Fake Facebook advert misuses Dr John Nkengasong’s image to promote health product

A misleading French-language Facebook advertisement is falsely using the image and video footage of Dr. John Nkengasong to promote a health product. The video includes fabricated subtitles that incorrectly portray him as endorsing unverified treatments for health conditions.

A French-language advertisement circulating on Facebook uses footage of Dr John Nkengasong, the Cameroonian-born former Director of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and current Executive Director for Higher Education, Collaboratives and Strategic Initiatives at the Mastercard Foundation, to promote a health product he has never endorsed. The video shows Dr Nkengasong on screen while fabricated French subtitles falsely attribute a medical testimonial to him.

This incident is part of a growing trend of AI-manipulated and deceptive online content spreading dangerous health misinformation. The public is strongly urged to exercise caution, verify health information through credible sources, and avoid trusting advertisements that misuse the names or images of respected public figures.

MMI News contacted Dr Nkengasong’s team, who confirmed that the advertisement is fraudulent. Dr Nkengasong had previously warned the public about the video in a public notice on LinkedIn, describing the use of his image as unauthorized and the subtitles as entirely fabricated.

As a paid advertisement, the video is reaching audiences beyond Dr Nkengasong’s followers, increasing the risk that viewers may wrongly believe the endorsement is genuine.

Public Already Misled

Dr Nkengasong’s team reported receiving inquiries from individuals who believed he had endorsed the product after viewing the advertisement. While it is unclear whether any purchases were made, the enquiries demonstrate that the false advertisement has already misled members of the public.

In his LinkedIn warning, Dr Nkengasong stated that reports had been filed with the website domain registrar and relevant US authorities. He emphasized: “I have never endorsed, recommended, or been associated with this product.” He urged the public not to click on, share, or engage with the advertisement and to report it to Facebook as a scam.

The source and distributor of the video remain unknown, and it is unclear how many versions may still be circulating online.

The misuse of Dr Nkengasong’s image is particularly concerning given his global standing in public health. As the founding Director of Africa CDC, a leader during the COVID-19 pandemic, a former US Global AIDS Coordinator overseeing PEPFAR, and currently an Executive Director at the Mastercard Foundation, his reputation lends false credibility to products that have not been medically verified or endorsed.

Part of a Growing Trend

Similar deceptive advertisements have targeted other respected African public health leaders.

In March 2025, Africa Check exposed a deepfake Facebook video falsely showing Dr Githinji Gitahi, CEO of Amref Health Africa, promoting a so-called “tomato method” for controlling blood sugar.

In August 2025, fraudulent videos appeared to show Kenyan cardiologist Dr Dan Gikonyo endorsing a low-cost joint pain treatment. The videos accumulated tens of thousands of views before being flagged as false. Karen Hospital subsequently confirmed that claims linking Dr Gikonyo to such products were fraudulent.

The World Health Organization has previously warned that artificial intelligence can be used to create convincing health disinformation through manipulated text, audio, and video content. Even simple techniques, such as fabricated subtitles, can be highly misleading because viewers may assume the words displayed accurately reflect what the speaker said.

Public Advisory

Members of the public are strongly advised to:

• Treat health-related advertisements on social media with caution.
• Verify medical claims through qualified health professionals, Ministries of Health, or the World Health Organization.
• Be skeptical of advertisements that feature public figures or health experts endorsing products without verifiable evidence.
• Avoid clicking on, sharing, or purchasing products promoted through suspicious advertisements.
• Report fraudulent advertisements and pages to Facebook immediately.

Any medical claims or testimonials attributed to Dr John Nkengasong in this advertisement are false.

For media enquiries regarding this warning, Dr Nkengasong’s team can be contacted at sgeya@globalhealthstrategies.com

Disclosure: Dr Nkengasong commissioned this public warning as paid content for MMI News. MMI News reviewed the material and prepared the article. To avoid promoting the video, MMI News is not publishing the link to the product or the names of the pages promoting it.