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UFS trauma surgeon inducted as American College of Surgeons fellow

04 November 2024 | Story André Damons | Photo Supplied

Dr Emmanuel Arko-Cobbah, Senior Lecturer and Medical Specialist in the Department of Surgery at the University of the Fee State (UFS), says he hopes his induction as a fellow of the American College of Surgeons (ACS), will show the world that South Africa also produces great doctors from whom they can learn.

The ACS is dedicated to improving the care of the surgical patient and safeguarding standards of care in an optimal and ethical practice environment. Dr Arko-Cobbah was inducted on 19 October after a rigorous process. He was part of 1 800 candidates from around the world, but mostly from North America, with about 600 from other countries outside of the US and Canada.

Dr Arko-Cobbah, a trauma surgeon, says it feels surreal as it has always been his dream to become a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, although it often felt like an impossible dream. “I truly thank God, and I am very grateful, because to me, it feels like it's all part of His plans for me, that is why He is making these things possible for me.

“As a trauma surgeon, it makes me feel I have achieved even beyond our borders, and it gives me the opportunity to also share the knowledge we have locally with the rest of the world. We have a lot to offer, but we tend to get underestimated because of where we’re from,” says Dr Arko-Cobbah.

To become a fellow of the ACS, applicants go through a selection process after applying and then they need to be nominated by three different fellows of the American College who are in good standing. If their nominations get accepted, an interview follows whereafter the reports are reviewed by the committee which then decides the outcome.

South Africa produces great doctors

According to Dr Arko-Cobbah, he hopes to put the UFS on the map with this lifelong fellowship so that the world can know South Africa also produces great doctors and that they can learn from these doctors. “The other side of the coin is for me to inspire others to also aim to get into the American College, and to dream even bigger than this. If I could do this, then anybody can. Partner with God, and dream big dreams, and make big plans. That is what I was taught by Pastor At Boshoff since I was a student, and God has always been faithful.”

After qualifying as doctor and becoming a general surgeon at the UFS, and super specialised as a trauma surgeon, Dr Arko-Cobbah completed a Surgical Leadership Programme with Harvard University in Boston, in the US. “God has always been good to me, and I am forever grateful to the support of my wife and family and continued inspiration and mentorship from Prof André Loubser. I am grateful to the late Prof Theron, and the UFS Surgery Department, past and present, for always pushing me to be better.

News Archive

Her mission: Looking for viruses

2017-10-03

Prof Felicity Burt delivering her inaugural lecture,
Catching a Virus
Photo: Stephen Collett

“Preparing and presenting an inaugural lecture is an opportunity to look back at one’s career and to enjoy previous highlights and achievements; to share these, not only with colleagues, but also with family and friends.”

This is according to Prof Felicity Burt, who recently presented her inaugural lecture, Catching a Virus. Prof Burt is a professor in medical virology in the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of the Free State (UFS). It may sound ominous, but it is a story about identifying viruses, and finding and stopping them in their tracks in nature.

Research focus on arbo- and zoonotic viruses
“My research focuses on arboviruses and zoonotic viruses,” said Prof Burt. “Arboviruses are viruses that are transmitted by insect vectors, such as mosquitoes, ticks, midges or sandflies, whereas zoonotic viruses are naturally transmitted from animals to humans. However, there is a considerable overlap between these two groups.” The research looks at host responses, virus discovery and surveillance in order to identify which of the viruses in circulation have the potential to cause human diseases.

“Emerging and re-emerging viruses have significant implications for public health,” said Prof Burt at the start of her lecture. She also stated that there have been disease outbreaks of unprecedented magnitude, which have spread and established in distinct geographic regions. “Many of these emerging viruses are transmitted by vectors or are spread to humans from animals. These viruses can cause significant diseases in humans,” said Prof Burt.

There are many reasons why these viruses re-emerge, such as global warming, human invasion in forested areas, changes in agricultural practices, international travel, as well as the illegal movement of animals. Prof Burt used the Zika virus as an example of a recent emerging virus.

More than 20 years’ experience
With more than 20 years’ experience and a PhD in medical virology from the University of the Witwatersrand, Prof Burt is a renowned specialist. She has worked in the Special Pathogens Unit at the National Institute for Communicable Diseases, and was a member of various teams responding to outbreaks of Ebola and Rift Valley fever in Africa and Saudi Arabia, respectively. She is co-author of more than 51 articles in international scientific journals, as well as six chapters on arboviruses. In 2016, she was awarded a SARChl research chair by the South African Research Chair Initiative for her research on vector-borne and zoonotic diseases.

Click here to read the full lecture.

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