Dede Barpeen, Gibson Mainaon, and Ruth Sulaimon are health professionals from across the continent—Liberia, Kenya, and Guinea-Bissau, respectively. We spoke with them about their expertise in public administration and health while they were at Cornell University this summer completing the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders (YALI).
The fellows speak to their vision for a just healthcare future, the constraints to this goal, and how effective healthcare policies are good for everyone.
Dede Barpeen has seven years of experience in community public health nursing and more than 10 years of experience in broadcast journalism. Currently, he is a community engagement officer at Samaritan’s Purse International Relief-Liberia, where he focuses on effective health systems and epidemic prevention. He also is chief of media in the promotion of health and president of the Grand Gedeh County Community Health Services Supervisors Association.
Gibson Maina has more than seven years of experience in community health. Currently, Gibson is cofounder and chief executive officer of Healthy Young Kenya, a nonprofit organization that focuses on lifestyle disease prevention through information sharing and the promotion of innovation. He is a practicing pharmacist and consultant experienced in procurement, logistics, and healthcare management.
Ruth Sulaimon holds a university degree in medicine and has five years of experience in the medical field, including an internship in Luanda, Angola. Currently, Ruth is a medical doctor at Simão Mendes National Hospital in Guinea-Bissau, diagnosing and giving life-saving treatment to neonates in the neonatology intensive care unit with breathing disorders, birth defects, infections, and other medical conditions.
Books, Links, & Articles
- To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee
- “Declaration of Alma-Ata.”
- The Millionaire Fastlane by MJ DeMarco