[ASU] Nomination of Prof G. L. Monekosso

[Mokake Mayoa, Flavius]

Dear one & all,

Please find below my nomination and brief profile of my nominee, Prof. Gottlieb Lobe Monekosso, for the position of ASU African Heroes Night. He was recently CROWNED the distinguished position of the "Father of Medicine in Africa" by the Walter Sisulu University for his works in Public Health and in establishing and building medical schools across African countries: Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal, Cameroon, Zimbabwe, Sudan, DRC and related works with WHO. He is undisputably the PILLAR of the FIRST SIX MEDICAL SCHOOLS IN AFRICA.

Under the auspices of the Global Health Dialogue, an NGO he created in personally, we have been working since May 2011 on a project, with funds from Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, to document The History of Medical Education in Africa, for posterity to come to grips with the contribution of Africans to the development and advancement of medical education in Africa.

Please find below an abridged version of his profile presented by the Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences at Walter Sisulu University, May 10, 2011.


“Father of Medicine in Africa: Citation of the Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences, Walter Sisulu University on the occasion of the Award of the Degree of Doctor of Medicine Honoris Causa at the Graduation Ceremony of 10th May 2011”
FACULTY OF HEALTH SCIENCES

DOCTOR OF MEDICINE- HONORIS CAUSA


WALTER SISULU UNIVERSITY DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF MEDICINE HONORIS CAUSA CONFERRED UPON PROFESSOR GOTTLIEB LOBE MONEKOSSO AT THE GRADUATION CEREMONY OF 10TH MAY 2011.

Gottlieb Lobe Monekosso was born in Cameroon and received his primary and secondary education in Lagos, where his father was working in the colonial service. He went to study Medicine at the famous Guy’s Hospital of the University of London (1948-1953). He then went to the London School of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene where he got a Diploma in Tropical Medicine (1957). He continued his studies in the United Kingdom and attained a doctorate in Medicine (MD) from the University of London (1957). In the same year he was awarded a Membership of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburg. In recognition of his academic activities, he was elected a fellow (FRCP) of the same college in 1966. He is a recipient of many honorary degrees in recognition of his scholarly activities.
            He returned to Africa and joined the new University College of Ibadan. He then moved to Makerere University College (then an affiliate of the University of London) where he was a lecturer in Medicine. He went back to Ibadan University as Associate Dean, Faculty of Medicine (1960-1963). He then moved to the University of Lagos as professor and head of Internal Medicine (1963-1968). In 1960 there were only six medical schools in Sub Saharan Africa (excluding South Africa). He then went on a spree of founding medical schools. He was Dean, Faculty of Medicine at the University of Dar es Salaam (1968-1969). He then returned to his home country Cameroon, and was Director and Founding Dean, University Centre for Health Sciences in Yaoundé (1969-1978). Besides his administrative activities, he did extensive research on the relationship between cassava diets (chronic cyanide toxicity) and neurological illness. This research led to measures that virtually eliminated the disease within the endemic area in Epe District, Nigeria. His other internationally recognized research activities extended to issues of medical education, like the adaptation of teaching programmes to community health needs, national health development policies and strategies and equity in health care delivery. He published a number of books, monographs and several papers in the scientific and health literature.
His academic, professional and administrative contributions are:
President, Association of Medical Schools in Africa (1963-1966) and (1968-1980). WHO Consultant in various capacities (1966-1980)
Member of World Bank panel on “Education” and World Bank working group on Health. He was consultant to many other international agencies, organizations and foundations like the Organization for African Unity, the Dag Hammarskjold Foundation, the Rockefeller Foundation, UNESCO, the International Council for Education Development and the World Bank.
His extensive experience in the international arena resulted into his being appointed PAHO/WHO Representative in Jamaica (1980-1984).
This was followed by elevation to the WHO Regional Director for Africa, where he served two 5-year terms (1985-1995). During this period, he was a member of WHO executive management in Geneva and he gave technical advice to 46 countries in Africa, the Organization for African Unity and the Economic Commission for Africa.
In 1955, he returned to his mother country, Cameroon, where he founded Global Health Dialogue, a foundation devoted to health and welfare of young people with its headquarters in Buea and a conference centre in Kribi which he still runs. Between 1997 and 2000 he worked as Minister of Public Health, Cameroon. Retired but not tired, he continues to oversee the work of Global Health Dialogue and was until recently engaged in the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Study on the quality of medical teaching in Sub Saharan Africa.

All the above activities have earned Professor Gottlieb Lobe Monekosso the title: “FATHER OF MEDICINE IN AFRICA”


Thanks in advance for your endorsement of this candidate!!!!!

Flavius



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