From fire survivor to medical doctor: Inspiring journey of Sister Dr Ernestina Yeboah

After nearly losing her life in a domestic fire incident, young Serwaa, as she was then known, decided at that tender age to dedicate her life to serving the Lord and bringing smiles to the faces of people facing difficulties.

While many teenagers her age were still grappling with identifying their vocation, she had no doubt in her mind. She was convinced that the consecrated life would be her calling, a path she pursued wholeheartedly.

Today, she stands as a fully qualified medical doctor, the first in the history of her congregation in Ghana.

Her survival remains a miracle to many, particularly medical officers at the Holy Family Hospital in Techiman, where she and her brothers were admitted after the fire.

“We were burnt beyond recognition, and many thought we wouldn’t make it,” she recounted to The Mirror.

Remarkably, all three siblings have since become health professionals—one a medical doctor, another a nurse tutor, and the third a practising nurse.

Early life

Sister Dr Ernestina Serwaa Yeboah hails from Tanoboase, Techiman, in the Bono East Region. She is the only girl among four children born to Philip Ameyaw and Martha Durowaa.

She attended Fountain International School for her basic education and proceeded to Techiman Senior High School (SHS).

Consecrated life

Her aspiration to become a health worker began when she and her two brothers were admitted to the hospital after the fire incident. The compassionate care they received from missionaries left an indelible mark on her.

“I was cared for by the Medical Mission Sisters and felt God’s love through their care for me at the hospital. That experience inspired me to dedicate my life to extending God’s love to others by caring for the sick,” she said.

After completing SHS, she joined the Congregation of the Handmaids of the Holy Child Jesus (HHCJ) in 2006 for her initial formation, completing it in 2009.

She explained that the HHCJ was founded nearly a century ago by Mother Mary Charles Magdalen Walker.

Its members include professionals in various fields such as teaching, nursing, pharmacy, medicine, law, media, physiotherapy, and more. The congregation is active in countries, including

Ghana, Nigeria, Togo, Sierra Leone, Kenya, the USA and Germany.

She professed her first vows in 2009 and her final vows in 2018.

Her first working experience came during her second apostolate when she was posted as a casual worker at St Martin's Catholic Hospital in Agroyesum in the Ashanti Region.

Professional life

After working for two years as a casual worker, she enrolled in the nursing programme at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) from 2014 to 2018. Upon graduation, she returned to St Martin’s Hospital as a registered nurse.

While working, she engaged in pastoral activities such as teaching Sunday school, organising youth programmes and participating in the youth choir in both Kumasi and Agroyesum.

Medicine

Although her desire to become a health worker began at age 12, the opportunity to study medicine came later. A year after graduating from KNUST, she learned about the Graduate Entry Medicine Programme at the University of Cape Coast (UCC) through Dr Peter Biney, Vice Dean of the School of Pharmacy at UCC.

Medical School

According to her, Medical School proved challenging.

“Generally, medical school presents a myriad of challenges, and with UCC’s reputation for academic rigour, it was even tougher. I had to devise effective learning strategies to cope with the academic demands while balancing my Church and Congregational responsibilities,” she said.

Her most difficult period was during her clinical rotation at the Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana (PPAG) in Cape Coast.

“Many of the procedures there conflicted with my faith as a Catholic and a religious person. It was psychologically draining, but my Provincial Superior and Spiritual Director offered me the counselling I needed,” she shared.

Although she was not forced to perform procedures against her beliefs, she had to study and observe them to pass her training.

“Dressing as a Sister to work there every morning was difficult. People often questioned me seeing a Roman Sister working in such a facility,” she recalled.

Dreams

Sr Dr Yeboah encouraged young women aspiring to combine religious and professional careers to pursue their dreams despite challenges.

“My example proves that the successful pursuit of such a vocation is very much possible,” she said.