Irene Akua Agyepong is a Ghanaian public health physician with the Dodowa Health Research Center and member of the Faculty of Public Health of the

Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons Ghana, officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It is situated along the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, and shares borders with Côte d’Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, and Togo to t ...

. Agyepong led

The Lancet ''The Lancet'' is a weekly peer-reviewed general medical journal, founded in England in 1823. It is one of the world's highest-impact academic journals and also one of the oldest medical journals still in publication. The journal publishes ...

commission on the future of healthcare in sub-Saharan Africa.

Early life and education

As a child, Ageypong wanted to write, sew and become a doctor. She eventually studied medicine at the University of Ghana Medical School. She moved to the West African College of Physicians, where she was encouraged by her aunt, Phyllis Antwi, to specialise in public health. After graduating Ageypong worked as a medical locum at a mission hospital. One of her first positions was working in obstetrics; which she found emotionally challenging. In an interview with

Agyepong explained, “This was Ghana in the 1980s—we were still emerging from a really difficult economic time. Sometimes there were no gloves, there weren't the right needles, sometimes you couldn't find simple things like a scalpel…And there was no blood bank…You could have somebody die before enough blood became available. You would know what to do—but couldn't”. She was encouraged by then Director of Medical Services Moses Adibo to work internationally, and moved to the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

to study public health at the

Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine The Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM) is a post-graduate teaching and research institution based in Liverpool, England, established in 1898. It was the first institution in the world dedicated to the study of tropical medicine. LSTM ...

. Agyepong eventually moved to the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

, where she completed a doctoral degree studying malaria control in

Ghana Ghana, officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It is situated along the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, and shares borders with Côte d’Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, and Togo to t ...

Research and career

After earning her doctorate, Ageypong returned to

. She was eventually made Director of Health for the Greater Accra region. She held a joint position at the

University of Ghana The University of Ghana is a public university located in Accra, Ghana. It is the oldest public university in the country. The university was founded in 1948 as the University College of the Gold Coast in the British colony of the Gold Coast ...

School of Public Health.

Select publications

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References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Agyepong, Irene Living people Ghanaian public health doctors Year of birth missing (living people)