Dr. Keith Plate

Keith was born in Oskaloosa, Iowa, and graduated from Iowa State University (B.S. in Zoology) in 1962, and from the University of Iowa, College of Medicine (MD) in 1965. After a one-year rotating internship at Philadelphia General Hospital, Philadelphia, PA, 1965-66, Keith went to Nigeria as a medical missionary. (in August 1966.)

For the next twenty-three years, he worked in northern Nigeria as a general physician and medical superintendent in various church/mission hospitals, university hospitals, and private hospitals, while also discipling and mentoring medical students at Ahmadu Bello University and Jos University.

Since returning to the US, Keith practiced part-time at a medical clinic in nearby Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and with his wife, Carol, also developed a discipling ministry to International Students at the University of Iowa with the Navigators. Keith and Carol made their first trip back to Nigeria in 1992 with their teenage sons, Daniel and David, as part of an AP Medical team organized by Dave Hall and Dr. Larry Ebert. This was the first CME conference planned by Africa Partners together with Dr. A.O. Malu, and other Nigerian Navigator physicians.

Keith was also part of a second AP Medical CME Conference planned with Larry Ebert to Eldoret, Kenya, in 1994. Several of the Nigerian doctors also attended.

Then in 2000 an AP Medical CME conference was planned for a team to go to Jos in partnership with Jos University Teaching Hospital. A successful CME conference was held with Dr. Lewis Roberts and other physicians and surgeons from Mayo Clinic, participating along with Prof A.O. Malu and other JUTH faculty.

A serious ethnic/religious attack in Jos in September 2001 prevented a planned follow-up trip in 2002. Instead, the 2002 and subsequent CME conferences were held in Kumasi, Ghana. In Kumasi in 2007, with 18 Nigerian doctors present, it was decided it was important to begin the CME in Nigeria again. But this would be with different faculty since the US State Department restricted who should travel to Nigeria.

Since 2008 Keith has helped plan and recruit American consultants primarily from the Midwest for joint CME conferences each year with Drs. Malu, Steven Daniyam, Bash Ismaila, and other JUTH faculty in Jos. Bart Clarke went on most of the trips until 2018 when he was chosen to lead his professional society. Dr. Rolf Pelleboer, a Dutch pediatrician in the Netherlands, has participated every year. In recent years British and Nigerian physicians practicing in the U.K. along with physicians from Zambia have been part of the team. Our son, David, MPH, has been part of several conferences. The medical team has also been involved with teaching and training in other hospitals in Jos and surrounding areas along with provision of medical equipment and supplies.

The CME has been followed by a three-day spiritual retreat for physicians and their families at a retreat center near Jos with Navigator speakers.

Along with his role with the Navigators, Keith also serves on the board of Africa Partners Medical which is focused on helping enhance healthcare in Africa. He enjoys time spent with family which includes three children and six grandchildren. He and Carol had the privilege of taking two grandsons with them on the medical trip in 2018.