Dr Robert Kwame deGraft Agyarko

Robert Kwame deGraft Agyarko is a Global Health and International Development Expert with over 25 years’ experience.  He is widely known for his advocacy on public health issues, poverty alleviation, equity among others and has provided advised and technical support to over 20 African countries in disease management and control of communicable diseases including Malaria, HIV/AIDS, Ebola and most recently, COVID-19.

Specifically, he has served in different public health and development roles for the World Health Organization, UNICEF, the Global Fund, and The African Leaders Malaria Alliance., HelpAge International and the Centre for Development of People.  These include management and coordination roles as the project coordinator for WHO-HQ on the Impact of HIV/AIDS on older persons (1999-2003), Coordinator of WHO\AFRO’s Malaria technical support team (2003-2007 Zimbabwe); Fund portfolio manager for South Africa and Namibia (2007-2009, Geneva) at the Global Fund; West and Central Africa Malaria Advisor (2009-2010, Dakar) for UNICEF.

He also has high-level advocacy experience with the African Leaders Malaria Alliance Secretariat (2010-2012). In 2015, he served as a Technical Advisor to the Incident Commander (Deputy Minister of Health, Ghana) and Coordinator of the Ghana Public Health Emergency Operations Center (EOC).

Currently, he works with the African Risk Capacity (ARC), a specialized agency of the African Union as the Lead Advisor of an Outbreaks and Epidemics solution to support AU member states better combat health emergencies. Prior to joining ARC, he worked with the WHO/AFRO's Health Security and Emergencies Programme where he spearheaded Strategic Planning, Resource Mobilization and Partnerships.