Prof. Fred Sarfo (Principal Investigator/Co-Principal Investigator)

Dr. Sarfo is a researcher, a clinician and an educator. He practiced as a Neurologist from 2010 to date and holds 2 doctoral degrees in Epidemiology and Molecular Medicine from Durham University UK and the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science & Technology respectively. In 2010, he started a Neurology clinic at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi where he led in providing services for a population of 12 million Ghanaians in the middle and northern sectors of the country as the only practicing neurologist for this sector of Ghana. He is passionate about context-specific research as a way of fashioning out locally relevant solutions to the health challenges of my society. His research focus is on Stroke in the sub-Saharan African context.

Dr. Sarfo is currently the Kumasi site lead-Investigator on the SIREN (Systemic Investigative Research and Education Network) project which is the biggest study on stroke in sub-Saharan Africa investigating the traditional and emerging risk factors of stroke as well as characterizing the genetic markers of stroke. Understanding the incidence prevalence determinants and risk modifiers of stroke occurrence among individuals with Sickle Cell Disease has received little attention in Sub-Saharan Africa. The Ghana Sickle Pan-African Research Consortium Collaborative Sites (GHANA SPARCO) therefore seeks to characterize the determinants etiologic subtypes outcomes and sequelae (functional status cognitive impairment quality of life) of incident and recurrent strokes across the lifespan of patients with SCD. This sub-aim is embedded in our overall goal of to establish a prospective cohort of 6 000 individuals living with SCD across the lifespan with a dual purpose of understanding the determinants of the protean manifestations of acute and chronic complications of SCD in a resource-limited setting while conducting implementation research to address " surmount & integrate the best resource-based standards of clinical care for SCD with a vision towards establishing hubs of excellence for research and care for SCD in Ghana.