[CamerExcellence] – Dr. Teguo Daniel Djoyum is a distinguished Cameroonian leader in public health. On May 28, 2025, he made history by becoming the first Cameroonian ever to earn a Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) from the prestigious Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, located on Harvard’s Longwood Campus in Boston, Massachusetts.
The Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health is the United States’ oldest school of public health. Its origins date back to 1913, with the founding of the Harvard-MIT School for Health Officers, the nation’s first professional public health training program. In 1922, it separated from MIT, and in 1946, it became an autonomous, degree-granting school within Harvard University. In 2014, a landmark $350 million unrestricted gift from alumnus Gerald L. Chan (SM ’75, SD ’79), his family, and the Morningside Foundation honored his father, M. T.H. Chan, and endowed the school’s research, education, financial aid, and other strategic priorities.
A neurophysiologist by training and a strategist in public health, Dr. Djoyum has spent the last decade forging bridges among communities, health systems, and global institutions to expand access to brain health services—especially in under-served regions of Africa and its diaspora. His pioneering doctoral research at Harvard explored how spirituality can strengthen care for people living with epilepsy in Accra, Ghana, and laid the groundwork for integrating spiritual support into clinical practice.
His achievements at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health promise to improve epilepsy treatment across Africa. In this exclusive interview with CamerExcellence, Dr. Djoyum explains how African spirituality and modern medicine can coexist in epilepsy care, and shares his vision and plans for Cameroon.
CamerExcellence: What led you to focus on the intersection of spirituality and epilepsy in Ghana?
Dr. Teguo Daniel Djoyum: During an academic rotation in Ghana, I asked a patient a simple question: “Is epilepsy a spiritual illness?” His sincere answer prompted me to look beyond conventional clinical protocols. I realized that to meet patients’ needs truly, we must understand local beliefs about disease—and that naturally led me to integrate spiritual dimensions into my epilepsy work.
CamerExcellence: How can spirituality innovate epilepsy care in Ghana?
Dr. Djoyum: We often overlook community power-brokers, especially religious leaders, who support patients long before they ever enter the formal health system. Bringing them into brain-health initiatives is itself an innovation: these spiritual guides can break down stigma, promote early diagnosis, and steer families toward medical care, thereby strengthening and complementing clinical treatment.
CamerExcellence: What is the current dynamic between clinicians and spiritual leaders in Ghana?
Dr. Djoyum: They coexist but sometimes with mutual mistrust. Each side has prestige and authority, and some religious leaders believe prayer alone can “cure” epilepsy, while certain clinicians dismiss any non-scientific approach. It’s urgent to establish a common language and build trust – only then can they collaborate effectively.
CamerExcellence: What concrete benefits emerge from clinician–spiritual leader collaboration?
Dr. Djoyum: Spiritual leaders provide moral support, create safe spaces, accompany families, and help normalize epilepsy in the community. Some churches now openly discuss epilepsy and encourage members to seek diagnostic tests. These efforts don’t replace medical care; they powerfully enhance it.
CamerExcellence: Is there a field anecdote that illustrates your research?
Dr. Djoyum: Early on, a mother told me she first consulted three prophets before taking her epileptic child to the hospital. That isn’t a rejection of modern care, but a parallel care pathway. Recognizing this reality is essential for designing patient-centered solutions.
CamerExcellence: What recommendations would you give to policymakers and health professionals?
Dr. Djoyum: First, create spaces for spiritual dialogue in hospitals—not to supplant medical treatment, but to support it. Train spiritual leaders to recognize epilepsy’s clinical signs and refer patients promptly. Ideally, build a two-way system: clinicians direct patients to spiritual support, and spiritual advisers guide them toward timely diagnosis.
CamerExcellence: What broader implications does your work have for Africa?
Dr. Djoyum: What we learned in Ghana applies across African contexts. In Cameroon, too, spirituality strongly shapes disease perceptions. Integrating it into brain-health strategies redefines innovation as something deeply rooted, inclusive, and sustainable. I envision African health systems that leverage spirituality not as a threat, but as a catalyst for transformation.
CamerExcellence: Speaking of Cameroon, how will you extend your research and programs to benefit your home country?
Dr Teguo Daniel Djoyum: Cameroon is at the heart of my vision. I feel a profound duty to share my expertise with my nation. I’m partnering with the Protestant University of Central Africa’s school of public health to embed my work on brain health, spirituality, and community innovation into their curriculum. I’m also collaborating with leading Cameroonian neurologists like Prof. Alfred Njamnshi, Drs Ngarka Leonard, Danny Gams, and Mélanie Magnerou Anique to launch a pilot project integrating neurodiagnostic services with psycho-spiritual support.
Together, we will expand epilepsy diagnosis, dismantle stigma, and build a more holistic approach to mental and neurological health in Cameroon. This marks the beginning of a long-term commitment grounded in scientific excellence and community service.
Interview conducted by Beaugas Orain DJOYUM
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