The World Health Organization has selected Ghana's Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) alumnus Dr Bernard Appiah as a member of its Technical Advisory Group on Alcohol and Drug Epidemiology, marking a major global recognition for the Ghanaian public health communication scholar.

The appointment places the Syracuse University-based researcher and former KNUST pharmacy student among leading international specialists advising the WHO on evidence and strategies to curb alcohol and drug-related harm. It also reinforces KNUST’s growing contribution to global health leadership and research expertise.

Dr Appiah, an Assistant Professor of Public Health at Syracuse University in the United States, is widely recognised for his work in health communication, community engagement, and implementation science.

Over the past two decades, he has used communication-driven approaches to address alcohol and drug misuse across Africa, designing and evaluating interventions in Ethiopia, Ghana, Nigeria, Uganda, and Zambia. He also scripted the Ghana Television docudrama Let’s Talk About Drugs, created to educate young people on substance use prevention.

Reflecting on how his commitment to drug abuse prevention began, Dr Appiah said his experiences at KNUST were pivotal in shaping his career.

“My time as a pharmacy student at KNUST, during which I actively participated in the Ghana Pharmaceutical Students Association’s Annual Drug Safety and Awareness Campaigns to educate people on the need to avoid harmful use of drugs, has led to my interests in helping address drug abuse issues globally,” he said.

Dr Appiah has earned several international awards, including Ghana’s first Young Pharmacist of the Year award, the Gates Foundation’s Grand Challenges Explorations grant, the Wellcome Trust International Engagement Award, and the Grand Challenges Canada Stars in Global Health grant.

He holds a doctorate in Public Health and a master’s degree in science and technology journalism from Texas A&M University, a master’s degree in development communication from the University of the Philippines Open University, and a bachelor’s degree in pharmacy from KNUST.

He currently directs the Research Programme on Health Communication and Public Engagement at Syracuse University, where he leads multidisciplinary efforts to strengthen global health communication systems.