Dr. Luchuo Engelbert Bain is a global public health practitioner, public speaker, implementation research scientist, and empirical bioethicist with over 15 years of experience across Africa, Asia, Europe, and North America. A disruptive thinker and science communicator, he advocates for authentic alternative spaces that challenge conventional approaches to global health programming, research, funding, and impact.
Dr. Bain is a global public health physician, public speaker, implementation research scientist, and empirical bioethicist with over 15 years of experience. He currently leads the International Programs Unit at the African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC) in Nairobi, Kenya, a leading African research think tank. Previously, he held senior roles at the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) in Canada, the University of Lincoln in the UK, and has consulted for organizations such as the UNFPA, WHO, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and PSI. Dr. Bain is also the convener of Global Health Otherwise, a platform that challenges conventional global health narratives. His expertise spans sexual and reproductive health, bioethics, decolonization of knowledge systems, global health diplomacy, and science communication. He serves on various advisory bodies, including the WHO Sexual Health and Well-being Advisory Group, the International Planned Parenthood Federation’s Medical Advisory Panel, and the Africa CDC’s Public Health Intelligence Report working group. He is also an advisor for the u’Good project, focusing on young people’s well-being in urban environments.
My goal is to inspire others to believe in themselves, embrace failure as part of growth, and feel confident in trying.
My mission is to positively impact the lives of others—anywhere, anytime—no matter the size of the gesture, one day and one life at a time.
I aim to live authentically and leave the world a little better than I found it.
Years of experience
Global Health Otherwise is a platform that offers an alternative perspective on global health. We examine key issues through a decolonial lens, simplify complex topics, share groundbreaking research, and amplify disruptive voices driving change in the field. It’s a space for impactful dialogue and innovation in global health.
Adolescent Pregnancy in Zambia: Dissecting Context to Drive Structural Change, Rights-Based Action, and Youth-Led Solutions By guest contributors Gift Malunga and Luchuo Engelbert Bain
Decolonizing Global Health Scholarship: Time to Get Serious About Its Deep Flaws Luchuo Engelbert Bain, MD, PhD. Over the past few months, I’ve had
The Impact of Buzzwords on Global Public Health Practice and Scholarship …By Luchuo Engelbert Bain, MD, PhD The unchecked proliferation of buzzwords in global
