Merri Iddrisu: Ghanaian Nurse, Researcher, and Valedictorian Advancing Cancer and Women’s Health Care

Early Life and Education

Merri Iddrisu was born in Dunkwa-on-Offin and had her basic education in Imbraim, a village in the Upper Denkyira District of Ghana. After completing her secondary education at Boa-Amponsem Secondary School, she pursued nursing at the Nursing Training College in Ho, earning a certificate in Community Health Nursing in 2001 and emerging as the overall best student. In 2006, she received her Registered General Nursing Certificate from the Nursing and Midwifery Training College, Koforidua.

Academic Achievements

Merri’s academic journey at the University of Ghana began in 2009 with a Diploma in Nursing (Distinction). She later obtained a first-class Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 2012 and a Master of Philosophy (MPhil) in Nursing in 2017. In 2018, she added a certificate in Health Administration and Management from GIMPA. Her passion for academic excellence led her to start a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Nursing in 2021.

Professional Career

She has worked as a community health nurse at the Kwasi Fante Health Centre in the Afram Plains and as a registered nurse at the Eastern Regional Hospital and Ho Teaching Hospital. Merri currently serves as an Assistant Lecturer in the Department of Adult Health at the University of Ghana’s School of Nursing and Midwifery, where she mentors future nurses and midwives in research and healthcare delivery.

Research Interests and Contributions

Her research focuses on cancer care, palliative care, and women’s health. Her MPhil thesis on breast cancer inspired her PhD research, which aims to improve breast cancer care outcomes through a patient navigation programme. Merri has published scholarly articles and serves as a reviewer for several reputable journals.

Affiliations and Awards

Merri is an active member of several professional bodies, including the African Cancer Survivorship ECHO, the Breast Society of Ghana, and the Ghana Palliative Care Association. She is also affiliated with the International Society of Nurses in Cancer Care and the West African Patient Navigators Association. Her academic excellence has earned her the BANGA Thesis Completion Grant and the Erasmus+ Mobility Grant.

Personal Life and Vision

Merri is married to Alhaj Hadiru Iddris Mumuni and is a mother of two. She aspires to become a professor and continue her work in transforming healthcare systems through education, research, and policy.