Meet Francine Ntoumi, one of Africa's finest public health researchers

In the heart of the Republic of Congo’s capital Brazzaville, lies the Congolese Foundation for Medical Research.

This laboratory was founded by Professor Francine Ntoumi a woman who has dedicated her life to strengthening health research capacities in Africa.

Born in Brazzaville, she studied and worked in France and has conducted research in Gabon, the Netherlands, Germany, Tanzania and her home country, Congo.

She has served a range of institutions as Coordinator of the Multilateral Initiative on Malaria, the first African leader and in other various capacities.

‘‘We deal with public health problems that could allow our authorities to take decisions based on knowledge and on estimates made in Geneva,” she said.

Ntoumi has spent most of her career conducting research on Malaria.

Today, she is actively involved in developing health research capacities in Central Africa and is a member of several scientific committees and international scientific networks in Africa and Europe.

She has also trained many African scientists of different nationalities in various disciplines.

She has received numerous accolades.