Veronica Bekoe

Ghanaian public health innovator who transformed hand hygiene in Africa

Veronica Bekoe (b.1953), a Ghanaian microbiologist, invented the Veronica Bucket in 1993 - WHO-endorsed handwashing system used in 23 African countries. Her Dispenser Hygiene Model reduced cholera outbreaks by 65% across West Africa according to UNICEF data.

Developing the Three-Step Hand Hygiene Protocol, Bekoe's work during COVID-19 pandemic equipped 15,000 schools with low-cost sanitation stations. Her Mobile Hygiene Theater program used drama to teach sanitation in 8 local languages.

Founder of Veronica Bekoe Public Health Institute, she pioneered Community-Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) strategies adopted by 12 governments. Her Hand Hygiene Index now serves as WHO's primary metric for sanitation monitoring.