Professor Lukoye Atwoli Dean, Aga Khan University (AKU) Medical College, East Africa has been appointed as an Honorary Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Faculty of Health Sciences by the Council of the University of Cape Town. The appointment is for five years beginning June 1, 2022.
The University of Cape Town confers honorary titles to members of the community who contribute to or are associated with the teaching and research at the University. Honorary professors teach and carry out research at the University and in return is accorded privileges accorded to them by the University Council.
Speaking while accepting the appointment, Prof Atwoli said, “It's an honour to be appointed to serve as an honorary Professor at the University of Cape Town. I will extend my expertise and experience to offer guidance to members of the faculty and students on aspects of psychiatry in the African continent and explore collaborative opportunities to advance common interests that will improve health and benefit Kenya, South Africa and humanity at large."
Other than serving as Dean of the Medical College at AKU, Prof Atwoli holds visiting and honorary positions at the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health. He is also the Chair of the Board on Global Health at the US National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine, and serves on the Steering Committee of the Association of Academic Health Centres International (AAHCI).
In addition, Prof Atwoli leads and participates in mental health research locally and globally. He is a member of the WHO World Mental Health Surveys Consortium, which is the leading collaborative project in psychiatric epidemiology globally.
“As an institution," Ms Babalwa Ngonyama, Chairperson, Council of the University of Cape Town said, “we greatly appreciate the existing relationship between Prof Atwoli and members of the Faculty of Health Sciences and we look forward to strengthening those ties in addition to his contribution to the realization of our goal of being a world class African University and of our mission,"
Prof Atwoli has received numerous accolades since he started his medical practice more than 20 years ago. Last month, H.E. Uhuru Kenyatta, President of Kenya conferred state recognition to Prof Atwoli with the title of the 'Moran of the Order of the Burning Spear' – one of the highest national honours in Kenya for his exemplary contribution in mental health both locally and globally.
The Dean also serves as the Chairperson of the board of Kenya's largest public psychiatric hospital, the Mathari National Teaching and Referral Hospital. He is also the Secretary-General of the African Association of Psychiatrists (AAP) and President-Elect of the African College of Neuropsychopharmacology (AfCNP).
