Jacob Plange-Rhule (27 July 1957 – 10 April 2020) was a distinguished physician, academic, researcher, physiologist and Rector of the Ghana College of Physicians.
Plange-Rhule was born on 27 July 1957, in Winneba, a coastal town in the Central Region of Ghana. He had his secondary education at the Accra Academy where he obtained his Ordinary-level certificate in 1976 and his Advanced-level certificate. He pursued higher education at the School of Medical Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Kumasi, Ghana. There, he completed a BSc in human biology in 1981 and subsequently pursued medicine, graduating with an MB ChB in 1984.
In 1987, after junior clinical posts in Kumasi, he was awarded a 4-year British Council scholarship to study in the Department of Physiology, University of Manchester, United Kingdom (UK). He completed his PhD on the natriuretic effects of arginine vasopressin in 1991.
On his return to Ghana he taught physiology at the department of physiology under the school of medical sciences, KNUST from 1992. He also completed his training in Internal medicine, and was appointed consultant physician at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) Kumasi, where he became head of the nephrology services.
He became an Honorary Senior Lecturer at St George’s University of London, and in 2000 with Welcome Trust funding established village-based field work to study the prevalence of high blood pressure, and the influence of salt intake, in 12 villages in the Ashanti region.
He was an inspiring leader of the work, building a loyal team of junior doctors and nurses who he supervised and deployed with great skill. Many of these junior doctors continued clinical research related to renal medicine and high blood pressure, and indeed volunteered to help again in 2014 when the same population was re-visited for a follow-up study. Jacob Plange-Rhule, served as the Rector of the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons during the period 2015-2020. He dedicated his life to advancing medical knowledge and serving his community. He was a sought-after collaborator in chronic disease research, particularly in hypertension, and played a pivotal role in designing and conducting studies. His research efforts aimed at translating findings into practical guidelines to benefit communities.
Plange-Rhule’s work extended beyond academia; he actively contributed to national health policies and strategies, particularly in addressing hypertension and chronic kidney disease in sub-Saharan Africa.
His innovative approaches to healthcare delivery, including shifting aspects of hypertension care to other health workers, demonstrated his commitment to improving healthcare access and outcomes. His leadership roles in medical associations and his fellowship with prestigious institutions underscored his influence and impact on the medical profession.
Jacob Plange-Rhule died on April 10, 2020 from complications of COVID-19 in Accra, Ghana.
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