Ernestine Gwet Bell

Ernestine Gwet-Bell (born 1953) is a Cameroonian gynaecologist who supervised the first successful in vitro fertilisation treatment in her country.

Early life Gwet-Bell was born in 1953 in Sackbayémé. One of six brothers and sisters, she studied medicine at the University of Paris 5. Her first job was at the Council of Baptist and Evangelical Churches Hospital in Bonabéri, which was affiliated to the church she attended; she also worked at the Laquintinie Hospital. Gwet-Bell was its director in 2020. In

In 1998, Gwet-Bell supervised the birth of the first Cameroonian child born through in vitro fertilization. The baby was called Thommy. In 2004, her team were able to successfully practice Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI), an innovative technique designed in 1992 to fight against male sterility in the context of IVF. She is President of the Inter-African Fertility Study, Research and Application Group, as well as the union of private doctors in Cameroon.

Autism One of her nephews has autism and in 2005 her sister Marie Mélanie Bell founded Orchidée Home, which is designed to support autistic children and their parents. Two years later, in 2007, she supported her sister in organising the first autism congress in Cameroon.

Selected publications

Personal life Gwet Bell is married and has two daughters and a son.