Joshua Aniaku is a hands-on frontline epidemiologist and public health officer from Ghana, blending outbreak response with innovative data solutions to bridge gaps in health systems. As a Senior Public Health Officer with the Ghana Health Service, he spearheads district-level surveillance and conducts field investigations for epidemic-prone diseases—from polio and cholera to meningitis and yellow fever—while leading rapid responses to outbreaks like measles, rabies, and tuberculosis.
Frustrated by stagnant immunization rates in his district, Joshua pioneered the use of QGIS to revolutionize vaccine tracking, despite initial resistance. He persuaded leadership by demonstrating the tool’s potential, mapping vaccination posts via KoboCollect, and visualizing coverage gaps. His approach drove Penta-3 coverage from 74.5% to 96.9% within a year, achieving nearly all 2024 targets and inspiring colleagues to adopt GIS for other health challenges.
Joshua regularly bridges the gap between technical solutions and grassroots implementation, training community health volunteers in surveillance techniques and presenting data insights to traditional leaders in accessible formats.
A graduate of the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (MSc Global Health), University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ho (Bachelor of Public Health) and Ghana’s Field Epidemiology and Laboratory program.
Committed to innovation and equity in public health, Joshua strives to enhance surveillance systems that protect vulnerable populations and strengthen global health security