By Juliet Ebirim

Dr. Temitope Oriolowo has been recognised as a Fellow of the Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH), marking a new milestone in her growing influence as a physician and health systems strategist working across Nigeria and the United Kingdom.

Currently serving as Programme Lead for the Supporting Armed Forces Reserves in Healthcare initiative at the NHS Confederation, Oriolowo leads a national workforce reform project commissioned by the UK Ministry of Defence and the Department of Health and Social Care. Her work has helped NHS organisations adopt reservist-friendly policies that boost staff retention, job satisfaction, and deployment readiness.

“Workforce policy is not just about contracts or numbers; it’s about creating systems where people can thrive, and patients can trust the care they receive,” she said.

A graduate of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Oriolowo began her career in Nigeria during the HIV epidemic, working with the Solina Centre for International Development and Research and MedGlobe Volunteers on national HIV and tuberculosis programmes.

Relocating to the UK, she earned a Master’s in Public Health from Glasgow Caledonian University and has since contributed to NHS workforce strategy, primary care improvement, and mental health advocacy. She has also become a leading voice in reframing the UK’s opioid crisis as both a mental health and systems issue.

Now an RSPH Fellow, Oriolowo continues to champion equitable, community-driven healthcare reform. “We have effective treatments and strong research,” she said. “The real challenge is scale, ensuring innovation reaches the community level, where it’s needed most.”