Christian Onyebuchi Ifediora is a Nigerian medical practitioner and educator. He is currently an associate professor at Griffith University. He founded the Onyebuchi Chris Ifediora (OCI) Foundation, an international non-profit organization.
Early life and education Christian Onyebuchi Ifediora was born in Enugu State, Nigeria. He is from Nsugbe in Anambra State. In 2004, he obtained his MBBS from Nnamdi Azikiwe University. He completed a master's in public health (MPH) from the University of Liverpool in 2008. In 2019, he received the Southeast Asia Leadership (HMS-SEAL) qualification from Harvard Medical School and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. at the University of Southern Queensland.
Academic career In 2005, Ifediora worked as a house officer at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Lagos, Nigeria. In 2006, he served as a medical officer at General Hospital, Irepo Local Government Area, Oyo State, Nigeria, as part of his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) assignment, receiving a meritorious service award from Oyo State. During his MPH program in 2008, Ifediora had a clinical attachment at the Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Teaching Hospital in the UK. After his MPH, he worked in various surgical specialities and emergency departments in the UK before relocating to Australia in late 2008. He joined the Royal Hobart Hospital as a resident medical officer. In 2010, Ifediora established the Cyfed Medical Group. He practices as a family physician in the City of Gold Coast, Australia, and earned a Fellowship from the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (FRACGP) in 2013. He joined Griffith University School of Medicine as a senior lecturer in clinical skills, becoming an associate professor in 2019. Ifediora has contributed to medical education as a fellowship examiner, supervisor, and general practice educator. He has also served on the Monitored Substances Schedule Working Party for the State of Queensland, developing a real-time monitoring tool for opioid prescriptions.
Activities Philanthropy In 2016, Ifediora founded the Onyebuchi Chris Ifediora (OCI) Foundation, which was registered internationally in 2018. Through the foundation, he leads the Arm Our Youths (ArOY) Health Campaign, promoting anti-breast and anti-cervical cancer messages to young adults in Nigeria. The campaign is integrated into the curriculum of multiple Nigerian schools and NYSC camps, with plans for expansion across Africa. He also designed the OCI CerviBreast App, which provides information on breast and cervical cancer.
Media and memberships Ifediora has been featured in various Nigerian and Australian media outlets. He has been involved with several professional organizations, including the RACGP Queensland Research Support and Education Committees and the Monitored Substances Schedule Working Party.
Personal life Ifediora is married to Nkem Ifediora, and they have four children.
Honours and awards Ifediora and the OCI Foundation have received numerous awards from organizations such as Rotary International and the Nigerian Bar Association. In October 2024, Ifediora was announced winner of the "People's Choice Award" for the Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition of doctoral students at the University of Southern Queensland, Australia. In November 2024, Ifediora was named "Nigerian diaspora humanitarian of the year" He holds the traditional title of Chizitelu (God Sent) the 1st of Nigeria and Africa
Selected publications Outcomes from integrating anti-cervical cancer teachings into the curriculum of high schools in a South-Eastern Nigerian State. Knowledge and attitudes about cervical cancer and its prevention among female secondary school students in Nigeria Re-thinking breast and cervical cancer preventive campaigns in developing countries: The case for interventions at high schools Burnout among after-hours home visit doctors in Australia Sustainable and cost-effective teenage breast awareness campaigns: Insights from a Nigerian high school intervention study Targeting cervical cancer campaigns on teenage high schoolers in resource-limited economies: lessons from an intervention study of Nigerian senior secondary school girls Levels and predictors of patient satisfaction with doctor home-visit services in Australia Knowledge and attitudes about cervical cancer and its prevention among female secondary school students in Nigeria. Insights into radiographic investigations for headaches in general practice. Family Practice. Pattern of Congenital Anomalies in Newborn: A 4-Year Surveillance of Newborns Delivered in a Tertiary Healthcare Facility in the South-East Nigeria.
References External links OCL foundation website