What inspired you to work in health in Africa? Contributing to improved diagnosis and treatment has motivated me to pursue health research, with a particular focus on enhancing the efficiency of diagnostic tools for diseases like cancer and malaria through genomics and bioinformatics. These diseases are among the leading causes of death in Africa, especially...
Olajumoke Olabimipe Dada is Owning Her Space in Health Leadership
What inspired you to work in health in Africa? My inspiration to work in health in Africa is deeply rooted in both my personal values and early life experiences. From a young age, I have always been naturally caring and empathetic, traits that were further shaped by my role as the first daughter in an...
A Lifetime of Impact: Celebrating Prof. Stella Anyangwe “Auntie Stella”
What inspired you to work in health in Africa? As a medical doctor with an MPH and PhD in Epidemiology, I taught in medical school in Cameroon to equip doctors in training with skills needed for effective prevention and control of prevalent communicable and non-communicable diseases in our country. It was important to train medical...
From Clinician to Public Health Advisor: Modupe Agueh McCracken’s Journey to Greater Impact
What inspired you to work in health in Africa? My parents are from Benin, which is in Africa. So my home was always Africa, even while growing up in the Maryland suburbs, my childhood was stewarded by two proud and brilliant Africans. At age 11 my family moved back to Benin, where I graduated high...
Hysantine Arrey is Making a Difference in Health Supply Chain Management
What inspired you to work in health in Africa? I have always believed that health is more than the absence of disease; it is the presence of dignity, hope, and the ability for people to live meaningful lives. Being born and nurtured in Africa, I have witnessed both the extraordinary resilience of its people and...
From Women’s Voices to Systems Change: Stéphanie Dominique Amida Nama
Dr. Stéphanie Dominique Amida Nama is the Co-Founder of KAIROS – Kaléidoscope d’Actions Intégrées pour la Recherche et l’Optimisation en Santé, an innovation-driven healthtech and preventive-health education startup based in Burkina Faso. She is a medical doctor, public health specialist, independent consultant, partner, and mother of two children – identities she carries as interconnected sources...
2025, A Year That Got Me In A Chokehold
Dr. Mable Kipenda is an entrepreneur, medical doctor, and founder of Kambo Health Initiative, whose work sits at the intersection of purpose, resilience, and leadership. She is a Chevening scholarship awardee and a Mandela Washington fellowship alumnus. In recent years, she has launched and operated a physical shoe retail business, founded and registered a non-governmental...
A Testament to Growth and Mentorship
Dr. Mercy Sepadi’s Journey: A Testament to Growth and Mentorship In the heart of a global crisis, when the world was grappling with the uncertainty of a pandemic, I found a beacon of hope and transformation in the Pan African Women in Health (PAWH) program. Joining PAWH’s empowering community in 2020 marked the beginning of...
Harnessing Digital Technology To Elevate The Status of Women
The Pan African Women in Health (PAWH) is proud to join in celebrating International Women’s Day (IWD). This day is a reminder to celebrate progress. It is also a day to call attention to barriers women continue to face that impede gender inclusion. This year’s theme, Embrace Equity, speaks to the core of who we...
Takudzwa Michelle Kuchena| Young African Leader
I believe that work experience is currency. My name is Takudzwa Michelle Kuchena. I hold a Bachelor of Public Health (Honours) degree from Monash University (South Africa). My research paper focused on the uptake of Long Acting Reversible Contraceptives (LARCs) among adolescents (15 – 19 year olds) in South Africa from 1998 to 2016. I...









