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Dr Yemi Okwaraji

Assistant Professor

United Kingdom

I am an Epidemiologist with a background in data science. My research portfolio includes: evaluating large-scale complex interventions implemented in health facilities and community settings to improve the uptake of newborn and child services in Ethiopia; conducting a multi-country investigation into the epidemiology of stillbirths and neonatal mortality among vulnerable newborns; collaborating with WHO and UNICEF to estimate global rates for low birthweight and preterm births as well as assessing data quality within routine health systems among UN member countries.

Currently, my research focuses on understanding how improvements in health systems, especially enhanced routine newborn data and refined measurement techniques for newborn indicators contribute to empowering health professionals and improving health outcomes in the context of low and middle-income countries.

Affiliations

Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology and International Health
Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health

Centres

Centre for Maternal Adolescent Reproductive & Child Health

Teaching

I co-organise the Introductory Course in Epidemiology & Medical Statistics short course (ICEMS)

I also have a wide range of teaching activities in other modules:

• Term 1 - Statistical Methods for Epidemiology and Population Health (STEPH)

• Term 2 - DL - Statistical Methods in Epidemiology (EPM202)

• Supervise master students in MSc Public Health for Development Programme

• Co-supervise a PhD student.

Research

Research Area
Perinatal health
Child health
Newborn health
Data science
Health systems
Epidemiology
Implementation science
Complex interventions
Country
Ethiopia
Region
Europe & Central Asia (all income levels)
North America
Sub-Saharan Africa (all income levels)

Selected Publications

National, regional, and global estimates of low birthweight in 2020, with trends from 2000: a systematic analysis.
OKWARAJI, YB; Krasevec, J; BRADLEY, E; Conkle, J; Stevens, GA; Gatica-Domínguez, G; OHUMA, EO; Coffey, C; Estevez Fernandez, DG; BLENCOWE, H; Kimathi, B; Moller, A-B; LEWIN, A; Hussain-Alkhateeb, L; Dalmiya, N; LAWN, JE; Borghi, E; Hayashi, C;
2024
Lancet (London, England)
District health management and stillbirth recording and reporting: a qualitative study in the Ashanti Region of Ghana
MENSAH ABRAMPAH, NA; OKWARAJI, YB; Oteng, KF; Asiedu, EK; Larsen-Reindorf, R; BLENCOWE, H; JACKSON, D;
2024
BMC pregnancy and childbirth
Stillbirths: Contribution of preterm birth and size-for-gestational age for 125.4 million total births from nationwide records in 13 countries, 2000-2020.
OKWARAJI, YB; Suárez-Idueta, L; OHUMA, EO; BRADLEY, E; Yargawa, J; Pingray, V; Cormick, G; Gordon, A; Flenady, V; Horváth-Puhó, E; Sørensen, HT; Sakkeus, L; Abuladze, L; Heidarzadeh, M; Khalili, N; Yunis, KA; Al Bizri, A; Karalasingam, SD; Jeganathan, R; Barranco, A; Van Dijk, AE; Broeders, L; Alyafei, F; AlQubaisi, M; Razaz, N; ... National Vulnerable Newborn Collaborative Group fo,
2023
BJOG : an international journal of obstetrics and gynaecology
Neonatal mortality risk of large-for-gestational-age and macrosomic live births in 15 countries, including 115.6 million nationwide linked records, 2000-2020.
Suárez-Idueta, L; OHUMA, EO; Chang, C-J; Hazel, EA; Yargawa, J; OKWARAJI, YB; BRADLEY, E; Gordon, A; Sexton, J; Lawford, HL S; PAIXAO, ES; Falcão, IR; Lisonkova, S; Wen, Q; Velebil, P; Jírová, J; Horváth-Puhó, E; Sørensen, HT; Sakkeus, L; Abuladze, L; Yunis, KA; Al Bizri, A; Alvarez, SL; Broeders, L; Van Dijk, AE; ... National Vulnerable Newborn Mortality Collaborativ,
2023
BJOG : an international journal of obstetrics and gynaecology
National routine data for low birthweight and preterm births: Systematic data quality assessment for United Nations member states (2000-2020).
OKWARAJI, YB; BRADLEY, E; OHUMA, EO; Yargawa, J; Suarez-Idueta, L; Requejo, J; BLENCOWE, H; LAWN, JE;
2023
BJOG : an international journal of obstetrics and gynaecology
National, regional, and global estimates of preterm birth in 2020, with trends from 2010: a systematic analysis.
OHUMA, EO; Moller, A-B; BRADLEY, E; Chakwera, S; Hussain-Alkhateeb, L; LEWIN, A; OKWARAJI, YB; Mahanani, WR; Johansson, EW; Lavin, T; Fernandez, DE; Domínguez, GG; De Costa, A; Cresswell, JA; Krasevec, J; LAWN, JE; BLENCOWE, H; Requejo, J; Moran, AC;
2023
Lancet (London, England)
Global Stillbirth Policy Review – Outcomes And Implications Ahead of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goal Agenda
MENSAH ABRAMPAH, NA; OKWARAJI, YB; You, D; Hug, L; Maswime, S; Pule, C; BLENCOWE, H; JACKSON, D;
2023
International Journal of Health Policy and Management
Small vulnerable newborns-big potential for impact.
Ashorn, P; Ashorn, U; Muthiani, Y; Aboubaker, S; Askari, S; Bahl, R; Black, RE; Dalmiya, N; Duggan, CP; Hofmeyr, GJ; Kennedy, SH; Klein, N; LAWN, JE; Shiffman, J; Simon, J; Temmerman, M; UNICEF–WHO Low Birthweight Estimates Group,;
2023
Lancet (London, England)
Small babies, big risks: global estimates of prevalence and mortality for vulnerable newborns to accelerate change and improve counting.
LAWN, JE; OHUMA, EO; BRADLEY, E; Idueta, LS; Hazel, E; OKWARAJI, YB; Erchick, DJ; Yargawa, J; Katz, J; Lee, AC C; Diaz, M; Salasibew, M; Requejo, J; Hayashi, C; Moller, A-B; Borghi, E; Black, RE; BLENCOWE, H; Lancet Small Vulnerable Newborn Steering Committee,; WHO/UNICEF Preterm Birth Estimates Group,; National Vulnerable Newborn Measurement Group,; Subnational Vulnerable Newborn Measurement Group,;
2023
Lancet
Neonatal mortality risk for vulnerable newborn types in 15 countries using 125.5 million nationwide birth outcome records, 2000-2020.
Suárez-Idueta, L; BLENCOWE, H; OKWARAJI, YB; Yargawa, J; BRADLEY, E; Gordon, A; Flenady, V; PAIXAO, ES; Barreto, ML; Lisonkova, S; Wen, Q; Velebil, P; Jírová, J; Horváth-Puhó, E; Sørensen, HT; Sakkeus, L; Abuladze, L; Yunis, KA; Al Bizri, A; Barranco, A; Broeders, L; Van Dijk, AE; Alyafei, F; Olukade, TO; Razaz, N; ... National Vulnerable Newborn Mortality Collaborativ,
2023
BJOG : an international journal of obstetrics and gynaecology
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