Charles Yankah

Currently President of African Cultural Institute (ACI) and Pan-African Society for Cardiothoracic Surgery which are in partnership with the European Association for cardiothoracic surgery (EACTS) and the American Association for Thoracic Surgery (AATS) to promote cardiothoracic surgery in Africa. Retired pioneer cardiothoracic and vascular surgeon at the Deutsches Herzzentrum Berlin - DHZB (German Heart Institute Berlin) and professor of surgery at the Charité, but still active as a global player in the profession as a consultant heart specialist, educationist, teacher and a philanthropist. A special professor at the department of cardiothoracic surgery, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa. His major clinical work and research were in inflammatory cardiomyopathy, heart transplantation and biological heart valve surgery. He travels regularly to Africa and China on humanitarian missions for the German Senior Expert Service and ACI to share knowledge in the context of capacity building and infrastructure development in cardiovascular medicine to enhance health systems in Africa and China. Advocating telemedicine since 2007 with Global Development Learning Network (GDN) of World Bank and since 2012 with the DHZB to enhance cardiovascular health system in Africa. As President of ACI he was invited to accompany former German President, Professor Horst Koehler on his State visit to Ghana/Africa in 2007 for the second Africa Conference on 'Partnership with Africa'. Currently Ambassador of the World Health Summit. His focus is to engage in the strengthening the north-south and south-south development cooperation in health of the European Union with the World Health Summit (WHS) in collaboration with African Cultural Institute.