OFOSU-AMAAH, SAMUEL
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Samuel Ofosu-Amaah (January 13, 1931 – January 22, 2023) was a titan of Ghanaian medicine who revolutionized public health education and pediatric care in West Africa. He is most distinguished as the Founding Director of the University of Ghana School of Public Health and the first President of the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons.
PHOTO CAPTION: Samuel Ofosu-Baah. SOURCE: EA Library.
Samuel Ofosu-Amaah was born at Jamestown, Accra, Gold Coast on January 13, 1931 into a prominent family with a strong tradition of public service. His father was Lawrence Ofosu-Amaah, a civil servant, and his mother was Bernice Ofosu-Amaah (née Anyetei).
He received his secondary education at the prestigious Achimota School before proceeding to the University College of the Gold Coast. To pursue his medical dreams, he traveled to Scotland where he studied at the University of Glasgow Medical School, graduating in 1959. He later specialized in pediatrics and public health, earning an MPH from Harvard University.
Upon his return to Ghana, his career spanned clinical practice, academia, and high-level administration. He served as a Professor of Pediatrics and the Head of the Department of Community Health at the University of Ghana Medical School.
His research on the prevalence of lameness in Ghanaian children provided the scientific evidence that triggered the national polio vaccination campaign. Beyond the classroom, he served as the Chairman of the Board of Management for Korle Bu Teaching Hospital and spent several years as a Senior Advisor at UNICEF headquarters in New York, where he influenced global health policies for women and children.
His leadership was pivotal in establishing the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons in 2003, ensuring that Ghanaian doctors could receive world-class postgraduate training locally.
He died on January 22, 2023, just days after celebrating his 92nd birthday. His death was met with national mourning, with tributes describing him as a “mentor of mentors” and a “founding father” of modern Ghanaian medicine.
His legacy lives on through the thousands of public health professionals trained at the institution he founded and the robust medical specialist training system he helped establish. He remains a symbol of excellence, integrity, and lifelong dedication to the health of the Ghanaian people.
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