Ghana’s Parliament is home to many remarkable women, who make up about 15 percent of the House’s 275 members, with 40 female MPs currently serving.
One such distinguished woman is Professor Dr. Grace Ayensu-Danquah, the first female Member of Parliament for the Essikado-Ketan Constituency in the Western Region.
Beyond politics, Ayensu-Danquah has achieved remarkable success in medicine and academia. In fact, some may wonder why someone with her impressive credentials would venture into politics, often perceived as a field riddled with corruption.
Prof. Ayensu-Danquah holds a Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Wisconsin, USA; a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Southern California; a Master’s in Public Health from Johns Hopkins University; a Doctorate in Surgery from Providence Hospital; and a Surgical Sub-Specialty from the University of California, San Diego.
She previously served as Country Director of Project Hope, Clinical Director of Sage Medical Centre, and Professor of Surgery at the University of Utah, USA.
A video documentary shared by the MP, who is also a professor of medicine, provides a deeper insight into her fascinating journey.
Royalty and humble beginnings:
Unknown to many, Prof. Ayensu-Danquah hails from a royal lineage, yet the comfort of royalty never deterred her from pursuing her dream of becoming a medical doctor and excelling in academia.
She is a member of the Royal Amagina Abratia Abusua of the Essikado Kojokrom Paramountcy.
Her mother was the firstborn of her grandmother, a former queen mother of Essikado, while her great-grandmother also held the same title.
Speaking in the documentary, the MP revealed, "My mother was the little girl sitting in front of the palanquin with Nana Kwabena Nketia IV when he was being outdoored."
A switch from humanities to medicine:
Interestingly, Prof. Ayensu-Danquah did not originally intend to pursue a career in science, let alone medicine.
After completing her Form 5 A-level education at Holy Child Secondary School in Cape Coast, she proceeded to Archbishop Porter’s Secondary School in Takoradi for sixth form, where she studied History, English Literature, and Religious Studies with no science subjects among her electives.
After her national service in Ghana, she travelled to the United States, where she discovered her passion for the sciences.
Despite battling harsh weather conditions and racism, she successfully completed:
Four years of undergraduate studies
Four years of medical school
Two years of master’s studies
Five years of surgical residency
She described her surgical residency in the US as “very, very difficult because it’s like you are being hammered for five years, and every step of the way, they increase the hammering.”
Today, Prof. Ayensu-Danquah is one of the world’s most sought-after medical practitioners.
Giving back to Ghana
In 2013, after years of success abroad, the Johns Hopkins-trained doctor returned home to contribute to Ghana’s development, particularly in advancing the welfare of women and children.
Her commitment to improving society has now led her to Parliament on the ticket of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), where her expertise in health makes her an invaluable asset to the nation.
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Meanwhile, watch the moment COP Tetteh Yohuno was sworn in as new IGP on GhanaWeb TV below:
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