Prof. Taher Ahmed Rizgalla

Prof. Taher Ahmed Rizgalla (1936-2021)

Prof. Rizgalla, a well-known chest physician in Libya, passed away peacefully at his home in Tripoli on July 5, 2021.

Prof. Rizgalla studied undergraduate medicine at Perugia University, Italy (1958–1965), through a scholarship awarded by the Italian government. He returned to Libya a year later to work at the Tripoli Central Hospital, then left for Munich Klinikum Rechts der Isar and Perugia again 6 years later to specialize in Internal Medicine. Upon his return in 1972, he was appointed Director of the Chest Hospital at Abusitta, Tripoli.

Following the Ministry of Health's making tuberculosis (TB) as one of its priorities in 1970, Prof. Rizgalla was appointed Head of the National TB Program for Western Libya in 1973 and later Director of the TB Program for all of Libya in 1993. It was during his directorship that the WHO directly observed treatment short-course Program was implemented. This provided Bacille Calmette-Guérin vaccination at birth, Ziehl-Neelsen staining, chest radiography, free antituberculous drugs, a National Registry, and training of doctors. Under his management, the prevalence fell from 1.8% in 1959 to 0.14% in 1976. New cases continued to fall up to 1985 and remained stable until he left the program in 2003 (data thereafter were unreliable). Despite the various administrative and political challenges, he never wavered in his love for living and working in his country.

He was an active member of teaching staff at the Tripoli University Medical School for over 30 years. He finally retired from all his professional duties in 2015 for health reasons.

He is survived by his wife Ursula, daughter Jamila, sons Usama and Marwan, and 4 grandchildren.

No conflict of interest has been declared by the author(s).

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Publication History

Received: 12 July 2021

Accepted: 13 July 2021

Article published online:
14 July 2022