Ms. Opoku is most proud to have exerted a positive impact on health outcomes in her local community.
ARVERNE, NY, November 23, 2022 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Makra Wilhemina Opoku has been included in Marquis Who's Who. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.
Long dedicated to service on behalf of her community, Ms. Opoku hails from over two decades of experience in her chosen profession, and has distinguished herself through her role at the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Having served as a case investigator with the organization since 2016, she has contributed her expertise during a number of public health crises, including outbreaks of the Zika virus, Measles, COVID-19 and monkeypox, as well as during the landfall of Hurricane Ida in 2021. In this capacity, Ms. Opoku has acted in coordination with statewide surveillance efforts to track the progress of diseases, conducted epidemiologic analyses, reviewed case data, supported public health campaigns, followed up with patient treatment, and disseminated educational materials for both employees and clients.
Ms. Opoku previously served as a senior epidemiologist on behalf of the CBC Ebola response team in Freetown, Sierra Leone, in 2015, where she developed a registry for cases to improve contact tracing and collaborated with a number of nongovernmental organizations and local agencies as a technical consultant and training supervisor, and as the lead member of the committee on mortality planning. Years earlier, she had also functioned as a health education trainer in 2004, through which she facilitated training sessions for both new hires and seasoned employees in Sierra Leone. Having joined the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene in 2000, Mr. Opoku has dedicated the bulk of her career to the tracking and epidemiological investigation of HIV, during which time she has liaised with at-risk individuals, referred clients to community-based organizations for treatment and collaborated with city-wide organizations to mitigate the spread of sexually-transmitted infections.
Eminently qualified in her field, Ms. Opoku holds a Bachelor of Science in health education through Lehman College. She also bears extensive certification in performance management, human rights consulting, diplomatic protocol and etiquette, adult mental health first aid, death reporting, and workplace violence prevention, among many other skills. Ms. Opoku has also been licensed as a public health advisor in New York City, and in public health food safety through the City of Philadelphia Department of Public Health, since 2008.
Outside of her primary efforts, Ms. Opoku is a member of the Watsonian Society, an employment organization of the Centers for Disease Control that seeks to foster professional and personal relationships between public health advisors. She has also served as a women's health clinic organizer for the Jacobi Medical Health Center, and as a recreational therapy department instructor at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Known for her contributions as a civic-minded citizen, she has also served as a health educator and missionary for the Love Gospel Assembly in the Bronx, New York, and as a volunteer for the New York Department of Homeless Services, among other organizations. Additionally, Ms. Opoku is the founder of MakMa Foundation International, a nonprofit organization that seeks to render aid to orphans, widows, the disadvantaged, and the homeless.
Among her most cherished accomplishments, Ms. Opoku is most proud to have exerted a positive impact on health outcomes in her local community. In accounting for her success, she largely credits her humble nature and sensitivity to the diverse needs and cultural origins of others, which has helped her excel as an effective agent of her profession. Looking toward the future, Ms. Opoku aspires to eventually retire from active service as a public health advisor and turn her full attention toward advancing the goals of MakMa Foundation International.
About Marquis Who's Who®
Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who's Who in America®, Marquis Who's Who® has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field of endeavor, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. Today, Who's Who in America® remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms around the world. Marquis® now publishes many Who's Who titles, including Who's Who in America®, Who's Who in the World®, Who's Who in American Law®, Who's Who in Medicine and Healthcare®, Who's Who in Science and Engineering®, and Who's Who in Asia®. Marquis® publications may be visited at the official Marquis Who's Who® website at www.marquiswhoswho.com.
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