Francis N. Kateh (born 12 July 1965 in Karlokeh,

Maryland County Maryland County is a county in the southeastern portion of Liberia. One of 15 counties that comprise the first-level of administrative division in the nation, it has two districts. Harper serves as the capital with the area of the county me ...

) is a

Liberia Liberia (), officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country on the West African coast. It is bordered by Sierra Leone to Liberia–Sierra Leone border, its northwest, Guinea to its north, Ivory Coast to its east, and the Atlantic Ocean ...

n physician and an academician. Kateh began his doctoral training in medicine when he volunteered at the

Ganta United Methodist Hospital Ganta United Methodist Hospital is a hospital in Ganta, northeast Liberia. The hospital serves a population of around 450,000 in Liberia and neighbouring countries. History The hospital was established in 1926 by Dr. George Way Harley and his ...

. Thereafter, he got a scholarship at the

University of Liberia The University of Liberia (UL or LU in older versions of abbreviation) is a publicly funded institution of higher learning located in Monrovia, Liberia. Authorized by the national government in 1851, the university opened in 1862 as Liberia Coll ...

and subsequently to the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

where he attended

MacMurray College MacMurray College was a private college in Jacksonville, Illinois. Its enrollment in fall 2015 was 570. Founded in 1846, the college closed in May 2020. History Although founded in 1846 by a group of Methodist clergymen as the Illinois Confer ...

Jacksonville, Illinois Jacksonville is a city in Morgan County, Illinois, Morgan County, Illinois, United States. The population was 19,446 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Morgan County. It is home to Illinois College, Illinois School for the Deaf, and the ...

. Although sponsored by the then Central Illinois Conference of the

United Methodist Church The United Methodist Church (UMC) is a worldwide mainline Protestant denomination based in the United States, and a major part of Methodism. In the 19th century, its main predecessor, the Methodist Episcopal Church, was a leader in evangelical ...

, Kateh matriculated to Spartan University School of Medicine,

Vieux Fort Vieux Fort is one of 10 districts of the Caribbean island country of Saint Lucia. Vieux Fort is also the name of the main town in the district. It is the home of the second-largest town in Saint Lucia and is the home of Saint Lucia's internatio ...

St. Lucia Saint Lucia ( acf, Sent Lisi, french: Sainte-Lucie) is an island country of the West Indies in the eastern Caribbean. The island was previously called Iouanalao and later Hewanorra, names given by the native Arawaks and Caribs, two Amerin ...

where he obtained a degree in medicine. Graduates of the Spartan University School of Medicine are ineligible for licensure in several U.S. states, and Great Britain. Kateh returned to

during the

First Liberian Civil War The First Liberian Civil War lasted from 1989 to 1997. President Samuel Doe had established a regime in 1980 but totalitarianism and corruption led to unpopularity and the withdrawal of support from the United States by the late 1980s. The Nat ...

. After serving in Liberia for the

for over six years, he returned to the United States. Kateh earned a Master of Health Administration degree from Governors State University, University Park, IL. Being touched by the devastation in New Orleans, due to Katrina, Kateh decided to pursue a degree in Homeland Security with emphasis in Public Health Disaster Preparedness. On May 10, 2008, Dr. Kateh earned a Master of Professional Studies in Homeland Security Leadership with emphasis in Public Health Disaster Preparedness. He is married and has four children.

Career history

* Adjunct Professor, Health Care Law & ethics and International Health Care Issues and Policies,

Pfeiffer University Pfeiffer University is a private university in Misenheimer, North Carolina. It is affiliated with the United Methodist Church. History Pfeiffer originated from a home school operated by Miss Emily Prudden in the late 19th century. The school ...

, Graduate Program in Health Administration, Charlotte, NC * Public Health Director,

Anson County Anson County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 22,055. Its county seat is Wadesboro. History The county was formed in 1750 from Bladen County. It was named for George Anson, Ba ...

, North Carolina- 2004–present * Former Surgical Assistant- Sacred Heart Hospital, Chicago, IL- * Former Adjunct Instructor, Anatomy and Physiology,

Prairie State College Prairie State College is a public community college in Chicago Heights, Illinois. It is the only college operated by Illinois Community College District 515. History Founded in 1957 as Bloom Township Junior College, Prairie State College's (PSC ...

, Chicago Heights, IL- * Former Chief Medical Officer/Medical Director of

, Liberia- * Former Head of Surgery, Ganta United Methodist Hospital, Liberia-

Professional affiliation

* Member- North Carolina Association of Local Health Directors * Regional Representative- Region VI (North Carolina Association of Local Health Directors) * Member- American Public Health Association * Member- American College of Health Executives * Chairperson, Exercise and Evaluation Committee,

National Association of County and City Health Officials The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) is the Washington, DC-based organization representing 2,800 local public health departments in the U.S. These city, county, metropolitan, district, and tribal departments work ...

(NACCHO)- * Member Public Health Preparedness Essential Services Committee (NACCHO)- * Peer Reviewer- Disaster Preparedness and Evaluation- * Member, Board of Trustees -

, Jacksonville, IL (2005–2007)

Awards

* 2006 Community Leadership Award- Spencer Memorial UMC- Charlotte, NC * Distinguished Young Alumni Award- MacMurray College- 2001 * Distinguished Alumni for the Millennium- MacMurray College- 2000

References

1965 births Living people Liberian surgeons University of Liberia alumni People from Maryland County {{Liberia-bio-stub