Dr Leonard Baatiema
AfOx Fellow 2022
Dr Leonard Baatiema is a public health researcher interested in health systems strengthening and non-communication diseases. He is currently a Visiting Fellow at the Nuffield Department of Medicine, Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, University of Oxford, as part of the Africa Oxford Visiting Fellowship Programme.
Leonard is a Lecturer at the School of Public Health, University of Ghana. He is a recipient of many prestigious awards, fellowships, and grants, including the Fogarty Global Health Fellowship, the Royal Society for Tropical Medicine Small Grants Scheme Award for Early Career Researchers, and the Belgian Directorate General of Development Cooperation Fellowship for a Certificate Program in Non-Communicable Diseases at the Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp. Leonard is the National Coordinator/PI, Ghana Non-Communicable Diseases, Injury and Poverty Commission, Harvard Medical School, University of Ghana, Ghana Health Service, and Ministry of Health. He is also the Lecturer at the Department of Health Policy, Planning, and Management, University of Ghana.
Leonard’s research focuses on understanding to what extent the implementation of telehealth (digital health) interventions impact on the scope of practice and capacity of non-physician clinicians (NPC) to deliver high-quality care at primary health care (PHC) facilities in Ghana. His research aims to identify the different health technological tools NPCs use at PHC facilities and explore how and why they are used. It seeks to evaluate the nature and scope of health services provided by NPCs that are impacted by Ghana’s telehealth program. His work will also examine the contextual factors influencing the uptake of telehealth and other health technological (digital) tools for healthcare delivery at PHC facilities in Ghana.
While at the University of Oxford, Leonard will be working on a research project, “Implementation of Telehealth (digital health) Interventions and the Impact on the Scope of Practice and Capacity of Non-Physician Clinicians at the Primary Healthcare Facilities in Ghana.” The findings of his study are expected to guide future policy decisions and national investments as part of overall health systems strengthening in Ghana.