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Comlan A. A. Quenum

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Comlan A. A. Quenum
Born10 January 1926
Died15 August 1984(1984-08-15) (aged 58)
NationalityBenin
AwardsNational Order of the Ivory Coast
Order of the Equatorial Star, National Order of Merit (Senegal)
National Order of Benin
Order of Merit (Congo)
Academic background
Education École nationale de médecine et pharmacie (Diploma)
University of Bordeaux (MBBS, MD)
Academic work
InstitutionsUniversity of Dakar
World Health Organization

Comlan A. A. Quenum (10 January 1926 - 15 August 1984) was a Beninois physician, diplomat, and official. He held several positions throughout his career, including serving as the Regional Director for Africa for the World Health Organization (WHO). He was also the first African to hold this position, which he held from 1965 until his death. The Government of Cameroon established the Dr Comlan A.A. Quenum Prize for Public Health in 1987 in his memory.

Biography

Early life and education

Comlan A.A. Quenum was born on 10 January 1926 in Benin.[1][2]

Quenum obtained a Diploma from the École nationale de médecine et pharmacie in Dakar, Senegal (1948-1952), a Bachelor of Medicine from the University of Bordeaux (1954-1955), and a Doctor of Medicine from the Medical Faculty at the University of Bordeaux (1954-1957). He also earned several certificates, including Zoology (1958), Biology (1959), and Animal Physiology (1960), and became an Agrégé in Histology and Embryology in 1962.[citation needed]

Career

Quenum was the Chief Physician at the Infirmary in Senegal from 1953-1954.[3] In addition, Quenum also served as the Chief of Histology Study at the Joint Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy in Dakar, Senegal, from 1959, and as a Professor of Embryology and Histology at the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy in Dakar from 1959-1963. Quenum also served as a Professor at the Joint Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy at the University of Dakar in 1963-1964.[4]

Quenum was an active member of the World Health Organization (WHO) Expert Committee on Professional & Technical Education of Medicine and Auxiliary Personnel from 1964-1965. This committee played an essential role in formulating guidelines for training healthcare professionals in Africa.[5][6][7] He then became the Regional Director for Africa at the WHO from 1965.[8] He was also the first African to hold this position[9] and held this position for several years and played a crucial role in the implementation of various health programs across Africa.[10][11]

As the Regional Director for Africa at the WHO, he had to engage with various governments and organizations to promote public health policies[12][13][14] inclduing tabaco,[15] smallpox,[16][17] onchocerciasis,[18] AIDS,[19] and chemotherapy.[20]

Quenum diedl in 15 August 1984.[8][8]

Awards and honours

Quenum was also recognized for his diplomatic work, having received honors such as the Commander of the National Order of the Republic from Ivory Coast, the Order of the Equatorial Star from Gabon, and the Order of Merit of Congo [fr], Senegal, and Dahomey. He was awarded honorary doctorates from the University of Abidjan in the Ivory Coast and the National University of Zaire as well.[citation needed]

After his death, the Government of Cameroon established the Dr Comlan A.A. Quenum Prize for Public Health in 1987 in his memory. This prize is awarded by the WHO to recognize individuals or organizations that have made significant contributions to public health in Africa.[21][22] The prize was awarded every two years until it was discontinued in 2000.[23]

References

  1. ^ President, United States (1984). United States Participation in the UN: Report by the President to the Congress for the Year. Bureau of International Organization Affairs.
  2. ^ "Comlan A. A. Quenum". id.oclc.org. Retrieved 2023-04-02.
  3. ^ Mahler, Halfdan T. (1981). The African Response to the Global Philosophy of Action for Health. Regional Office for Africa (AFRO), World Health Organization.
  4. ^ Quenum, Comlan A. A. (1985). Twenty Years of Political Struggle for Health. Regional Office for Africa, World Health Organization.
  5. ^ Quenum, Comlan A. A. (1984). "Introduction: Health for all and the Ethiopian Journal of Health Development". The Ethiopian Journal of Health Development. 1 (1). ISSN 1021-6790.
  6. ^ Katz, Frederick Manfred; Fülöp, Tamás (1978). Personnel for Health Care: Case Studies of Educational Programmes. World Health Organization. ISBN 978-92-4-130070-4.
  7. ^ Addo-Twum, J. K. (1978-04-07). Daily Graphic: Issue 8542 April 7 1978. Graphic Communications Group.
  8. ^ a b c WHO Chronicle. World Health Organization. 1985.
  9. ^ Bump, Jesse B.; Aniebo, Ifeyinwa (2022-09-06). "Colonialism, malaria, and the decolonization of global health". PLOS Global Public Health. 2 (9): e0000936. doi:10.1371/journal.pgph.0000936. ISSN 2767-3375. PMID 36962810.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: unflagged free DOI (link)
  10. ^ "WHO | Public health prizes and awards". apps.who.int. Retrieved 2023-04-02.
  11. ^ State, United States Department of (1978). United States Treaties and Other International Agreements. Department of State.
  12. ^ Addo-Twum, J. K. (1978-04-07). Daily Graphic: Issue 8542 April 7 1978. Graphic Communications Group.
  13. ^ Smoking and Health Bulletin. U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, Public Health Service, Center for Disease Control, Bureau of Health Education, National Clearinghouse for Smoking and Health. 1983.
  14. ^ Osemwota, Osa (1992). Some Issues in Nigerian Health Planning and Management. Omega Publishers.
  15. ^ Bibliography on Smoking and Health. 1983.
  16. ^ Fenner, Frank; Henderson, D. A.; Organization, World Health (1988). Smallpox and Its Eradication. World Health Organization. ISBN 978-92-4-156110-5.
  17. ^ Wickett, J.; Meiklejohn, Gordon (1979). Smallpox Eradication in Ethiopia. Provisional Military Government of Socialist Ethiopia, Ministry of Health.
  18. ^ Samba, Ebrahim M.; Organization, World Health (1994). The Onchocerciasis Control Programme in West Africa: An Example of Effective Public Health Management. World Health Organization. ISBN 978-92-4-156168-6.
  19. ^ AIDS Health Promotion Exchange. WHO/GPA. 1991.
  20. ^ Chemotherapy. S. Karger. 1977.
  21. ^ Regional Committee for Africa, 38 (1988). "Comlan A. A. Quenum Prize for Public health". {{cite journal}}: |first= has numeric name (help); Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  22. ^ Darpan, Pratiyogita (January 2007). Pratiyogita Darpan. Pratiyogita Darpan.
  23. ^ Lee, Kelley; Fang, Jennifer (2013). Historical Dictionary of the World Health Organization. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 978-0-8108-7858-7. Archived from the original on 2023-03-25. Retrieved 2022-12-17.
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