Dr Doris Yaa Korantema Dartey passed away at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) on Sunday, July 19th, 2020, after six-years struggle with metastatic breast cancer. To commemorate the one year anniversary of her passing away, two books will be launched on Wednesday the 28th of July 2021, at the Ghana International Press Centre at 3pm.
The title of the books are, “The Watch Woman: A compilation of columns” and “When Breast Cancer Strikes”.
The articles carefully selected for “The Watch Woman: A compilation of columns” book will give new readers some historical perspectives of the happenings in her days, and for those who loved to read her column as well as those she mentored a befitting memoir. It is also expected that this book will help young, budding journalists to excel in their fields of endeavour as well as inspire both current and future columnists. These articles, touch on issues of the environment, sanitation, health, children, gender, politics, economics, and human rights.
The second book “When Breast Cancer Strikes” recounts her personal experience with breast cancer and advocates for public education on cancers: early diagnosis, regular screening and above all the dangerously self-inflicted, dismissive, and carefree attitude toward cancers.
Dr Doris Yaa Dartey earlier in her carrier, worked as a Public Relations Officer at the State Enterprises Commission. After her advanced studies, she practised as a journalist with the “Daily Graphic” and taught Communication and Public Relations courses at the Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ) and the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA). Also in the USA, she taught Public Relations at both the University of Dayton and the Mount Mercy University.
In her later years, Dr Dartey managed her own thriving, consultancy firm: the ‘ORGCOM Insights’, as a full-time Communications Consultant, working for many donor-funded projects in Ghana and also for international institutions. They included the Institute of Local Government, the Nordic Development Fund (NDF), the African Union Commission, the African Development Bank, UNESCO, JICA, CIDA, FAO, GIZ, the STAR-Ghana, GAMC, the Natural Resource Governance Institute, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Accountability, Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption Program (ARAP) and the National Accreditation Board (NAB), among others. The emphasis of her consulting was on the environment, sanitation, gender and baseline research.
Dr Dartey undertook several communication skills training programmes for corporate organisations; she helped to revamp and run the Institute of Public Relations, Ghana. She also performed several public services and served on many corporate boards in the US and in Ghana, including the National Media Commission and the Board of Directors of the Graphic Communications Group Ltd., of which she later became its Chairperson. She devoted considerable energy and support to her professional body, the Ghana Journalist Association, in varied capacities.
Dr Dartey was a practising journalist, with a huge presence in newspaper publication and on television: For many years, she was the host for the “Talking Point” and “The Probe” programme on GTV (Ghana Television). For twelve years, she wrote the “WatchWoman” column in The Spectator, a national weekly newspaper, stirring up issues on the politics, elections, sanitation, children, health, governance, stigmatization, fraud, corruption, among other thorny societal topics.
To her professional journalism colleagues, PR practitioners as well as several young journalists, Dr Dartey was a mentor. She affected and challenged many young women and men, who took her as their role model. She was also a source of encouragement and support to her varied friends. Many who met her on occasions were struck with her endless benevolence, encouragement and infectious smile. To her immediate and extended family, Dr Yaa Dartey was the consummate pillar.
In personal encounters, Doris Yaa Dartey came across as an extraordinary sharp person, who spoke her mind often, but who also made people feel comfortable. She had the gifted ability to make people feel welcome, and as someone easily affable to settle down with. Join us as we celebrate the life of Dr. Doris Yaa Dartey.