation and Regulatory Sciences form Purdue University, USA, Fellowship of the West African Postgraduate College of Pharmacists, Postgraduate Diploma in Industrial Pharmacy Advanced Training and Postgraduate Diploma in Health System Management, Galilee College, Israel. She has academic and experiential exposure in public health, health policy development and reviews, medicines regulation and production, health products logistics and supply chain management, and strategic planning. She is an Associate Editor with the Pharmacy Education Journal of the International Pharmaceutical Federation. Apart from her peer-reviewed publications, She coordinated and edited a 928-page Textbook of Public Health Pharmacy, authored by 32 subject matter experts, including herself; published by the University of Lagos Press. This is the first textbook of Public Health Pharmacy in Sub-Saharan Africa. She is focused on public health research, advocacy and implementation.