Professor Vincent Boima, Head of the Department of Medicine and Therapeutics at the University of Ghana Medical School, on Thursday, 14th May, 2026, delivered his professorial inaugural lecture at the Great Hall of the University of Ghana, calling for a shift from dialysis-centred nephrology to holistic precision kidney care across Africa.
The lecture, titled “From Genes to Mind: Holistic Pathways to Precision Kidney Care for Africa,” examined the growing burden of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) in Ghana and across Africa and proposed a comprehensive “Genes–Mind–Community” framework to improve prevention, treatment, and long-term care.
The event was chaired by Professor Nana Aba Appiah Amfo, Vice Chancellor of the University of Ghana, and attended by professors, provosts, academic and departmental heads, medical and research students from the School of Health Sciences, members of the medical fraternity, and old boys of Bishop Herman College (BIHECO).
In his lecture, Professor Boima explained that Chronic Kidney Disease remains significantly more prevalent in Africa than in high-income countries, with many patients presenting late and already in advanced stages of the disease.
He identified hypertension and diabetes as the leading causes of CKD in Ghana, stressing that the disease disproportionately affects younger and economically active individuals.
Professor Boima noted that access to life-saving treatments such as dialysis and kidney transplantation remains limited due to high costs, uneven distribution of services, and low transplant capacity.
He therefore advocated a transition toward prevention-focused and people-centred care.
“Let us move beyond dialysis-centred nephrology; let us treat people, not just kidneys. Let Africa lead, not follow, in precision medicine,” he charged.
Under the “Mind” pillar of his framework, Professor Boima highlighted the psychological burden associated with chronic illnesses such as hypertension and kidney disease, noting that depression, anxiety, and emotional distress can negatively affect treatment adherence and worsen disease progression.
He called for the integration of mental health support into hypertension and kidney care services, especially in resource-limited settings.
On the “Community” pillar, he stressed that “Africa cannot dialyse its way out of the CKD epidemic,” advocating community-based prevention strategies, hypertension screening, decentralised care systems, task sharing with trained health workers, and low-cost digital interventions to improve continuity of care.
The “Genes” pillar focused on African-led genomic research, particularly studies on APOL1 genetic risk variants linked to kidney disease among African populations.
Professor Boima emphasized that genomic medicine in Africa must remain ethical, equitable, and clinically relevant while positioning African researchers at the forefront of precision medicine.
He further encouraged the public to take regular medical check-ups seriously in order to delay the progression of kidney diseases through early detection and management.
Delivering her closing remarks, Professor Nana Aba Appiah Amfo reminded participants that medicine must remain people-centred.
“At the heart of medicine is not only disease but people,” she stated, adding that “prevention is not optional” and that “the mind is not separate from the body; how we feel shapes how we heal.”
The lecture formed part of activities surrounding Professor Boima’s Exhibition of Scholarly Works at the University of Ghana, which showcased his contributions to kidney care, medical research, genomics, hypertension, transplantation, mental health, and precision medicine in Africa.
By Celestine Edem Gbologah and Robert Dela Mawuenyegah (BHOBU 2003)
