For the month of January 2019 I have been invited to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi, Ghana. I will be involved with the Anesthesiology department providing anesthesia to patients in the hospital and also teaching Student Nurse Registered Anesthetists. There is only 6 registered Anesthesiologists in Ghana and therefore there is a great need for further trainees.
General population in the city of Kumasi, Ghana. The KATH is the main hospital for central Ghana, and second biggest hospital in the country. It is a teaching institution and provides services to a vast under-served area. Their need for clinicians is evident and it's clear that assisting with clinical duties and training of the staff will benefit the population greatly.
Being in contact with previous volunteers to this site it is evident that spending a month in KATH at Kumasi, Ghana is a life-changing experience. Many of them either have returned or plan on returning to the site to help more. I believe that the richness and the perspective you can obtain from an experience this different is invaluable. I would not limit the experience to me bringing knowledge and systems technology to them since this would be greatly egocentric, I believe this will be a two-way exchange with me learning as much as I can from medicine in Ghana and how they deal with the same issues everyone deals with. I know this experience will be the first of many international health activities for me.
Doing a medical volunteer in Kumasi, Ghana, was a lifechanging experience. It so happens that in this city, similar to countless other places in Africa, due to the lack of physicians healthcare depends heavily on nurses and technicians. Being able to help with the training of these great people was a two way stream. It has opened my eyes to the vast amount of need and how relatively simple it is to go and help out. I am unsure if I changed the world with this visit, but definitely it was a grain of sand towards the right direction.
The obstacles that healthcare providers in Ghana face are huge, in may aspects of their daily life. However their great attitude and warm hearts in facing these challenges filled me with hope to a better future.
This was the first medical mission of many, and I am very greatful to Doximity for their support in making this happen!
