Making his mark and leading the way, Professor Johannes John-Langba of the School of Applied Human Science in the College of Humanities at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) will be acknowledged next month as one of the Most Influential People of African Descent (MIPAD) in New York, USA.
Professor John-Langba, who is the Africa regional vice-president of the World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH), has been recognised for his outstanding contribution to society in the health and medical care sector.
He said the global recognition motivates him to continue working in mental health research and to advocate for greater investment in mental health in Africa.
“It’s humbling to be included among the Global Top 100 Most Influential People of African Descent. It is surreal that my contribution is recognised in the health and medical care category with other notable Africans such as the World Health Organization (WHO) director-general, the former Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) director, and the South African Minster of Health,” said Professor John-Langba.
Deputy vice-chancellor in the College of Humanities, Professor Nhlanhla Mkhize, applauded Professor John-Langba for his efforts to help make the world a better place through his work.
“This is great news for UKZN and Professor Langba. I congratulate him and encourage everyone to continue working toward the same goal and influence the coming generation of leaders,” said Professor Mkhize.
Professor John-Langba has received several international awards and fellowships and is an established academic in social and behavioural sciences.
He also serves on the editorial boards of reputable national and international academic journals. He currently also serves as the vice-president and Mental Health Ambassador of Cape Mental Health (CMH), co-chairs the Data Ethics Working Group of the International Science Council’s Committee on Data (CODATA) and is a member of the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Substance Abuse Forum.
The WFMH issued a statement celebrating Professor John-Langba on his recognition in the Global Top 100 List of the 2023 Class of MIPAD. The federation congratulated Prof John-Langba on his achievement.
The MIPAD 100 Recognition Weekend 2023 will be held following the opening of the 78th United Nations General Assembly in New York City from Thursday September 28 to Monday October 2.
