Finding your “why” – Selina’s spark towards maternal and child health equity

Selina Achiaa Owusu (She/Her) was a Senior Physician Assistant at the Ghana Health Service and a Mastercard Foundation Scholar, currently pursuing her Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health (DLSPH), University of Toronto.

With extensive experience in community medicine and health in Ghana, her work is grounded in a commitment to advancing health equity in underserved and rural communities among women and children.

Selina’s academic and professional trajectory reflects a strong dedication to evidence-informed policy, community-centred interventions, and her goal to strengthen global health systems.

Selina’s passion for public health and health equity began with personal loss and hardship when she was younger: “I was raised by my aunt in a rural Ghanaian community where access to clean water, quality food, and healthcare was severely limited. My aunt and I suffered repeatedly from malaria and other preventable diseases. Tragically, she died from complications of childbirth. These were preventable deaths, preventable suffering. That realization shaped everything, her death didn't have to happen if responsive, equity-oriented public health policies and interventions had been in place”.

Driven by this experience, Selina wanted to help other women and children who are experiencing similar circumstances as her and her aunt. After completing her Advanced Diploma in Community Medicine and Health at the College of Health and Well-being, Kintampo in 2015, Selina served as the Physician Assistant,  Head of the Amantenaman Health Centre and Sub-municipal Health Services, where she led community-driven interventions that dramatically improved maternal health outcomes, reducing anemia in pregnancy from 57% to 18%, and increasing outpatient attendance from 57% to 98% through community health support groups and health education.

“This experience confirmed that addressing maternal and child health requires more than clinical care, it requires understanding and dismantling the systemic barriers that prevent rural women from accessing quality healthcare”.

Understanding the successes, challenges, and experiences working in the field, Selina sought to pursue higher education, as she was interested in developing policy recommendations that reduce systemic barriers to accessing healthcare for rural and underserved communities.

As such, Selina decided to take a DrPH at DLSPH for its strong focus on equity-driven research, practice-based training, and world-renowned expertise in global and maternal health. She states: “…DLSPH has leading experts in maternal health, health systems strengthening, and global health equity who can guide my work on maternal healthcare in rural Ghana. I need advanced skills to appraise evidence and influence evidence-based policy changes, not just conduct research in isolation…and I knew that a DrPH from the University of Toronto would exponentially increase my capacity to influence health systems and policy at national and regional level”.

Continuing from her work in Ghana, her DrPH research will focus on maternal, perinatal, and neonatal outcomes of hypertensive disorders in pregnancy in Ghana, examining the systemic determinants that shape women’s health. Her research is supervised by Dr. Sue Bondy and Dr. Emmanuel Senanu Morhe, with Dr. Anita C. Benoit being a thesis committee member.

As a Mastercard Foundation Scholar, Selina represents the program’s mission to develop ethical, compassionate leaders who drive social change. Receiving the scholarship was, for her, both an honour and a responsibility in serving the community she is a part of: “I thought immediately of my late aunt and all the women in rural Ghana who deserve better healthcare. This opportunity means I can acquire the knowledge and skills to make that vision a reality”.

Her passion for health equity is driven by something clear: “For me, it's the memory of my aunt and the countless women who deserve better healthcare. Find your why.” Looking ahead, Selina plans to return to Ghana to strengthen local health systems, advance maternal and child health equity, and train emerging health leaders.

Her long-term vision is to establish a centre dedicated to improving maternal and child health in rural Ghana, bridging global research with local action by bringing together researchers, policymakers, clinicians, and community members to develop and test sustainable, culturally appropriate interventions.

“Every step forward, no matter how small, is progress toward your ultimate goal of creating meaningful change.”

We wish her the best throughout her academic and professional journey!