Meet ASTMH Member David Adetula from Nigeria

David Adetula is a public health researcher in Nigeria interested in developing sustainable policies to fix issues preventing equitable and affordable healthcare delivery. He is Executive Director and co-founder of the Public Health Interest Group Africa (PHIGA), is a continent-wide NGO on a mission to stir the interests of tertiary institution students and early career-professionals toward Africa’s public and global health development. He is rounding off his Bachelor of Dental Surgery program at the University of Ibadan and the University College Hospital, and seeks opportunities to pursue a postgraduate public health program in the United States.

In 2022, Mr. Adetula learned about ASTMH through a post promoting the LMIC Membership Campaign on X (Twitter). The campaign provides a free year of ASTMH membership to residents in low- and middle-income countries through donations from the tropmed community. The campaign has raised enough for 1,000 new LMIC memberships thanks to 177 donors.

Mr. Adetula renewed his ASTMH membership himself in 2023. He belongs to the Membership Committee, the Clinical Group subgroup, and the Communications, Advocacy and Policy subgroup of the ASTMH Committee on Global Health (ACGH). 

How did you learn about ASTMH?
In 2022, I came across an X (formerly known as Twitter) post from ASTMH on the LMIC Membership Campaign. I took some time to read what ASTMH is about on its website. At that point, I realized I had found a suitable place to meet great professionals and peers doing what I want to do. Beyond that, I was convinced joining ASTMH would be an opportunity to develop my tropical medicine interests while sharing my experiences. 

How has being a member of ASTMH benefitted you?
First, I must thank the sponsors of the LMIC Membership Campaign for allowing me to join this great network. I hope I can reciprocate the same gesture towards those who would also like to benefit from the several opportunities ASTMH affords. 

So far, I have met great minds who have been extremely helpful in my career pursuit. I volunteer for the Communications, Advocacy and Policy subgroup of the ASTMH Committee on Global Health (ACGH). Here, I met great minds who have further stimulated my interest in tropical medicine and from whom I have also learned a lot. I also belong to the Clinical Group, where I access many helpful resources to learn about tropical medicine. Recently, I joined the Membership Committee, where I have been working alongside other passionate and senior members of ASTMH to improve the organizational membership base. I hope to meet these fantastic people at the next ASTMH Annual Meeting. 

Would you encourage your colleagues to become members of ASTMH? What would you tell them?
Definitely yes. So far, I have encouraged several colleagues to join the ASTMH. Some of them are already members. I plan to keep doing this in the college where I train and several other tertiary institutions across African nations where I have my networks. 

Joining ASTMH is a step any student or early-career professional will look back on and be grateful to have taken. ASTMH has a lot of career growth and development opportunities for its members. I have yet to see a network of students and professionals in tropical medicine that is bigger and richer than ASTMH in terms of value for membership. So, I will always encourage my colleagues to take this advantage.