Dr Aduragbemi (Adura for short) Banke-Thomas is a physician, public health practitioner, policy and development professional, academic and researcher, with over twelve years of progressive professional experience in clinical practice, development programme management, academia, operational research, and monitoring and evaluation in maternal and newborn, adolescent sexual and reproductive health. Adura has worked across multiple sectors including academia, healthcare, multi-lateral, government, non-governmental and community-based organisations and in countries in Africa, Europe, North and Central America.

He is passionate about the provision of equitable and high-quality care for women of all ages and their newborns. He genuinely believes no woman should die in trying to give life to another human. Throughout his career, he has been focused on exploring and addressing issues on and strategies to optimise cost and cost-effectiveness, geographical access and quality of maternal, newborn and reproductive health care in sub-Saharan Africa. Adura has exceptional capacity for quantitative and qualitative data analysis, geographic information systems analysis, economic evaluation and value for money analysis.

In recognition of his work, Adura has received many awards including the McCain Institute Award for Excellence in Leadership (McCain Institute, USA), Sheffield Graduate Award (The University of Sheffield, UK), Public Health Personality Award (Public Health Society, UK), National Millennium Development Goals Honours award, (National Youth Service Corps, Nigeria), National Youth Service Honours Award (Federal Capital Territory), National Youth Service Corps (National Youth Service Corps, Nigeria) to mention a few. He is tri-lingual, speaking English, Yoruba, and French fluently and maintains a high-standing scholarly, professional and leadership track record.