My work is grounded in the belief that better data leads to better health outcomes. By combining GIS and public health methods, I examine where and why inequalities in healthcare access exist, particularly for women and children. My research supports data-driven planning, helping decision-makers allocate resources more equitably and improve health service delivery.
My research sits at the crossroads of geographic data science and public health, with a particular interest in how location and distribution of quality health services influence health outcomes. I focus on:
Healthcare accessibility and utilisationtravel time
How far people live from care, and how distance and quality shape whether they use it.
Maternal, newborn and child healthEmONC
Where women give birth, who misses care, and how to bring quality services closer.
Spatial health inequalitiesequity
Where health and health services differ across places, and who gets left behind.
Routine health data systemsDHIMS
Turning data health systems already collect into evidence for planning.
Spatial epidemiology and disease mappingmapping
Mapping where disease occurs to show where risk is highest and where to act.
A multi-country effort working with health ministries and academic partners across more than 26 African nations. We use routine health facility data to track progress towards key health-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
I work alongside a cross-disciplinary team exploring new ways to understand and manage the spread of infectious diseases through spatial and social analysis.
Collaborations and impact
I regularly collaborate with government health agencies, NGOs, and international partners to turn research into real-world solutions. My work has informed health strategies across low- and middle-income countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. My PhD, funded by the ESRC, was recognised nationally and locally for its impact on evidence-based policymaking and capacity development in Ghana.
The ESRC produced this video about my research impact in Ghana.
Amouzou, A., Barros, A. J. D., Requejo, J., Faye, C., Akseer, N., Bendavid, E., Blumenberg, C., Borghi, J., El Baz, S., Federspiel, F., Ferreira, L. Z., Hazel, E., Heft-Neal, S., Hellwig, F., Liu, L., Munos, M., Pitt, C., Shawar, Y. R., Shiffman, J., … Boerma, T.
Wariri, O., Dotse-Gborgbortsi, W., Agbla, S. C., Jah, H., Janneh, M., Cham, M., Jawara, B. F., Nayassi, M., Marema, M., Sanneh, S., Kampmann, B., Banke-Thomas, A., Lawn, J. E., & Okomo, U.
Utazi, E., Olowe, I., Chan, H. M. T., Dotse-Gborgbortsi, W., Wagai, J., Umar, J., Etamesor, S., Atuhaire, B., Fafunmi, B., Crawford, J., Adeniran, A., & Tatem, A.
Gausman, J., Pingray, V., Adanu, R., Bandoh, D. A. B., Barrueta, M., Blossom, J., Chakraborty, S., Dotse-Gborgbortsi, W., Kenu, E., Khan, N., Langer, A., Nigri, C., Odikro, M. A., Ramesh, S., Saggurti, N., Vazquez, P., Williams, C. R., & Jolivet, R. R.
Rice, B. L., Annapragada, A., Baker, R. E., Bruijning, M., Dotse-Gborgbortsi, W., Mensah, K., Miller, I. F., Motaze, N. V., Raherinandrasana, A., Rajeev, M., Rakotonirina, J., Ramiadantsoa, T., Rasambainarivo, F., Yu, W., Grenfell, B. T., Tatem, A., & Metcalf, C. J. E.
Wariri, O., Onuwabuchi, E., Korem Alhassan, J. A., Dase, E., Jalo, I., Laima, C. H., Farouk, H. U., El-Nafaty, A. U., Okomo, U., & Dotse-Gborgbortsi, W.
PLoS ONEAccessMaternal healthRoutine data
State of the world’s midwifery 2021
United Nations Population Fund, International Confederation of Midwives, World Health Organization
UNFPA global report (technical contributor)Maternal health