A leading light in international trauma medicine and critical care, whose contributions to life-saving surgical practice and academia are acknowledged the world over, has been awarded Netcare’s highest honour, the Christiaan Barnard Memorial Award.
“What award can be presented to Professor Kenneth Boffard that can even begin to convey the enormous respect and esteem with which he is regarded, not only within Netcare and South Africa, but also internationally,” notes Dr Richard Friedland, chief executive officer of Netcare.
“When one considers the tremendous stature of Professor Boffard and his numerous achievements, not least of which are the countless lives he has saved over his illustrious career, he is a most worthy recipient of this, the highest honour Netcare bestows upon medical professionals practising in our facilities.”
Pic: Professor Kenneth Boffard (front, right), director of trauma at Netcare Milpark Hospital academic trauma centre, and his wife, Dr Virginia Boffard (front, left), holding the Christiaan Barnard Memorial Award that Netcare presented to Professor Boffard. With them are (left to right) Dr Anchen Laubscher, medical director of the Netcare Group; Mande Toubkin, Netcare’s general manager: emergency, trauma, transplant and corporate social investment; Marc van Heerden, general manager of Netcare Milpark Hospital; and Dr Richard Friedland, chief executive officer of the Netcare Group.
Professor Boffard is Director of Trauma at Netcare Milpark Hospital Academic Trauma Centre, which is a satellite training centre of the Department of Surgery at the University of the Witwatersrand, and an accredited Level I Trauma Centre Trauma Society of South Africa (TSSA). He is Professor Emeritus, and Honorary Consultant in the Department of Surgery of the University of the Witwatersrand. He was previously Chief Specialist and Head of the Department of Surgery at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital, prior to which he was Head of the Johannesburg Hospital Trauma Unit, which is the world’s oldest, and one of the busiest trauma centres in the world.
“We at Netcare, and indeed every person who holds human life dear, owe a debt of gratitude to Professor Boffard for his tireless work and unswerving commitment to building international expertise in his field and establishing standards in trauma and critical care that have dramatically improved patient outcomes,” notes Dr Anchen Laubscher, medical director of the Netcare Group.
“It was under his leadership during his tenure as President of the International Association for Trauma Surgery and Intensive Care, that the world’s most advanced open trauma course, the Definitive Surgical Trauma Care [DSTC] and Definitive Anaesthetic Trauma Care (DATC) Course was developed,” Dr Laubscher adds.
“Few individuals have made such a contribution to broadening access to critical surgery and continually raising the standard of surgery and trauma medicine both in South Africa and internationally. We are indeed extremely fortunate that he has been so keen to share his immense knowledge, so that other medical professionals are able to learn from his expertise and secure better outcomes for their patients – even in settings with limited resources.”
Professor Boffard was the first African President of the International Society of Surgery (ISS), the world’s oldest International Surgical Organisation, which he now serves in the role of Secretary General. He is also past President of the Trauma Society of South Africa and a previous Governor of the American College of Surgeons. He has served as Honorary Colonel for the School of Medical Health Training for the South African Military Health Service.
Dr Laubscher adds that Professor Boffard, who is himself a licensed fixed wing and helicopter pilot, was a driving force behind the introduction of helicopter emergency medical services in South Africa, which has since become an essential resource in pre-hospital management of critically injured patients in appropriate circumstances.
The General Manager of Netcare Milpark Hospital, Marc van Heerden, expressed gratitude to Professor Boffard for the leading role he played in establishing and continuously developing the Netcare Milpark Hospital trauma centre, which today is a world-renowned Level 1 facility.
“Professor Boffard’s visionary leadership and meticulous attention to detail have been instrumental in building Netcare Milpark Hospital’s international reputation for excellence in trauma care. He has also elevated the standard of burns care through the establishment of the dedicated burns unit, which is also accredited by the Trauma Society of South Africa as part of the Level 1 trauma centre, to such an extent that our facility receives referrals of critically injured patients from across the African continent,” adds Van Heerden.
Accepting the award, Professor Boffard says that his life’s work is to enhance the effectiveness of trauma care, and thanked Netcare for supporting him in these initiatives through the years.
“It is a privilege for me to be recognised with the Christiaan Barnard Memorial Award, and to work with the uniquely talented trauma team at Netcare Milpark Hospital. We continuously strive to improve on our already formidable reputation for trauma care in the context of a wider trauma system of integrated pre-hospital emergency care, in-hospital care and rehabilitation of trauma patients, so that all of these elements are integrated to achieve the best possible outcomes for patients,” he says.
“The honour of this award, is the recognition of what every member of the team has contributed to make this excellence of care possible,” Professor Boffard concluded.
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Notes to editors
Abridged curriculum vitae Professor Kenneth Boffard
BSc (Hons) (Aerospace Medicine), MB.BCh., FRCS., FRCS(Edin), FRCPS(Glas), FACS, FCS(SA)
Professor Kenneth Boffard is a registered sub-specialist in Trauma Surgery. He is Director of Trauma, Burns, and Trauma Critical Care at Netcare Milpark Hospital Academic Trauma Centre, which is a satellite training centre of the Department of Surgery at the University of the Witwatersrand, and an accredited Level I Trauma Centre Trauma Society of South Africa (TSSA). He is Professor Emeritus, and Honorary Consultant in the Department of Surgery of the University of the Witwatersrand. He was previously Chief Specialist and Head of the Department of Surgery at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital, prior to which he was Head of the Johannesburg Hospital Trauma Unit, which is the world’s oldest, and one of the busiest trauma centres in the world.
Professor Boffard qualified in Johannesburg and trained in Surgery at the Birmingham Accident Hospital and Guy’s Hospital in London. He has Honorary Fellowships from the American College of Surgeons, The Association of Surgeons of Great Britain and Ireland, the American Surgical Association, the College of Surgeons of Sri Lanka, the Japan Association for the Surgery of Trauma, the Royal College of Surgeons of Thailand, and Honorary Membership of the German Trauma Society.
He is current Secretary General, and a Past President of the International Society of Surgery (ISS) and the International Association for Trauma Surgery and Intensive Care (IATSIC) in Switzerland, Past President of the Trauma Society of South Africa and a previous Governor of the American College of Surgeons.
His passion is education, and various aspects of trauma resuscitation, intensive care, and regional planning of trauma systems. He is a licensed fixed wing and helicopter pilot, and is interested in scuba diving and aeromedical care. His research interests include trauma resuscitation, coagulation, haemostasis and critical bleeding. He has over 90 publications and 20 book chapters to his name, in addition to having written five books on trauma surgery.
Professor Boffard is a Freeman of the City of London by redemption, and an elected Liveryman of the Guild of Air Pilots of London. He is married to Dr Virginia Boffard, and they have two children.
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Issued by: MNA on behalf of Netcare
Contact: Martina Nicholson, Graeme Swinney, Meggan Saville and Estene Lotriet-Vorster
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