Professor Francis Nkrumah, the eldest son of Ghana’s first President, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, has passed away at the age of 89.

Professor Nkrumah died on Sunday, 30 June 2024, leaving behind a legacy of distinguished contributions to medical research and public health.

Born to Dr. Kwame Nkrumah and Madam Fanny Miller from Elmina in the Central Region, Professor Francis Nkrumah was the firstborn child of the former President. Dr. Nkrumah met Madam Miller while teaching at a middle school in Amisano, a town near Elmina.

Their relationship resulted in the birth of Francis Nkrumah before Dr. Nkrumah departed for Lincoln University in the United Kingdom to pursue further studies.

By the time Dr. Nkrumah returned to Ghana, Professor Francis Nkrumah had already made notable academic strides, excelling in his O Levels at St. Augustine’s College.

Dr. Nkrumah, who had risen to become the leader of government business by 1952, was living with his son at his Accra New Town residence and later facilitated Francis’s education through a Cocobod scholarship to study medicine in Germany.

Professor Francis Nkrumah was a renowned figure in the field of medical research and public health. He served as the longest-serving director of the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR), where he played a pivotal role in poliomyelitis eradication initiatives across Africa.

His significant contributions earned him recognition from the World Health Organisation (WHO) Africa Region in October 2016, where he was honored for his distinguished efforts in polio eradication.

The WHO Africa Region awarded Professor Nkrumah for his work on the Africa Regional Certification Committee (ARCC), his role as chairman of the Regional Task Force on Immunization (TFI), and his service to the NHO Ghana office.

Professor Nkrumah’s legacy is marked by his dedication to advancing medical research and improving public health standards. His passing is a significant loss to the medical community and the nation, which remembers him as a distinguished academic and a proud son of Ghana’s first President.