By Samuel Akumatey
Ho, June 25, GNA – Professor Harry Tagbor, the Pro Vice Chancellor of the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS) in Ho, has endorsed the commitment of pregnant women to managing malaria.
Prof Tagbor is a leading Ghanaian malaria researcher with two decades of dedicated work on the control of the disease.
Delivering his inaugural lecture at the University’s main campus in the Ho Municipality, titled: “Slippery, Smart and Silent Plasmodium, but our Women are Smarter,” Prof Tagbor eulogised the might of pregnant women in battling malaria.
He noted their ability to detect the symptoms of the deadly and evasive disease even as they navigated the stages of pregnancy, and said they continued to inspire study and practice in the fight against malaria.
“Pregnant women are intelligent enough to have the mental capacity to differentiate pregnancy symptoms and malaria symptoms,” he said.
“They are always ready to accept and act upon medical advice for themselves and their babies.”
Prof. Tagbor’s lecture highlighted how expectant mothers benefited from research on the disease and the interventions, noting their role in identifying and addressing drug resistance and other mutative parameters of disease control.
He said expectant mothers faithfully adhered to management, control, and prevention methods including clinical trials, drug administration, and vector control programmes.
Prof. Tagbor, whose work has been recognised by the World Health Organisation and scientific research bodies, said malaria in pregnancy remained symptomatic, and thus intermittent screening remained the future of control.
He mentioned a continuous resolve to developing future malaria research leaders and said some consortiums continued to provide funding and grants to support PhDs and other higher education pursuits to enhance the quality of human resource for the study.
The Pro Vice Chancellor attained full professorial position in January 2019 after serving as Dean of the UHAS School of Medicine.
His rich store of research works and publications has generated more than 3,000 citations on Google Scholar.
Prof. Lydia Aziato, the Vice Chancellor of the University, exalted Prof Tagbor’s dedication to conquering tropical disease and demonstration for the need of specialisation among academics.
Chronicling the Pro VC’s journey at the University, Prof Aziato commended him for continuously being “a pillar of support” to management.
Prof Tagbor was key in the establishment of the Global Research Foundation and a member of notable malaria research organisations in Africa.
His notable research publications were exhibited during the lecture, which were viewed by the hundreds who attended including academics and traditional leaders.
Prof Tabgor was recently installed as a traditional ruler of his home community of Kedzi in the Volta Region.
GNA