University of Ghana promotes first Ghanaian to a full Professor in Nursing – Prof. Lydia Aziato
Professor Lydia Aziato, Dean of School of Nursing, University of Ghana popularly known in the nursing and midwifery fraternity as ‘Prof. 1’ has emerged as the first nurse to be promoted to a FULL PROFESSOR status in Ghana. The University of Ghana Council on 23rd of December, 2021 approved her promotion to the rank of a Professor after her appointment as an associate Professor in September 2017.
Prof. Lydia Aziato attended Ghana Senior High School in Koforidua from 1985-1992 and graduated as a professional general nurse in 1997 from the Korle-Bu Nursing and Midwifery Training College. She benefitted from the Ghana COCOBOD Farmers’ Scholarship Trust during her O’Levels (1985-1990) as her parents were farmers. She had her first degree in Nursing and Psychology in 2001 and an MPhil in Nursing in 2005 both from the University of Ghana. She graduated with the highest CGPA of her class in 2001. She had a scholarship from Unilever Ghana Ltd during her MPhil programme. She also had her specialty training in Oncology Nursing from the Cross Cancer Institute in Edmonton, Canada and completed in 2006. Subsequently, she graduated with a PhD in Nursing from the University of the Western Cape (UWC), South Africa in 2013 where she explored post-operative pain and developed a clinical guideline for post-operative pain management applicable to a resource-limited clinical environment.
Prof. Aziato worked as a Staff nurse at the Mamprobi Polyclinic before she joined the University of Ghana in 2001 after her first degree. She rose through the ranks from a Senior Nurse Technician (2001-2006), Assistant Lecturer (2006-2008), Lecturer (2008-2014) Senior Lecturer (2014-2017), Associate Professor (2017-2020) and Professor (2020).
Administratively, she was the Head of Department for Adult Health at the School of Nursing and Midwifery from 2016-2018, Acting Dean (2017-2019), Dean (2019 to date). She is the first substantive Dean to be appointed to head the School. She is also the Founder of Research Mentorship Alliance, an NGO that gives her the platform to develop the research skills of nurses and midwives in Ghana. She is the President of Chi Omicron Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International (STTI), the second largest Nursing Organization globally.
Prof. Lydia Aziato has served on several boards and committees locally and internationally including the Governing Council of the Ghana College of Nurses and Midwives (GCNM), Chi Omicron Board, STTI Regional Coordinating Committee, Advisory Council Member of International Academic Nursing Alliance, International Organization for Standardization through Ghana Standard Authority and several statutory and adhoc committees and boards of the University of Ghana and its affiliate institutions.
Prof. Aziato has received several awards and recognitions for her professional and academic excellence. Some of her academic awards/scholarships include: Centre of Teaching and Learning Scholarship (CENTALS), Doctoral Scholarship for PhD in Nursing, 2011-2012, UWC, Unilever Postgraduate Studies Award for MPhil in Nursing, 2003-2005, College of Health Sciences –University of Ghana. First Class Award for BA Nursing and Psychology, 2001, Best Student in Public Health Nursing, Obstetrics and Gynaecological Nursing, Psychiatry and Psychiatric Nursing, 1997, Nursing and Midwifery Training College, Korle-Bu, Nursing and Midwifery Council (N&MC) distinction award in Medicine/Medical Nursing, Psychiatric Nursing, Obstetric Nursing, Paediatric Nursing and Patient Care Study, 1997 during the Professional national examinations.
Professor Aziato has received professional recognition both locally and internationally such as: Distinguished Health Education Award; Excellence in Leadership in Nursing Research – Leaders in Health and Tech Conference Awards 2021 – by the MHM Health Consultancy Ltd, UK, Establishment of a named annual award: Prof. Lydia Aziato Research Award by the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) in 2021, National Nursing and Midwifery Education and Research excellence Award by the Ministry of Health, Ghana, Recognition for contribution to research and raising the image of nursing and midwifery locally and internationally by the GRNMA in 2020, Life-time recognition by the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Ghana in 2019 as ‘Dedicated Mentor, Goal Driven, Transformational Leader and Renowned Award Winning Qualitative Researcher’ – Picture frame mounted at the Headquarters of the Council in Accra, Emerging Nurse Researcher Award for Africa 2017 awarded by STTI and conferred in Dublin Ireland, Meritorious service and recognition by the Ghana College of Nurses and Midwives as the first Chairperson of the Oncology Nursing Specialist programme (2015-2017), and Military Nightingales Award – Recognition of contribution and support for training Military Nurses at the 37 Military Hospital, Accra, Ghana in 2016.
Professor Lydia Aziato is a fellow of the Africa Science Leadership Programme, Pretoria, South Africa (2015/2016 – the only nurse in the inaugural cohort), Ghana Young Academy – 2015 to date, the West African College of Nursing – March, 2005 to date, and a foundation fellow of GCNM – 2015 to date. She is an Alumnus of Dialogue on Innovative Higher Education Strategies (DIES) International Deans´ Course, Africa, 2019/2020 cohort.
Professor Aziato has taught many courses at the School of Nursing and Midwifery, 37 Nursing and Midwifery Training College, Pantang Nursing Training College, Central University, GCNM, Centre for Social Policy Studies, and the University of Ghana Pan African Doctoral Academy. She has advanced qualitative research skills and has mentored a lot of students in this area. She is passionate about surgical nursing, advanced nursing theories and philosophical issues in nursing and midwifery
She has published over 70 articles in credible international peer-reviewed journals with three books, and 4 book chapters. The citations of her research exceed 980 as at December 2021. She is a reviewer for many journals and serves on some editorial boards. She has supervised over 90 undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral students, facilitated many workshops and given a lot of keynote addresses. Her research interest includes pain, breast cancer, and women’s health. Prof. Aziato’s research, conference participation, training and collaborative activities has taken her to many countries such as Canada, USA, UK, Finland, Turkey, Netherlands, Germany, Nigeria, Liberia, Ethiopia, Sierra-Leone, Kenya, Gambia, and South Africa. She has been part of several funded research with multidisciplinary research locally and internationally.
She fellowships with Temple of Grace Baptist Church in Madina, Accra, Ghana.
Prof. Lydia Aziato is married to Zangu-Rana Ibrahim D. Yakubu and is blessed with three children. Prof. Lydia Aziato is really a trailblazer and an inspiration to many.
Ivan Kyei Innocent / Ahotoronline.com/ Ghana
