Professor Phyllis Dako-Gyeke: A Leader in Gender Equity Research and Cherished Colleague © 2022 GEMNet-Health It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Dr. Phyllis Dako-Gyeke, a treasured colleague, scholar, and inspirational teacher, on June 11, 2024, in Accra, Ghana. Dr. Dako-Gyeke was a valued colleague to our team at the Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine and the wider Data for Impact (D4I) project, who brought fresh ideas and expertise in culturally informed research to advance public health. Dr. Dako-Gyeke earned her Master of Arts in International Affairs with a specialization in Communication and Development Studies from Ohio University in Athens, Ohio, USA, in 2004. She then completed her PhD in Health Communication and Development Communication at Bowling Green State University, Ohio, USA, in 2009, followed by a Postdoctoral Fellowship with a focus on Gender and Health at the University of Michigan, School of Public Health, USA, in 2011. Phyllis was committed to advancing health equity and training future scholars. As Head of the Department (2018–2022) and Associate Professor in the Department of Social and Behavioural Sciences, School of Public Health, at the University of Ghana, she led the training of many public health students from Ghana and abroad. Her passion for teaching and research included the topics of implementation research, gender and health, women’s health in Sub-Saharan Africa, maternal and child health, qualitative research methods, HIV/AIDS, social epidemiology, and health promotion. Prof. Phyllis Dako-Gyeke published widely in international peer-reviewed journals, covering topical areas relevant to public health in low- and middle-income country contexts. She had over 75 publications in credible peer-reviewed journals. She served on many committees and boards at the University of Ghana as well as other national and international organizations. Phyllis was the Principal Investigator for the Regional Training Centre in the Afro region, supported by WHO-TDR (World Health Organization, Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases) and the lead for implementation research capacity strengthening across Africa. As a member of the GEMNet-Health Network, a D4I local research partner, Dr. Dako-Gyeke led a qualitative research study with family planning providers, which informed the development of a self-assessment tool to measure gender competency. At the time of her passing, she was helping to design and assess different training modalities to strengthen family planning providers’ gender competency in the national family planning program implemented by Ghana Health Services. Under MEASURE Evaluation Phase IV, Dr. Dako-Gyeke was instrumental as co-author of a curriculum on Qualitative Methods in Evaluation of Public Health Programs. Beyond her professional accomplishments, Phyllis was a staunch Christian who fellowshipped at the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Kaneshie Congregation, where she was a Presbyter for eight years. She was the Acting Board Chairperson of Kaneshie Presbyterian Preparatory and Junior High School. Additionally, she initiated many programmes and served on diverse committees at the Kaneshie Presbyterian Church. Furthermore, she was a Board Member of the Presbyterian Women’s Centre, Abokobi, Accra, Ghana. We honor and will miss our beloved colleague. May her memory be eternal.
