Prof. George Asumeng Koffuor: Top pharmacologist succumbs to Coronavirus

Professor George Asumeng Koffuor, a leading pharmacologist has died from coronavirus. His death was disclosed on Joy FM’s news analysis program Newsfile.

A former colleague, Kwame Sarpong Asiedu who is a pharmacist and fellow with the Center for Democratic Development, CDD – Ghana, spoke highly of the deceased bemoaning the overall impact of his loss on the medical fraternity.

“A colleague of myself and Alex (Dodoo) lost his battle with COVID yesterday. Professor George Asumeng Koffuor who I started primary school with, I was in the pharmacy school with, we all went to graduate school and then were appointed lecturers at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology together.

“Unfortunately he has not made it and I have asked myself, this is somebody who is a professor below the age of 60. Professorial positions at that age have about two decades to give to society by virtue of experience, by virtue of knowledge transfer by virtue of research,” Asiedu added.

He stressed the impact of the loss stating that it could take years to replace the pharmacology giant. “Unfortunately we lose someone like that at his prime. Life cut short. And I ask myself, can we afford this, is it something that as a country we can afford?

“I mean to replace a professor of pharmacology will take us at least 15 years; especially so when his other colleague who was with him, Professor Darko Obiri also passed away less than a year ago under this same circumstance if not directly to COVID.”

Ghana has lost a number of professionals in the medical fraternity amid the fight against coronavirus. The government announced medical insurance and other perks for health workers.

On the vaccination front, the government is aiming to prioritize health workers with the first consignment of vaccines expected latest by March.