Joannie Marlene Bewa, MD, PhD
BHC 40 Under 40 | Class of 2026 | At the Bench
Assistant Scientist & Faculty | Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health | Washington, DC
Dr. Joannie Marlene Bewa is a physician-scientist and global health innovator working across Africa, the United States, and Asia. With more than 15 years of experience, she leads initiatives in digital health, maternal health, and reproductive care, focused on expanding access for underserved populations.
At Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, she co-leads a $2.2 million telemedicine research portfolio and contributes to large-scale global evidence syntheses shaping digital health policy across low- and middle-income countries. She is also the Founder and CEO of DOTOH Health, Benin’s first telehealth platform, expanding access to care through culturally relevant, technology-enabled solutions.
The Journey
Two defining experiences shaped Dr. Bewa’s path into healthcare.
“At the age of 9, I nearly lost my life to a preventable illness… A few years later, I lost my closest teenage friend to complications of unwanted pregnancy.”
These moments fueled her pursuit of medicine, public health, and ultimately global health systems transformation.
“I became a scientist because change requires evidence. I became a founder because evidence without delivery means nothing.”
Her career has since focused on bridging that gap—ensuring that knowledge translates into real-world impact.
What This Recognition Means
For Dr. Bewa, this recognition reflects the communities she serves. From women in West Africa accessing reproductive care for the first time, to populations reached through large-scale public health initiatives, she views every outcome as deeply human.
“Every statistic has a face.”
The honor also reinforces the importance of representation in global leadership and innovation spaces.
What’s Next
Dr. Bewa is building infrastructure for equitable, tech-enabled health systems at scale.
Her work spans:
Leading research on integrated digital health models across multiple countries
Expanding DOTOH Health to reach more communities across West Africa
Advancing policy influence through leadership roles in global public health organizations
“Build solutions, and do not wait for permission to lead.”
Dr. Bewa is not just contributing to global health—she is actively reshaping how care is delivered, scaled, and experienced across communities worldwide.
Connect
- Instagram: @drjoannieb
- LinkedIn: Joannie Marlene Bewa
- X: @DrJoannie_Bewa
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The BHC 40 Under 40 Class of 2026 honors the next generation of healthcare leaders reshaping how care is built, delivered, and experienced. Honorees will be celebrated at the Black Health Ball on June 27, 2026.