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04 November 2024 | Story André Damons | Photo Supplied
Dr Emmanuel Arko-Cobbah
Dr Emmanuel Arko-Cobbah, Senior Lecturer and Medical Specialist in the Department of Surgery at the University of the Fee State (UFS) and a trauma surgeon, has recently been inducted as a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons (ACS).

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

UFS Chemistry wins dti award
2010-11-02

At the awards ceremony are, from the left: Director-General of Trade and Industry Mr Tshediso Matona, Prof. Andreas Roodt and the Deputy-Minister of Trade and Industry, Ms Bongi Maria Ntuli.
Photo: S Osman

The research group of Prof. Andreas Roodt, Head of the Department of Chemistry at the University of the Free State (UFS) in Bloemfontein, won the first prize in the category Development of Small Medium and Micro-Enterprises (SMME) at the annual Department of Trade and Industry’s (dti) award ceremony.

Prof. Roodt received the prize for the high-technology project Development of novel nuclear pharmaceuticals in the Technology and Human Resources for Industry Programme (THRIP).

The Deputy-Minister of Trade and Industry Bongi Maria Ntuli, and Director-General Tshediso Matona presented the prize at the gala dinner held at Gallagher Estate, Gauteng in October 2010.

The dti’s Annual Technology Awards recognise excellence in research and aim to raise awareness on the benefits of using technology to improve the competitiveness of enterprises, within the local and global arena. Individuals and organisations are recognised for their efforts in advancing and promoting technology interests and emerging enterprises.

The technology awards cover the achievements of three of the dti technology programmes collectively, namely THRIP, managed by the National Research Foundation (NRF); the Support Programme for Industrial Innovation (SPII) managed by the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC); and the Small Enterprise Development Agency (seda) Technology Programme (stp).

Prof. Roodt, also vice-president of the European Crystallographic Association, who has just returned from a series of lectures abroad after being elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry in the UK, has received funding in excess of R3 million over the past two years to set up a specialised laboratory for synthesising active compounds. Key partners in this project are Dr Gerdus Kemp from PETLabs Pharmaceuticals in Pretoria; Prof. Connie Medlen (pharmacologist), recently appointed affiliate professor at UFS Chemistry; as well as Prof. Deon Visser from the Inorganic Chemistry research group at the UFS.

The research aims to produce new nuclear medicinal agents for the early diagnosis of cancer, heart and brain defects, and even HIV/ Aids.

Two doctoral students, Alice Brink and Marietjie Schutte, are currently actively involved in this project. They are the recipients of prestige scholarships introduced by the UFS Rector and Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Jonathan Jansen, under the UFS Research Initiative (the Advanced Biomolecular Systems Cluster) to complete their Ph.D. studies.

Media Release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Director: Strategic Communication (actg)
Tel: 051 401 2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl@ufs.ac.za  
2 November 2010

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