Dr. Patrick Ngassa Piotie is a distinguished Cameroonian physician, researcher, and global health expert with over two decades of experience driving health systems strengthening, public health policy, and medical research across Africa. Fully bilingual in English and French, Dr. Ngassa Piotie bridges Anglophone and Francophone Africa to advance non-communicable disease (NCD) leadership, multi-country research collaborations, and high-level policy engagement.
His clinical and public health journey began in Mali and expanded significantly in South Africa, where he has become a leading voice in NCD advocacy and diabetes care. He is the Chairperson of the Diabetes Alliance South Africa, where he steers national initiatives focused on policy advocacy, patient empowerment, and community engagement. Committed to institutional capacity building, he co-founded the University of Pretoria Diabetes Research Centre and holds academic appointments as an Extraordinary Lecturer at the University of Pretoria, a Research Associate at Nelson Mandela University, and a Lecturer in Biostatistics at Université des Montagnes in Cameroon.
At the continental level, Dr. Ngassa Piotie is an influential NCD strategist leading key initiatives such as the establishment of a Pan-African NCD and Mental Health Research Network and a Pan-African NCD Think Tank to translate clinical evidence into sustainable policy and champion locally driven healthcare solutions.
Recognized globally for his leadership, he is a Senior Fellow of the International Diabetes Federation, a World Heart Federation Salim Yusuf Emerging Leader, and serves as the Chair of the inaugural Kofi Annan Global Health Leadership Programme Alumni Executive Committee. Through bridging research, teaching, and policy, Dr. Ngassa Piotie remains dedicated to building equitable, evidence-informed health systems for Africa’s future.
