The School of Public Health mourns Ph.D. candidate Akpene Tetteh, M.S.
Healthcare Policy and Research Ph.D. student, Akpene Tetteh, M.S., passed away unexpectedly on February 12, 2026.
A native of Ghana and a truly exceptional student, Akpene Tetteh, M.S., was on track to complete her Ph.D. this summer, in an unprecedented three years. The School and her home Department of Health Policy are heartbroken by the sudden loss of Akpene who was an especially studious and valued member of our community.
Akpene was working on her dissertation at the time of her passing. It aimed to improve health outcomes among diabetic adults in the United States by targeting barriers to treatment and prevention along the diabetes continuum of care. Her research examined opportunities to improve screening rates for diabetic retinopathy, especially among high-risk groups, and aimed to improve health outcomes among diabetic adults in the United States by targeting barriers to treatment and prevention along the diabetes continuum of care. But what really stood out for those who worked with her every day was her commitment to her work.
“She was often the first to arrive and the last to leave, reflecting a work ethic and determination that many of us witnessed every day,” said her advisor, Bassam Dahman, Ph.D., a professor of health policy. “She will be well remembered by the faculty and collaborators who worked alongside her for her dedication to research, her commitment to improving diabetes care among underserved communities, and the perseverance with which she pursued her goals. She was developing into a strong and thoughtful researcher, and it was a privilege to serve as her advisor and witness her growth.”
Akpene’s research combined her 10-plus years of professional experience in the pharmaceutical industry contributing to global projects, and her academic training in Pharmaceutical Economics and Policy at the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Science and Industrial Chemistry at the University of Cape Coast in her native Ghana.
On Wednesday, February 25, Akpene was posthumously awarded the Carter G. Woodson Award for Academic Excellence by the VCU Department of African American Studies. Peter Cunningham, Ph.D., professor and interim department chair presented the award to members of Akpene’s family, who accepted it on her behalf.
Akpene will be deeply missed by her fellow students, faculty and staff here at VCU. Not only will her memory live on through them, but so will her contributions to the field of health policy and her thoughtful and earnest approach to her research.
Drew Necci contributed significantly to this article.
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