Dr Daniel Kokong, a Nigerian doctor and medical researcher has emerged as the only African on the 12-member Research and Scholarship Standing Committee of the International College of Surgeons (ICS) in Chicago, Illinois.
The letter appointing Kokong to the global committee signed ICS President, Distinguished Prof Georgios Tsoulfas and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria on Wednesday in Abuja indicated that he would serve between 2019 and 2020.
Tsoulfas also expressed confidence that the college would benefit greatly from Kokong’s experience as a medical researcher.
He said “It is with great pleasure that I officially inform you that you were appointed to serve on the Research and Scholarship Committee of ICS for the term 2019-2020.
“I am confident that the College will greatly benefit from your participation in this position.’’
While reacting to the appointment, Kokong said he would use the opportunity to present the African story on medical research funding to the world.
“I don’t deserve this, looking at the number of distinguished scholars/surgeons/professors globally that are ahead of me.
“But of course, this is God at work. He promotes whom He wishes at the time He wishes.
“I shall use the opportunity in the committee to present the African story on the need for funding of research in Africa; a continent blessed with one of the best brains.
“Research in Africa is under-funded due to lack of political will with poor budgetary allocation. No country can develop without research which explains the backwardness of Africa.
News Agency of Nigeria reports that Kokong, who is a Senior Lecturer in the College of Health Sciences, Jos University Teaching Hospital is also a Consultant ENT Surgeon and a Fellow of the ICS.
News Agency of Nigeria further reports that the nomination follows a research work he undertook in 2018 along with five professors of the College of Health Sciences, University of Jos/ Jos University Teaching Hospital, on weight estimation.
In the research, the team derived a formula for weight estimation in adults from height, and the report was published on Nov. 27, 2018 by the International Journal of Emergency Medicine.
It was regarded as first of its kind in World Medical Literature and also nominated for the 18th Annual Wiley Prize in Biomedical Sciences, 2019.
SALA CASH DEMAND Nantes demand payments from Cardiff over £15m Emiliano Sala transfer fee as divers search for body
