The World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa (WHO AFRO) recently recognized Dr. Anarfi Asamoah-Baah as a Public Health Champion for his outstanding contributions to global public health. The award was presented to Dr. Asamoah-Baah and other public health figures at the 73rd WHO Regional Committee for Africa Meeting in Gaborone, Botswana.
The citation presented to Dr Asamoah-Baah by WHO Regional Director for Africa Dr Matshidiso Moeti reads, "This award is in recognition of your outstanding service to public health and promotion of the wellbeing of the people of Africa." Upon receiving the award, Dr. Asamoah-Baah expressed his gratitude to WHO, describing the organization as a "force for good." He said, "I am grateful to WHO Regional Office for Africa for this recognition and appreciation. I am happy that WHO is recognizing the role of member states and staff as we celebrate WHO at 75."
Dr Asamoah-Baah is a prominent Ghanaian public health professional who joined WHO in 1998 and served the organization for 19 years, rising to become the Deputy Director-General in 2007 before retiring in 2017. During his tenure, he played an instrumental role in establishing the 2005 International Health Regulations and raising global visibility for Neglected Tropical Diseases. Other notable achievements include revitalizing Primary Healthcare, establishing the WHO Pre-qualification programme as part of the Essential Medicines Programme, and developing the first Global Strategy for Traditional Medicine.
The WHO Representative to Ghana, Professor Francis Kasolo, stated, "Dr Asamoah-Baah is a distinguished global public health expert who truly deserved this recognition. Even in retirement, he continues to offer valuable service and contribution to both national and international efforts to promote health and wellbeing." In 2020, Ghana's President Akufo-Addo appointed Dr Asamoah-Baah as the Presidential Coordinator for Ghana's COVID-19 response program, where he was responsible for coordinating all aspects of the country's pandemic response. Post pandemic, Dr Asamoa-Baah was recently appointed chair of the National Vaccine Institute of Ghana and interim head of the Ghana Health Security Center.
Dr Asamoah- Baah received the WHO AFRO Public Health Champion award alongside other distinguished recipients including former President of Botswana H.E Festus Mogae and former WHO Regional Directors from the Africa Region. The award recognizes Dr Asamoah-Baah's decades of outstanding work to improve global public health and his ongoing contributions to health and wellbeing in Ghana and beyond.
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