Dr Asamoah-Baah named Global Public Health Champion
The World Health Organisation Regional Office for Africa (WHO AFRO) has named Dr Asamoah-Baah as a Public Health Champion in recognition of his outstanding contribution to global public health.
The award was conferred on him alongside other public health figures at the recent WHO 75 anniversary awards held in Gaborone, Botswana.
A statement issued by the WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr. Matshidiaso Moeti, said, ‘This award is in recognition of your outstanding service to public health and promotion of the wellbeing of the people of Africa.’
Dr Asamoah-Baah is a Ghanaian public health professional who joined WHO in 1998 and served the global public health for 19 years, rising to become the Deputy Director-General of WHO in 2007 until his retirement in 2017.
He was instrumental in the establishment of the 2005 International Health Regulations, the raising of Global Visibility for Neglected Tropical Diseases, and the revitalization of Primary Healthcare.
He assisted with the establishment of the Pre-qualification programme as part of the WHO Essential Medicines Programme and the development of the first Global Strategy for Traditional Medicine.
‘Dr Asamoah-Baah is a distinguished global public health expert who truly deserved this recognition,’ says the WHO Representative to Ghana, Prof Francis Kasolo.
‘Even in retirement, he continues to offer valuable service and contribution to both national and international efforts to promote the health and wellbeing of people.’
In 2020, Ghana’s President Akufo-Addo appointed Dr Asamoah-Baah as the Presidential Coordinator for the government’s COVID-19 response Programme, where he was responsible for coordinating all aspects of Ghana’s response.
It said that post-Covid 19 pandemic, Dr Asamoah-Baah has recently been appointed the chair of the National Vaccine Institute of Ghana and the interim head of the Ghana Health Security Center.
In response, Dr Asamoah-Baah stated, ‘l am grateful to the WHO Regional Office 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’.
In acknowledgment, WHO representative to Ghana, Professor Francis Kasolo stated, ‘Dr. Asamoah-Baah is a distinguished global public health expert who truly deserved recognition’.
‘Even in retirement, he continues to offer valuable service and contribution to both national and international efforts to promote the health and wellbeing of the people’.
Dr Asamoah-Baah was the former Presidential Coordinator for Ghana’s government’s COVID-19 response Programme and is currently appointed as the chair of the National Vaccine Institute of Ghana and the interim head of the Ghana Health Security Center.
The recognition was awarded alongside the former President of Botswana, H.E Festus Mogae, and Former Regional Directors of WHO in the African region.
Source: Ghana News Agency