About IME
We are a nonprofit organization committed to mobilizing resources and executing programs to aid underserved communities in both the U.S. and African nations.
Our Mission
IME's mission is to bring together healthcare professionals, policymakers, educators, entrepreneurs, industry leaders, and ICT experts from Africa, the U.S., and the African Diaspora to design and implement innovative and effective programs to enhance and extend healthcare delivery in Africa and underserved communities in the U.S.
Public/private/academic partnerships are a vital mechanism for African countries to address their multifaceted healthcare challenges successfully.
Our Vision
The convergence of medical and information technology, the evolution of international policies, and changes in the public/private funding environment represent historic opportunities.
IME is open to assisting and working with African governments in developing their capacity to achieve decent and adequate healthcare services, particularly in underserved communities.
The History of IME
IME originated from a series of medical missions to Africa organized by Basil Medical Corporation (BMC), a U.S.-based company founded in 1991. Our focus was on procuring and supplying medical equipment and technology products.
In response to requests from host governments, African-American physicians were recruited by BMC to travel to various African nations, sharing their expertise with local healthcare professionals and contributing to regional capacity-building efforts.
International Medical Exchange, Inc. was officially incorporated as a nonprofit organization on January 16, 1997.
Gov. Wilder welcomed the Tanzanian Ambassador, Nyirabu, during his visit to Richmond, VA. Sponsored by BMC.
Board of Directors
Dedicated individuals committed to addressing escalating health challenges facing African populations
Mr. Basil F. Olisa
Co-Chairman and CEO, IME
Biography
Basil F. Olisa is the visionary leader behind IME's expansion and strategic direction. Based in Silver Spring, Maryland, he has orchestrated partnerships across multiple continents and spearheaded the organization's evolution from medical missions to comprehensive AI-driven healthcare initiatives. Under his leadership, IME has established partnerships with leading academic institutions and international health organizations.
Dr. Henry M. Musenge
Co-Chairman, IME
Biography
Dr. Henry M. Musenge brings extensive experience in healthcare management and consulting across African markets. As Managing Consultant at Delmore Consultants Zambia Ltd and Chairperson of Tobaka Investments Zambia Ltd, he has led numerous initiatives in healthcare infrastructure development and policy formulation. His published works focus on sustainable healthcare delivery models in resource-constrained environments.
Dr. Sylvanus A. Ayeni
Honorary Medical Director, IME
Biography
Dr. Sylvanus A. Ayeni is a distinguished neurosurgeon whose career spans decades of clinical excellence and advocacy work. As President and Founder of Pan Africa Children Advocacy Watch, he has championed healthcare access for children across the continent. His medical expertise and commitment to Pan-African health initiatives provide crucial clinical oversight for IME's programs.
Dr. Doris Browne
Treasurer, IME
Biography
Dr. Doris Browne brings exceptional leadership credentials as Past President of the National Medical Association and current President and CEO of Browne and Associates, Inc. Her dual expertise in medicine and public health, combined with her extensive network within the African-American medical community, strengthens IME's mission of cross-continental healthcare collaboration.
Dr. L. Moretlo Molefi
Vice Treasurer, IME
Biography
Dr. Lynette Moretlo Molefi is a South African medical doctor, dynamic entrepreneur, and business executive, known for her exemplary leadership and pioneering work in telemedicine in South Africa and across Africa. She has been a trailblazer in the field, advocating for telemedicine at various levels of government and within non-governmental organizations.
Dr. Molefi completed her Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB) at MEDUNSA in 1995 and holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Lesotho, completed in 1989. In addition to her medical qualifications, she earned a Diploma in Telemedicine from the University of Arkansas in 1998 and later pursued a Senior Management Program at Stellenbosch in 2005. She further expanded her expertise in telemedicine through the Foreign Telemedicine program at the Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Center (TATRC) in 2006, focusing on medical reconnaissance and special operations.
In 2012, Dr. Molefi founded an eHealth consultancy business, concentrating on eHealth program management, distance medical services, and telemedicine consulting. Her work aims to develop ICT-based healthcare solutions for both clinical and educational purposes, with a specific focus on developing countries. Dr. Molefi has played a key role in advancing rural healthcare connectivity in South Africa, spearheading a successful telemedicine pilot project in partnership with Motorola and the State Information Technology Agency. This initiative utilized wireless systems to enhance healthcare delivery in the Northern Cape province.
Her contributions to the field of telemedicine have earned her recognition on the global stage. In 2007, she became the first woman, and the only African woman, to serve on the board of the International Society of Telemedicine and eHealth, which represents 150 countries. Dr. Molefi has also presented at various high-profile symposiums, including a workshop hosted by the Canadian Space Agency, where she discussed the use of spatial planning in healthcare.
Dr. Molefi's leadership extends beyond her entrepreneurial and medical ventures. She is known for her strategic vision and commitment to public health advocacy, making her a respected figure in both the medical and business communities across Africa.
Prof. Sababu K. Shabaka
Board Secretary, IME
Biography
Professor Sababu K. Shabaka is a distinguished retired associate professor of mathematics, having taught undergraduate mathematics at several esteemed institutions, including the University of the District of Columbia (UDC) in Washington, D.C., Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland, and Howard University in Washington, D.C. He holds degrees in Mathematics, Physics, Computer Science, and Educational Administration, along with a graduate certificate in Management of Information Systems. He spent seven years at AT&T Bell Telephone Laboratories in New Jersey, USA, where he served as an associate member of the technical staff specializing in condensed matter physics and co-authored articles in at least two physics journals before transitioning to a teaching career in mathematics. He has also founded two businesses in Lagos, Nigeria, and Nairobi, Kenya, and has traveled to over twenty African countries. While teaching at UDC, he led a delegation of adult educators to conferences in Kenya and Tanzania. Additionally, he has been involved with IME since the late 1990s, providing advice on ICT-related matters.