Ghana National Honours and Awards  – GHP’s Trustee Dr. Jemima Araba Dennis-Antwi on her award in contributions to health improvements 

My heart is immensely grateful to God Almighty as I share my thoughts on being recognised with the Presidential Honours for Distinguished Service. I received a Grand Medal Award for my contributions and services to health improvements locally and globally especially in the area around Nursing and Midwifery. The 2024 awards were presented by former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on December 30th, to distinguished individuals and organisations who have excelled in their fields for their meritorious services, hard work, sacrifices, and contributions to national development.  The Award was instituted in 1960 under the leadership of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, the first President of the Republic of Ghana.   

Nominated by the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA), I consider this award not only as a personal milestone, but also a celebration of the collective efforts of every individual and institution that has pursued maternal health improvements, nursing and midwifery excellence and health equity in Ghana and beyond. I am deeply grateful to GRNMA and to everyone who has supported my efforts, towards the vision of achieving better health outcomes especially for women and their families.  

Driven by an unwavering sense of service and purpose, I have carved a distinct path over my 36-year career as a general nurse, midwife, public health nurse, health education specialist, researcher, trainer, technical advisor and manager, mentor, health equity and policy advocate and also importantly a mother and a believer in family values and community.  My path, from frontline nursing and midwifery to rebuilding health systems in war-torn regions and influencing global health policies, has been a testament to what can be achieved through global collaboration, partnership and commitment. My experiences across many health sectors and systems in Africa and globally have reaffirmed my belief in the transformative power of midwifery and nursing—to create long-lasting change towards happier and healthier individuals, families, and communities.  

Ghana  

Throughout my career, I have contributed towards the strengthening of Ghana’s health system:  from managing and implementing programmes to improving specific areas of service delivery to contributing towards wider policy change. I was privileged to play leadership roles as  Head of the Health Education Unit of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly, the National  Programme Manager  for Health Learning Materials Development for Health Training Institutions, Education Coordinator in the Newborn Screening for Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) Programme: a collaborative project of Ghana and the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia-USA leading to the to the popular uptake of newborn screening services by nursing mothers women in the Kumasi metropolis. This contributed to a highly successful screening of over 70% of all babies born with SCD and facilitating referrals to specialist clinics among other achievements.  

One of the proudest moments of my career was being the Foundational President and first Acting Rector (2013) for the Ghana College of Nurses and Midwives (GCNM), initiating specialist programmes in neonatology, paediatrics, oncology, emergency, women’s health, neuroscience, palliative care and haematology.  Starting with just 35 residents in 2015, the College has now grown to impact over 700 nurses and midwives. This is a monumental achievement in elevating specialist training in nursing and midwifery in Ghana. Each graduate of the GCNM represents a step towards a stronger health system and health workforce with the specialist skills needed to provide vital care. 

Health Systems Strengthening in Africa   

My achievements in improving specialist skills in health programming extended beyond the borders of Ghana into wider Africa. Overall, I have supported health systems strengthening through visiting/ working in 33 African countries, including war-torn and humanitarian settings of Sierra Leone, Liberia, Libya and Somalia. My experiences began with the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) appointing me as its Anglophone Africa Midwifery Technical Advisor. For this, I provided technical assistance in midwifery to 10 United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) country offices in Africa. This formed part of efforts to improve maternal health indices through the “Investing in Midwives Initiative” across Africa, Asia and Latin America. Working with colleagues in ICM and UNFPA, this initiative spread to impact over 40 countries, 30 Country Midwife Advisors of UNFPA, over 90,000+ midwives, 650 midwifery schools, more than 8,000 midwifery tutors and 250 plus national and sub-national midwives’ associations.    

Recognising the need across the African Continent for improved education and practice for nurses and midwives, I contributed towards the curriculum development of the first Masters in Midwifery Leadership Programme at the University of Global Health Equity in Rwanda, paving the way for future midwives to shape management and care through improved leadership skills. Owing to my conviction, that improvements in nursing and midwifery across Africa cannot be achieved in isolation, I co-led in the establishment of the first Confederation of African Midwives Associations in Africa and more recently the Co-Convener of the first ever “Unifying Midwifery in Africa Initiative/Summit”.  

Impacting Global Health   

Global call for sustainable development goals and universal health coverage over the years have also given me the impetus to serve in various capacities on the global platforms of  WHO-Geneva, UNFPA, ICM; White Ribbon Alliance-USA (WRA),  African Women Development Fund (AWDF) through White Ribbon Alliance -Kenya (WRA-K), UNICEF, USAID, Johns Hopkins University-USA, Yale University School of Nursing Global Scholar, Ipas-North Carolina, Global Health Partnerships (Formerly THET)-UK, Global Health Fund, Jhpiego, American College of Nurse-Midwives,  Sick-Kids-Canada, University of Cape Town -South Africa and  International Childbirth Initiative. These services have enhanced health workforce development and policy strengthening.  

As the Founding President and CEO for the Centre for Health Development and Research (CEHDAR), a Ghana- based non-profit organisation, I bring a global exposure to about 45 countries to  help drive national and international research and development efforts focused on health policy, advocacy, capacity building and strategy formulation. Building on extensive leadership experience, I also serve as a Trustee for Global Health Partnerships (formerly THET).     

Ghana National Honours   

Walking as an awardee (2021) of the 1st National Hall of Fame for Nursing and Midwifery of Ghana Ministry of Health among others, to the current national honour of Grand Medal is indeed fulfilling. As I accept this honour from Ghana’s former President Akufo-Addo, my thoughts turn to the next generation. I am committed to mentoring young health professionals to ensure that the strides we have made are upheld and carried forward by the health workforce of the future. My vision remains the same: to see an African continent where nurses and midwives are empowered and enabled to lead with competence, confidence and unity and where all women of all ages and stages in their lives, newborns and families   receive the optimal care they need to live longer and healthier lives in an environment of respect.   

This award reflects countless stories, faces, and voices that have shaped my journey. To my family, colleagues, and mentors who have supported me unconditionally, and to the mothers, children, and communities who inspire my work—thank you. This recognition is as much yours as it is mine. As we look to the future, I truly believe that together, we can create a world where health systems are equitable, accessible, and resilient and provided by competent health workforce. This honour reminds me that while progress is incremental, it is undeniably transformative when we are driven by unwavering commitment, passion and purpose.