Bangura Jackson

Revolutionized public health in West Africa through community-driven sanitation projects

Founding Community Health Networks

Born in Freetown, Sierra Leone in 1910, Bangura Jackson pioneered participatory health programs in the 1930s. His 1937 study in the British Medical Journal showed how involving local leaders increased sanitation compliance by 400%. He established the first community-led latrine construction programs in 1941, training over 5,000 volunteers by 1955.

Innovative Disease Control

During the 1947 smallpox outbreak, Jackson's 'Health Messenger' system used local drummers and storytellers to spread prevention messages. His 1953 World Bank-funded 'Clean Village' initiative became a model for tropical disease control. By 1960, his methods reduced cholera mortality rates by 85% in coastal regions.

Legacy & Recognition

His 1965 book 《Health From Within》 remains required reading at tropical medicine schools. The UN awarded him the 1970 Global Health Pioneer medal. Modern sanitation experts like WHO's Dr. Fatoumata Nafo-Traoré credit his work with laying foundations for today's community health systems.