rnBy Linda Asante Agyei rnFor the first time in the history of a country, a medical Professor Stephen Kojo Addae will be launching 12 books written by him. rnProf. Addae interestingly, is a physician, a medical scientist and a historian and his books, covered Total Academics, which is his biographical work written purposely to inspire young people, give them the knowledge and offer them adventure, the Military Histories, which talks about the general history of Ghana’s Armed Forces, Saudi Oil Wealth, which talks about how the discovery of oil could transform a wretchedly poor country into a modern country and the Medical Histories, which is about primitive to modern medicine from 1850 to the year 2000. rnOne will ask how come a medical scientist could be so much interested in military histories of the country and write as a military man. In fact going through the books, I realized that, the book on Military Histories had six volumes and each volume talked about the various aspects of the military.rnIt ranged from Short History of the Ghana Armed Forces, General histories of the Armed Forces, the Military Organization and Regiment, History of Ghana Navy, the history of Ghana Airforce, and letters of General Giffard and the British war Office in WWII.rn rnThis particular book gives the background and history for the establishment of the 37 Military hospital, which was known as the Giffard hospital.rnThe medical field is well loaded and demanding and one will wonder how and when Prof. Addae had the time to even read and write books on other disciplines, which were far apart from his choice of profession.rnBorn in 1936, Prof. Addae entered the University College of Ibadan (London University) where he had his medical education. While at the medical school, he proved his exceptional aptitude, topping his graduating class after obtaining distinction in Anatomy, Physiology Biochemistry and surgery and was awarded the Rockefeller Foundation Fellowship to pursue a post-graduate programme in Rochester University in the United States of America.rnHaving a chat with him at his residence at East Legon, Prof. Addae said he successfully obtained his Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of London on the basis of his research into renal responses during temperature change in sickle cell patients.rnHis major contribution to scientific knowledge and research, mainly in the area of renal physiology, has led to prolific publication on the subject. Based on his achievements, he has over 60 published papers on sickle cell diseases as well as other medical subjects.rnTo mention but a few, Prof. Addae co- authored the book “Topical Nephrology”, which was edited by J. KibuKamusoke, and also have two books on sickle cell disease namely “The Kidney and Sickle Cell Disease” and the “Sickle Cell and Altitude”.rnAs a man of many parts, Prof. Addae, did not only limit his pioneering activities to the field of medicines alone, he enrolled and studied Philosophy at the History Department of the University of Ghana, where he obtained a PhD degree. Because of the tremendous medical historical work of this illustrious son of Ghana, medical history is now part of the curriculum for medical studies at the University of Ghana Medical School.rnHe again has to his credit, two authoritative books on medical history and these are; “The History of Western Medicine in Ghana” and “Evolution of Modern Medicine in a Developing Country: Ghana”.rnIn 1998, the Medical School honoured Prof. Addae for his pioneering activities and for his singular achievements as a medical educator and researcher. It was again for his significant contribution of his writings to the improvement of the understanding of renal physiology and sickle cell as well as single-handedly, contributing to elevating medical history to the status of a full course of study in the curriculum of the University of Ghana Medical School.rnAs a researcher, Prof. Addae has researched and published books on Kidney Function in Man, Kidney Problems in Sickle Cell Disease, the behaviour of Sickle-Cell Disease at High Altitude and at Different environmental Temperatures, The Endocrinological and Nutritional Problems in Sickle-Cell Disease and Transport of Ions in Sickle-cell Disease.rnAs an institutional historian, this is a man Ghana should hold in high esteem for the heritage he has won for us through the toil of his labour.rnToday as you launch your 12 books at a go, Ghana salutes you and I say Ayekoo for the good work done. rnGNA