Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng

Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng
Born 1950
Ghana
Occupation Cardiothoracic surgeon
Doctor
Religion Christianity
Spouse(s) Mrs. Agnes Frimpong-Boateng
Children Five
Parent(s) Kofi Frimpong (father)

Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng (born 1950) is a Ghanaian physician and cardiothoracic surgeon who established the National Cardiothoracic Center and the Ghana Red Cross Society. He is also the President of the Ghana Heart Foundation and was the Chief Executive Officer of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra.[1]

A well-known figure in his country, Frimpong-Boateng was elected a Fellow of the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences in December 2002.[2]

Career

The young Frimpong-Boateng studied physics and mathematics thinking that he would become an engineer. Nonetheless, he later decided to seek a career as a doctor when he was offered a scholarship to study medicine in Germany. His father Kofi Frimpong had died from heart injuries due to a road traffic accident prior to his birth.,[3] so he thought he could help people in similar situations. After finishing his post-graduate studies, he returned to his birthplace to practice as Ghana's first locally based cardiothoracic surgeon.

In 1992, he set up the National Cardiothoracic Centre at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital.[4] There were no cardiothoracic surgery facilities in the country at the time, so he aimed the centre to teach to young surgeons and assist new patients. In Ghana, primary health care issues such as malaria and limited childhood vaccinations are greatly underserved due to lack of infrastructure, lack of funding, transportation, and quality and safety, making skilled speciality care a luxury often attained only by those rich enough to leave the country.

He joined the University of Ghana Medical School as a lecturer in 2000 and was promoted associate professor the same year. He was made a full professor in 2002.[5] He also served as the head of the department of Surgery at the University of Ghana Medical School, prior to his current appointment as the Chief Executive of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital in 2002.[3] He was elected to the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences in December 2002 and gave his inaugural lecture the following year.[6] Frimpong-Boateng also runs a charitable foundation, the Ghana Heart Foundation, which is responsible for paying for heart surgery for some indigent Ghanaians under his care.

Politics

In March 2006, Frimpong-Boateng announced his intention to seek the nomination as the candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) for the December 2008 National Presidential Elections.[7][8] Documentaries were made about his life and his hopes, but at the end, the candidate elected was Nana Akuffo-Addo.

Regardless of his results, he declared he is still concerned with political issues in relation to education and health problems.[9] He would later regret that political corruption in Ghana was too much and said that in his opinion politicians were not taking social priorities into account, especially the need of technology.[10]

Achievements

Awards

Personal life

Frimpong-Boateng is married with his wife, Agnes, with whom he has five children, one of whom is a promising athlete.[13] Frimpong-Boateng is a farmer.[14]

He established the first ostrich farm in Ghana, in the village of Dedukope, in the Volta Region of Ghana. He also grows jatropha and extracts the oil for the production of bio-diesel. Frimpong-Boateng runs a CNC machine tool center that is able to produce spare parts with computer precision at the Free Zones enclave in the port city of Tema.

He is a Christian. He has said that his work on the foundation of the National Cardiothoracic Centre was God's purpose in his life,[15] and has declared that Ghana needs a "God-fearing" man to lead the country.[16][17] He has quoted Albert Einstein saying "I want to know God's thoughts; the rest are details."[18] In 2011, at his 60's, he considered himself still a strong men "by God’s grace."[19]

Publications

References and notes

  1. ↑ "Directory". Ghana Red Cross Society. Retrieved 2007-03-27.
  2. ↑ "Membership - Fellows of the GAAS". Official website. Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences. Retrieved 2007-03-27.
  3. 1 2 "Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng". Korle Bu Neuroscience Foundation. Retrieved 2007-03-27.
  4. ↑ "P.V. Obeng 'backs' Frimpong-Boateng". Political Section. PeacePeacefm Online. 23 February 2007. Retrieved 2007-03-27. Mr Obeng recalled how, against all odds, Prof Frimpong-Boateng, who is the current Chief Executive of Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, persevered to establish and commission a Cardiothoracic Centre in 1992.
  5. 1 2 3 George Folley Quaye (16 March 2006). "'Run On NPP Ticket' Frimpong-Boateng". HiGhana.com. Retrieved 2007-03-27.
  6. ↑ "Activities - Inaugural Lectures". Official website. Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences. Retrieved 2007-03-27. In 2003, there were two outstanding Inaugural Lectures: ' ... and 'The Future of Cardio thoracic Surgery in Ghana' presented by Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng. Both lectures focused on issues of health, life style, and resource development.
  7. ↑ "Race For Kufuor's Successor...". Politics of Thursday, 21 March 2006. Ghana Home Page. 21 March 2006. Retrieved 2007-03-27.
  8. ↑ "Korle Bu CEO receives endorsement from key NPP leaders". Politics of Thursday, 23 March 2006. Ghana Home Page. 23 March 2006. Retrieved 2007-03-27.
  9. ↑ Interview with Errol Barnett: "AFRICAN VOICES: Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng - Founder Of Ghana's only Cardiothoracic Center, part 3" on YouTube, October 2013. CNN Report from "African Voices".
  10. ↑ VibeGhana "Ghana’s corruption is next to oxygen – Frimpong-Boateng!" October 14, 2013. Retrieved on January 15th, 2014.
  11. ↑ Abdul Aziz (February 23, 2007). "Cardiothoracic Centre Trains 30 Surgeons". TOP STORIES. Graphic Communications Group Limited. Retrieved 2007-03-27. The National Cardiothoracic Centre at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra, has trained 30 cardiothoracic surgeons since its inception in 1992.
  12. ↑ "Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng's Biography". Presidential Campaign website. Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng. Retrieved 2007-03-27.
  13. ↑ "Kwesi Frimpong-Boateng Profile". Official University of Massachusetts Athletics Website. University of Massachusetts. Retrieved 2007-03-27.
  14. ↑ Interview with Errol Barnett: "AFRICAN VOICES: Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng - Founder Of Ghana's only Cardiothoracic Center, part 2" on YouTube, October 2013. CNN Report from "African Voices".
  15. ↑ Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng (2000), "Deep Down My Heart: A History of Cardiothoracic Surgery in Ghana", K. Frimpong-Boateng, p. 111. In his own words: "In the context of my work in Korle-Bu, God's purpose as I understood it, was the establishment of the National Cardiothoracic Centre."
  16. ↑ Ghanaian Chronicle. allAfrica. Ghana: Prof. Kwabena Frimpong Boateng 30 September 2009. Retrieved on January 15th, 2014.
  17. ↑ HighBeam Business. Prof. Kwabena Frimpong Boateng. Africa News Service. October 1, 2009. Retrieved on January 15th, 2014.
  18. ↑ Interview with Errol Barnett: "AFRICAN VOICES: Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng - Founder Of Ghana's only Cardiothoracic Center, part 1" on YouTube, October 2013. CNN Report from "African Voices".
  19. ↑ " Daily Guide, Frimpong-Boateng hits back" (2011). Retrieved on January 15th, 2014.

External links

Personal website of Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng

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