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Dr. Ngozi Ibe
I’m Dr. Ngozi Ibe, a respiratory therapist with over 12 years of experience caring for individuals living with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). My work has always been guided by one truth:
“There are lives dependent on my skills, gifts, talents, and expertise. I cannot let them down. So, I show up daily for them.”
This belief drives everything I do, whether I’m at the bedside, leading a training, teaching in the classroom, or advocating for better health policies.
Over the past decade, I’ve worked in both clinical and community-based settings, leading an asthma and COPD clinic where I partner with pulmonary physicians to educate patients and promote better disease management. As a COPD navigator, I follow up with patients after hospital discharge, helping them avoid readmissions and empowering them to take control of their health.
But my passion for respiratory care is rooted in more than my professional experience. It is deeply personal. I grew up in Nigeria, where I witnessed the devastating impact of limited access to healthcare. Later, working in underserved communities in the U.S., I saw the same pattern repeat: inequity, lack of resources, and preventable suffering. These experiences solidified my commitment to global health equity, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) and under-resourced regions.
As part of this mission, I serve as the Director of Advocacy and Policy for the Africa Respiratory Care Association (ARCA), where I work to elevate the respiratory therapy profession across African health systems. At ARCA, we believe that the high prevalence of respiratory diseases calls for a specialized and dedicated profession, one that is equipped to meet the complex needs of patients and advance respiratory health across the continent. I was also honored to be selected by the World Health Organization as a member of the COPD Global Development Group (GDG), a panel of global experts tasked with updating evidence-based guidelines to improve care and outcomes for people living with COPD worldwide.
That same passion was the driving force behind the creation of the Global Asthma and COPD Outreach, Inc. (GACO), an organization created to serve as a bridge between knowledge and need, between compassion and action. GACO provides virtual and in-person education, training, access to care, and advocacy for patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals in the communities that need it most. As funding becomes available, GACO is committed to sponsoring part or all of the cost of inhalers for individuals who cannot afford them, because breathing should never be a luxury.
As part of my mission to build a stronger healthcare future, I also teach college students pursuing degrees in respiratory therapy and nursing. I’m passionate about molding future healthcare professionals to do more than just deliver treatment. I equip them to educate, advocate, and lead with empathy in the communities they serve.
I hold a Doctor of Health Sciences (DHSc) degree with a concentration in Global Health, and I believe that with the right tools, education, and support, we can reduce preventable respiratory illnesses and help people everywhere breathe easier.
This is not just a mission. It’s a calling. And I won’t let the people depending on us down.
