In the Northern region of Ghana, it is customary for new visitors to the village/town to be introduced to the Chief. We were all unsure how the meeting would go, and to be honest I felt kind of nervous! Pastor Abraham suggested we bring a gift for the Chief, recommending a few bottles of Schnapps. So after a quick stop at the store, we were on our way to the Chief's Palace. Upon our arrival, we found the Chief sitting in a plastic lawn chair, and a few other individuals sitting on hides on the ground beside him. The men on the ground would kneel down and touch their heads to the ground as a sign of respect. We sat in plastic chairs across from the Chief and talked with him in English for 15-20 minutes. Our conversation varied, but we mostly stayed on the subject of the differences between Ghana and the US. We learned that chieftancy runs in the family, and that a man cannot become Chief if he is missing any of his toes, eyes, or fingers (especially the thumb and the ring finger)! The Chief gave us a blessing for our stay in Damongo and wished us well for our time spent in the hospital.
We spent 8 days in the West Gonja District Hospital, dividing our time between the Children's Ward, the Maternity Ward, and the Outpatient Clinic (OPD). The West Gonja Hospital is similar in size to the Mampong Hospital, however at West Gonja there are only two physicians for the entire hospital. Dr. Kubio (Medical Superintendent) and Dr. Romanus, both Ghanaian, work around the clock to meet the high demands of the hospital. Dr. Kubio spends most of his time with administrative work and Dr. Romanus works in the wards seeing patients and operating in the theatre. According to Dr. Romanus, in Ghana there is only one doctor per 9,000 Ghanaians. He also told us a big problem with new Ghanaian doctors is that they leave the country to practice medicine in Europe or the US, leaving Ghana with a severe physician shortage.
On the wards, we were able to assist the nurses with minor procedures, wound dressings, and medication administrations. We rounded with Dr. Romanus and observed him in several C-section surgeries. In the OPD, we were able to assist the hospital staff with interviewing patients, conducting physical exams, collaborating on a diagnosis & plan of action, and writing prescriptions and ordering lab tests. A day in the OPD was very tiring since patients would begin lining up in the waiting area hours before clinic began. In a day the OPD sees between 75-150+ patients.
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| Administering medication |
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| Medical records, all on paper |
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| Children's ward |
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| Dr. Romanus (left) performing a C-section |
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| Patient being wheeled to the theatre |
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| Patients waiting in the OPD |
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| Looking for malaria parasites in a blood smear |
We were fortunate enough to be treated to a fantastic drumming and dancing performance by the Tahma Culture Troupe. And if we didn't draw enough attention to ourselves already, we were pulled up from our seats to dance with the dancers. What roars of laughter we drew from the townspeople watching! Lesson of the day = obronis (foreigners) cannot dance.
As the trip was coming close to an end, we drove from Damongo to Tamale (the capital of the Northern region), spent the night in Tamale, and the following morning hopped on a flight to Accra. After spending the past three weeks in small towns and villages, it was a bit of a shock to get off the plane into the hustle and bustle of the big city. Accra is a chaotic and modern city. We explored the Center for National Culture and the old buildings along the coastline.
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| Tro-tro adventures |
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So happy to discover the
Rooftop Spot in Accra |
So after three and a half weeks of volunteering, we were able to take a few days to relax before heading back the US. Elmina is a small town located a 3.5 hour drive west of Accra. We stayed at a small beach resort called Stumble Inn...a slice of paradise! It was so nice to unwind on the beach and explore the coastline a bit. We walked up and down the beach, wandered through some small beachside villages, and stopped to watch some local fishermen pull in their nets full of fresh fish.
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| Elmina beachside village |
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| Beach boys |
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| Sunrise...our last morning in Ghana |
Cultural Immersion. Service and Community. Simple Living. Our time spent in Ghana wholly embodied these pillars of Project CURA, and in the end, I am so grateful for this experience despite the frustrations and emotions that some days would bring. Over the four and a half weeks in Ghana, we all learned that it's really not so hard to live without running water and electricity. We learned about the importance of affordable and accessible healthcare in a place where malaria is as common as a cold. We learned how, even when there is a language barrier, a friendly smile and a respectful greeting goes a long way. We learned to give more and take less, and to always be thankful for what we have.
Recently, I stumbled upon this quote from Albert Pine: "What we do for ourselves dies with us. What we do for others and the world remains immortal." While our group of six soon-to-be second year medical students did not change the world during our time in Ghana, we know that our time and efforts left indelible impacts on the people we encountered. Through compassion, smiles, laughter, prayer, support, sensitivity, respect, and partnership, we formed a special bond with these people, and that is something that we will always cherish and remember for the rest of our lives. ■
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Project CURA Ghana 2014
Gary, Lauren, Janae, Ryan, Patrick, and John |
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