Ghanaian student in the U.S. tackles opioid abuse: A commitment to U.S. health

Sandra Gyamfuaa Badu, a proud daugh­ter of Ghana and a devoted Master of Public Health student focusing on Epide­miology, is making significant strides well beyond her native country.

Currently studying in the Unit­ed States, Sandra has taken on one of the country’s most urgent and tragic public health issues, the opioid crisis. What started as a topic of academic curiosity has rapidly transformed into a profound personal mission to drive systemic change, improve community health outcomes, and promote equity in substance use care.

With thousands of lives lost annually to opioid overdoses, and millions more affected by the ripple effects of addiction, the crisis is one of the deadliest and most complex challenges facing U.S. public health. But for Sandra, tackling this epidemic is not just about statistics, it is about saving lives and restoring hope.

As a passion for people and pre­vention, Sandra’s background in medicine and public health brings a unique perspective to the conver­sation around opioid misuse.

Having trained as a medical doctor, before transitioning to population health, she brings with her both clinical empathy and analytical precision. “In Ghana, we often see how lack of access, stigma, and delayed interventions can worsen health conditions,” she explains.

“I see similar patterns here in the U.S., especially in marginal­ised communities struggling with opioid addiction. These shared challenges make me feel even more connected to this cause.” Her work in the United States cen­tres on exploring the underlying causes, social determinants, and long-term effects of opioid misuse and addiction.

She is especially interested in how poverty, mental health dispar­ities, racial inequities, and limited access to healthcare combine to create conditions where opioid misuse thrives. “Substance abuse does not occur in isolation,” she emphasizes. “It’s shaped by what people face every day, stress, trau­ma, joblessness, and the absence of support.”

This crisis, while national, is often experienced most acutely at the local level especially in rural America, where medical facilities are scarce, addiction services are limited, and stigma around sub­stance use remains high.

Sandra’s research intentionally focuses on bridging these sys­temic gaps, developing culturally competent and geographically tailored interventions that meet people where they are. Her aim is to support both urban and rural communities acknowledging the diversity of experiences that shape the opioid epidemic in the U.S.

Among the many populations affected by the opioid crisis, San­dra is especially drawn to one of the most overlooked and vulnera­ble groups, pregnant and postpar­tum women struggling with opioid use disorder. “In many of the data I have reviewed, maternal opioid abuse is either underreported or not addressed adequately,” Sandra observes. “Yet the consequences are severe ranging from neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) to maternal mortality and long-term trauma.”

She is currently exploring how social support, mental health care, and access to medication-assisted treatment affect maternal out­comes among opioid-dependent women. Through this lens, Sandra hopes to identify targeted interven­tions that promote both maternal and infant health, reduce stigma, and improve access to holistic, integrated care.

“Maternal health is foundational to population health,” she empha­sizes. “If we can break the cycle of addiction during pregnancy and early motherhood, we are not just saving one life, we are saving generations.”

In the U.S. context, Sandra also recognizes the unique policy landscape, where health insurance coverage, Medicaid expansion, and criminalisation of drug use during pregnancy can dramatically shape maternal outcomes. “Here, access to care often depends on your zip code or your insurance status,” she notes. “These are structural barriers that need to be fixed if we truly want to see change.”

Sandra understands that ad­dressing a crisis of this requires more than individual effort. That is why she is fostering collaboration with other public health students, professionals, and community advocates who share her passion for combating opioid abuse.

Together, they are planning on organising events aimed at raising awareness and equipping future health leaders with the tools need­ed to address addiction through empathy and equity. “We have the knowledge,” she says. “Now we need the courage to act and the unity to make it last.”

She is working on launching a student public health coalition that will create opportunities for young professionals to contribute mean­ingfully to addiction prevention research and community outreach, particularly in rural or underserved communities in the U.S.

In addition, Sandra is exploring how public health communica­tions in the U.S. can be used more effectively to counter misinfor­mation about opioid treatment, especially in immigrant, minority, and low-literacy populations. “Peo­ple need the right information, in a language they understand and trust,” she explains. “Only then can they make empowered health decisions.” What makes Sandra’s work so inspiring is not just the depth of her research, but the heart behind it. Her story is one of purpose, courage, and cross-cultur­al commitment which proves that one person, grounded in passion and guided by evidence, can spark real and lasting change.

BY SANDRA GYAMFUAA BADU

Her vision is bold to create a rip­ple effect that not only transforms individual lives but reshapes how society understands, prevents, and responds to addiction. By ampli­fying the voices of those affected, engaging with communities, and building bridges across systems, she is helping to rewrite the nar­rative around opioid abuse from one of despair to one of hope and healing. As she moves forward, Sandra remains grounded in her mission.

She dreams of working at the intersection of research, policy, and global health, bringing solu­tions from the lab to the streets where she hopes to address rising substance use trends globally.

For now, her focus is on making the most of her time in the U.S. learning, connecting, and contrib­uting in every way she can. “This is more than a project,” she says. “It is a calling. And I am here to answer it.” Sandra reminds us all that the fight against opioid abuse is not just an American issue, it is a global one. And it starts with com­passionate action, shared responsi­bility, and the belief that change is always possible.

• Sandra Gyamfuaa Badu

As a passion for people and prevention, Sandra’s background in medicine and public health brings a unique perspective to the conversation around opioid misuse.

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