Morẹ́nikẹ́ Oluwátóyìn Foláyan

I have a 23-year history as a researcher with the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife. I have managed 12 projects and 10 research grants; conducted five national health surveys, two household surveys, two national implementation research, and several monitoring and evaluation exercises in and outside Nigeria for national agencies, PEPFAR, DFID, and UNAIDS, among others. I have vast experience in conducting multi-country and multi-site research through my years of engagement as the community liaison for the Microbicide Trial Network – one of the six research networks funded by the National Institute of Health, USA. My work and contacts span countries in Africa, Europe, Asia, Australia, North and South America. I led the international Early Childhood Caries Advocacy Group, a collaboration of researchers from 53 countries, to explore associations between macro-level factors and the prevalence of early childhood caries, thereby opening a new frontier of research. I currently lead the adolescent oral, mental, sexual, and reproductive health research group and the MEHEWE international study group of 45 research partners that studies the global impact of COVID-19 on mental health and wellbeing. These international collaborations have led to the publication of over 60 manuscripts, books, and book chapters. I work alongside others to combine research and advocacy to develop national policies and programs, such as the national HIV policy addressing the programmatic HIV needs for adolescents in Nigeria in 2014, and the development of the national guidelines document by the Federal Ministry of Health in 2016 that reduced the age of consent for non-invasive research processes to 14 years. Most recently, I led the development of the national NOMA policy and triennial strategic plan, and developed the initial draft of the 2024 National oral health policy for Nigeria. I have also been involved with the development of several international policy developments and have over 450 peer-reviewed publications.