At a Festschrift Conference held in honor of the distinguished Professor Ghulam Mufti, OBE, at the Fetal Medicine Research Institute in London, Professor Benedict O. Oramah, President and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) (www.Afreximbank.com), delivered a moving tribute titled “From One Life to a Journey of Many Lives.”
Highlighting Professor Mufti’s profound contributions to medical sciences and his dedication to advancing healthcare globally, Prof. Oramah reflected on his personal connection to the honoree. Recalling his near-death experience in 2013, Prof. Oramah attributed his recovery to Prof. Mufti’s exceptional expertise and compassionate care.
“Through a series of near-death experiences and recoveries, Professor Mufti and I built a lasting bond that transcended the conventional doctor-patient relationship,” Prof. Oramah remarked. “It was this bond of destiny that gave birth to a transformational healthcare initiative aimed at saving millions of lives in Africa.”
The cornerstone of this initiative is the African Medical Centre of Excellence (AMCE), a world-class healthcare and research network designed to provide accessible, high-quality medical care across Africa. Prof. Oramah announced that the first AMCE facility, located in Abuja, Nigeria, is set to open in June 2025 with an investment of $300 million, expanding to $700 million in its second phase. The initiative, spearheaded by Afreximbank in partnership with Prof. Mufti, King’s Commercial Services, and others, is poised to reduce Africa’s reliance on overseas medical tourism, a sector that drains over $1 billion annually from the continent.
“Africa owes Prof. Mufti a debt of gratitude,” Prof. Oramah stated. “He is the tree that seeds a rich forest of healthcare facilities, restoring hope to a continent long deprived of quality medical services.”
To further honor Prof. Mufti’s legacy, Afreximbank announced two key initiatives:
- A Scholarship Fund in Prof. Mufti’s Name
The fund, established under the AMCE Endowment Foundation, will support eligible African students pursuing medical training at King’s College London and the AMCE Medical and Nursing School.
- A $300,000 Research Grant
The Bank has approved funding for haematology research projects proposed by Prof. Mufti, underscoring his pivotal contributions to the field of blood disorders and innovative treatments.
Prof. Mufti, a globally celebrated haematologist, was lauded for his groundbreaking work and unwavering commitment to medical education and patient care. Prof. Oramah concluded his address by extending the gratitude of 1.4 billion Africans, recognizing Prof. Mufti as a beacon of hope and a catalyst for change in healthcare on the continent.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Afreximbank.
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About Afreximbank:
African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) is a Pan-African multilateral financial institution mandated to finance, facilitate and promote intra and extra-African trade. For over 30 years, the Bank has been deploying innovative instruments to deliver financing solutions that support the transformation of the structure of Africa’s trade, accelerating industrialization and intra-regional trade, thereby boosting economic expansion in Africa. A stalwart supporter of the AfCFTA, Afreximbank has in partnership with the African Union Commission and AFCFTA Secretariat launched a Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) that was adopted by the African Union (AU) as the payment and settlement platform to underpin the implementation of the Free Trade Agreement. The AFCFTA Secretariat and the Bank have created a USD 10 billion Adjustment Fund to support countries to effectively participate in the AfCFTA.
At the end of December 2023, Afreximbank’s total assets and guarantees stood at over US$37.3 billion, and its shareholder funds amounted to US$6.1 billion. Afreximbank has investment grade ratings assigned by GCR (international scale) (A), Moody’s (Baa1), Japan Credit Rating Agency (JCR) (A-) and Fitch (BBB). Afreximbank has evolved into a group entity comprising the Bank, its impact fund subsidiary called the Fund for Export Development Africa (FEDA), and its insurance management subsidiary, AfrexInsure, (together, “the Group”). The Bank is headquartered in Cairo, Egypt.
For more information, visit: www.Afreximbank.com
