2023 Leadership Journey Project: Practices of women attending Mother and Child Health clinic towards cervical cancer screening and prevention programs at Juba Teaching Hospital
Dr. Ojukwu is the first female OB/GYN and the first gynecological oncologist in South Sudan. She currently works as a consultant for WHO South Sudan and leads the cervical cancer screening program for the country. In 2023, Dr. Ojukwu received the woman’s award from the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics for her outstanding work in this field. At the WHO, she developed the first South Sudanese guidelines for cervical cancer screening and treatment of premalignant lesions and has established four screening facilities in the country thus far. Prior to joining the WHO, Dr. Ojukwu worked as an OB/GYN at Mater Hospital in Nairobi, Kenya for over 10 years.
Dr. Ojukwu’s medical journey began in 2004 as an intern in Khartoum, Sudan. In 2005, she worked as a medical officer in her rural home of Torit in Eastern Equatoria state of South Sudan to give back to her own community. In 2006 she was the Director of the South Sudan HIV/AIDS commission in Torit where she established the first VCT center in the area. In 2008, she worked at the Juba Teaching Hospital and then moved to complete her OB/GYN residency from The University of Nairobi in 2009 before joining Mater Hospital.
Dr. Ojukwu has a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery from the University of Juba, and a Master of Medicine in Obstetrics and Gynecology from University of Nairobi. She has completed her fellowship In Gynecological Oncology from the University of Nairobi.
Dr. Ojukwu firmly believes in the importance of policymakers’ involvement in improving women’s health. She is passionate about making a national and broader impact, and she recognizes that honing her leadership skills will enable her to influence policymaking at the highest level, ultimately advancing women’s leadership.
