BGS Statement on the death of Dr Alfa Sa’adu

The BGS community was immensely sad to hear of the death this week of Dr Alfa Sa’adu from coronavirus. Dr Sa’adu was an eminent and committed geriatrician who had a long and illustrious career working in hospitals in Hertfordshire and London.   

Dr Sa’adu was born in Nigeria and graduated from the medical school at University College London in 1976. He became a consultant and later acting clinical director of the department for care of older people at West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust. He also worked as medical director and consultant physician at Ealing Hospital. He stepped down as medical director of the Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust in 2016 and had been working part-time at the Queen Victoria Memorial Hospital in Welwyn, Hertfordshire.

He was a past President of the Royal Society of Medicine Geriatrics and Gerontology group, and was an active member of the British Geriatrics Society, having been Chair of the North West Thames Region and an examiner for the Diploma in Geriatric Medicine. Devoted to furthering geriatric medicine both in the UK and Nigeria, Dr Sa’adu was a passionate and principled advocate for better healthcare for older people.

The President of the British Geriatrics Society, Professor Tash Masud said:

We were heartbroken to hear of the death of our colleague, Dr Alfa Sa’adu. It is a measure of his commitment to caring for older people’s health that he continued to work as a locum after retiring. He had worked in many different hospitals across his eminent 40-year career, and was an educator and advocate who enthused others with his love of medicine. We send sincere condolences to his family and to Dr Sa’adu’s wide network of friends across the profession."

The BGS Vice President for Academic Affairs, Professor Michael Vassallo said:

I am so shocked and saddened to hear this devastating news. I met Alfa on several occasions. His good humour, commitment and enthusiasm in promoting Geriatric Medicine and good patient care was inspiring.  This is a very sad loss to the profession and his family, and his contribution will always be remembered.’