5. How Do Internally Displaced Persons Access Healthcare?
Elvis Ndansi of Unite for Health
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Internally displaced persons and citizens of last mile communities often have to travel miles to receive the healthcare they need. After a mothers long trek to a medical center in Cameroon, Elvis Ndansi untied a dead baby from the mothers back. A baby who had passed due to preventable and treatable condition - Malaria. Having grown up in a last mile community with his single mother, Elvis made it his mission to bring life-saving healthcare to these communities. On todays episode, Elvis Ndansi tells his remarkable story. Born and raised in Misaje, Elvis went straight to work at a farm after school every day. He drew inspiration from his mother, Rosaline Leh Ndansi, when she became a nurse assistant and he got to see the impact she made on the village.
Ndansi has gone on to become the Founder and President of UNITE FOR HEALTH. In 2021, one of his micro clinics provided free delivery for 47 internally displaced women found in the urban community in Yaoundé. But he has also become an expert in Global Health beyond last mile communities. The Obama Foundation selected him as one of the 12 uprising leaders from across the world for the inaugural cohort of the scholar's program at Columbia University 2018-2019. Listen to today's episode to hear his heroing story and learn what it means to be a global change-maker.
In this Episode, We Cover:
Elvis’s origin story growing up in Cameroon
How Elvis’s mother inspired him to be who he is today.
Elvis’s book “The Hope In You”
Elvis’s time as an Obama Scholar
Why Elvis’s focuses on infant and maternal health
Creating the concept of microclinics
The difference between internally displaced persons vs refugees
How Elvis’s implements research and data collection to inform new healthcare innovations
Where Elvis hopes to go from here
**Episode Corrections**
Elvis mentions that University of Buea is in the North West Region of Cameroon. It is actually in the South West Region of Cameroon.
Elvis states that he resigned from politics in 2009. The correct year is 2019.
Who is Elvis Ndansi?
Elvis Ndansi is a Clinical Research Professional and a Public Health Expert. He is a solutions-focused Executive, Advisor, Thought Leader, and Board Member with more than 12 years of success across the nonprofit, and healthcare industries and pharmaceutical/clinical research in Sub Saharan Africa.Throughout his career, Elvis has held the leadership position with UNITE FOR HEALTH as founder and president. He is a Mandela Washington Fellow, a U.S State Department Program for Young African Leaders, Wagner College Staten Island, New York, on civic leadership, and was one of the 12 uprising leaders from across the world selected by the Obama Foundation for the inaugural cohort of the scholar's program at Columbia University 2018-2019. He is currently one of the 2023 American Express Leadership Academy Fellows. Elvis holds a Bachelor's degree in Nursing, a Master's Degree in Nursing Education from the University of Buea - Cameroon, and a Master’s in Public Health from EUCLID University.
