I am a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at the Fred N. Binka School of Public Health (FNBSPH), University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS), Ghana. I am also a Public Health Consultant and Fellow of the West African Postgraduate College of Medical Laboratory Sciences (WAPCMLS). I currently serve as the Head of the Research and Clinical Laboratory at FNBSPH and previously coordinated the Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Programme (FELTP) at UHAS for three years. I also served previously as school and department exam officer for the FNBSPH.
My career has been driven by a passion for strengthening public health systems through teaching, research, disease surveillance, outbreak investigation and response, and laboratory systems strengthening. I am committed to training the next generation of epidemiologists and public health professionals while generating evidence that informs policy and improves health outcomes in Ghana and beyond.
Education
I hold a PhD in Public Health with specialization in Epidemiology and Disease Control from the University of Ghana School of Public Health. I also earned an MPhil in Applied Epidemiology and Disease Control, a Bachelor of Science and a Diploma in Medical Laboratory Sciences (Microbiology Option), and an Advanced Certificate in Field Epidemiology from the Ghana Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Programme (GFELTP).
I am an accredited medical laboratory assessor by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) and the African Society for Laboratory Medicine (ASLM). I am also a Fellow of the West African Postgraduate College of Medical Laboratory Sciences (WAPCMLS).
Work Experience
I have over 13 years of experience in university teaching, research, and public health practice. At UHAS, I teach undergraduate and postgraduate courses in Epidemiologic Methods, Public Health Surveillance, Outbreak Investigation and Response, Public Health Laboratory, Emergency Preparedness and Response, Control of Emerging and Re-emerging Diseases, International Health Regulations (IHR), Global Health Security and Laboratory Quality Management Systems.
I have supervised more than 50 undergraduate and postgraduate research dissertations and thesis and have contributed to the development and review of curricula for the MPhil and MPH programmes at UHAS. I also serve as an Adjunct Lecturer in the Department of Biomedical Sciences at the University for Development Studies, where I teach in the Doctor of Laboratory Medicine programme. In addition, I serve as an External Examiner for the Department of Epidemiology and Disease Control at the University of Ghana School of Public Health, where I previously served as an Adjunct Lecturer in the MPhil Applied Epidemiology programme. I also serve as a faculty member in the Department of Public Health and Laboratory Management in the West African Postgraduate College of Medical Laboratory Sciences (WAPCMLS).
Before joining academia, I served as Principal Biomedical Scientist and Deputy Head of the National Public Health and Reference Laboratory (NPHRL) of the Ghana Health Service from 2003 to 2013. During this period, I led and supported national disease surveillance activities, laboratory accreditation initiatives, capacity-building programmes, and outbreak investigations across Ghana. I also served as Acting Head of the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at UHAS from December 2015 to October 2016.
Research Interests and Outputs
My research focuses on infectious disease epidemiology, public health surveillance, laboratory systems, and global health security. My areas of interest include diarrhoeal diseases, hepatitis, malaria, neglected tropical diseases, antimicrobial resistance, clinical trials, laboratory quality management systems, One Health, and the epidemiology of non-communicable diseases associated with infectious conditions, particularly hepatocellular carcinoma and cervical cancer.
I am passionate about conducting research that addresses real-world public health challenges and translates evidence into policy and practice. I have authored and co-authored 16 peer-reviewed publications in reputable international journals and continue to supervise research that contributes to improving public health in Ghana and across Africa.
Professional Membership
I am a Fellow of the West African Postgraduate College of Medical Laboratory Sciences (WAPCMLS). I am also a member of the Allied Health Professions Council of Ghana (AHPC), the Ghana Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists (GAMLS), the African Society for Laboratory Medicine (ASLM), the Ghana Epidemiological Society (GES), the Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Alumni Network of Ghana (FELANG), and the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG). I currently represent the Volta Region on the National Executive Council of FELANG.
Peer Reviewer
I serve as a peer reviewer for several international scientific journals, including PLOS ONE, the Pan African Medical Journal (PAMJ), the Journal of Interventional Epidemiology and Public Health (JIEPH), BMC Infectious Diseases, and Discover Public Health. Through these roles, I contribute to maintaining the quality and integrity of scientific research in epidemiology, infectious diseases, and public health.
For more information about my academic and professional activities, please visit my LinkedIn profile: Dr. Anthony Zunuo Dongdem.