Duc Ntsomi, DrPH, stands at the forefront of the global health equity movement, transforming the principle of healthcare as a human right into bold, measurable action. As Executive Director of the Petronille Healthy Society (PHS), he leads pioneering programs that bridge policy and practice, delivering sustainable solutions for rare disease populations and underserved communities across the United States and Africa.

Dr. Ntsomi was among the pivotal group of advocates who shaped the landmark Rare Disease Equity Act, unlocking $2.3 billion in federal funding and establishing mandatory rare disease representation in FDA approval processes. In Maryland, he launched the Tour of Maryland Supporting the Rare Disease Community, a grassroots initiative that has evolved into a statewide model. He also co-authored the Nealo’s Act, a transformative bill that supports families whose children undergo bone marrow transplants.

Internationally, Dr. Ntsomi is ushering in a new era of precision medicine across Africa. Through the Rare in Africa Initiative, a Pan-African Consortium for Rare Diseases, he leads cutting-edge efforts to integrate Artificial Intelligence (AI) into diagnostics and therapeutic discovery, accelerating breakthroughs with the potential to save millions of lives. His work spans South Africa, Kenya, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the Republic of Congo, where he has established flagship programs that eliminate geographic and economic barriers to care. Under his guidance, seven leading research hospitals across the continent now operate under shared clinical data and standards. His global strategy has already tripled treatment access in historically neglected regions.

Through strategic war room diplomacy, Dr. Ntsomi is working to elevate rare diseases onto the G20 health agenda, while laying the groundwork for unprecedented technology transfers from global pharmaceutical giants. The goal: to accelerate diagnosis by 86% and triple treatment access across partner regions. His visionary approach is rooted in firsthand clinical experience at top U.S. institutions such as George Washington University Hospital and Children’s National Medical Center, and is further shaped by academic training in International Development at the Krakow School of Health Promotion, and Public Health at Arizona State University.

Now leading the Rare in Africa Initiative, a $100 million Rare Disease Moonshot effort, Dr. Duc Ntsomi is positioning Africa as the global epicenter for equitable rare disease solutions. From the halls of the U.S. Congress to remote village clinics, his leadership exemplifies how strategic diplomacy and scientific innovation can converge to transform lives. His work proves that when scientific innovation meets unrelenting advocacy, no community is too remote, and no disease too rare, to be seen, heard, and healed.

Duc Ntsomi, DrPH Executive Director