Irene Agyepong: building capacity in Ghana's public health system

Abstract

As a lead author of the Lancet Commission on the future of health in sub-Saharan Africa, Irene Agyepong's ambition is to make a lasting contribution to health in Africa. “One of my driving passions is building health policy and systems research, policy, and practice capacity in west Africa. To conduct research, to advance research evidence and decision making, and ultimately to improve outcomes”, she says. “I am really interested in transformation and health outcomes, and human development in sub-Saharan Africa. You need a critical cohort—a certain stable capacity, and that is what drives me.” A Specialist of Public Health in the Ghana Health Service (the public provider agency of the Ministry of Health), Agyepong is a Member of the Faculty of Public Health of the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons and also undertakes research. Her work combines practical and theoretical strands, always with a view to finding solutions for Africa's health issues informed by her first-hand experience of the health system. The path to longer and healthier lives for all Africans by 2030: the Lancet Commission on the future of health in sub-Saharan AfricaSub-Saharan Africa's health challenges are numerous and wide-ranging. Most sub-Saharan countries face a double burden of traditional, persisting health challenges, such as infectious diseases, malnutrition, and child and maternal mortality, and emerging challenges from an increasing prevalence of chronic conditions, mental health disorders, injuries, and health problems related to climate change and environmental degradation. Although there has been real progress on many health indicators, life expectancy and most population health indicators remain behind most low-income and middle-income countries in other parts of the world. Full-Text PDF