Prince George’s County names first African, second woman health officer

Prince George’s County has put Dr. Toyin Opesanmi at the front of its public health system, naming her the first African and the second woman ever appointed county health officer. The move places a physician with deep experience in HIV and addiction medicine in a role that carries direct responsibility for how residents experience prevention, vaccines, sexual health services, vital records support and other core public health functions.

The appointment also arrives as the County Council serves as the Board of Health, with legal oversight of the department and a mandate to meet at least twice a year in May and October. In practice, the county health officer is the public face of a system that county leaders say is supposed to lead, engage and empower the community toward disease prevention, health equity and total well-being.

Opesanmi’s background reflects that mission. County staff records say she earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of Illinois at Chicago in 1987 and her medical degree from the Medical College of Pennsylvania in 1998. She has been described by county staff as an experienced family medicine physician with specialized expertise in HIV and addiction medicine, areas where patients often need long-term care, cultural understanding and persistence as much as prescriptions.

That experience matters in a county where trust in institutions can determine whether people seek care early or wait until problems worsen. The county’s own profile of Opesanmi highlights the reality that some patients questioned whether the doctor had arrived even after she introduced herself, a reminder that women of color in medicine still face doubt in exam rooms and clinics. County leaders have cast her appointment as a signal that competence, compassion and lived experience belong at the center of public health leadership.

Opesanmi also brings an established local practice record. She founded Gennesaret Medical Center in February 2011 and later expanded related community clinics and services tied to HIV treatment, substance-use care and community health programming. Those are the same kinds of issues that strain families across Prince George’s, from chronic disease management to addiction and the need for preventive care close to home.

Her appointment follows a transition at the department. County materials say Dr. Irfan Lewis began serving as acting health officer on August 14, 2023, after Dr. Ernest L. Carter had led the county since December 2019 and later announced his departure.

The county has also tied Opesanmi’s leadership to outreach. In its “Explore. Learn. Thrive.” campaign, launched with a first event scheduled for April 18, 2026, in Laurel, county messaging said residents could meet with her and her team about chronic conditions, family wellness support and public health initiatives. For Prince George’s residents, the measure of this historic appointment will not just be who holds the title, but whether the department delivers clearer access, stronger prevention and better results.