American students support healthcare in Ghana

A group of American students on a study visit to Ghana have offered healthcare services, including screening and donations, to some communities and health facilities in the country.

The students donated diapers, mosquito nets, pillows, bed sheets, toilet rolls and other items at a cost of about Ghc5000 to HIV/AIDS patients at the Fevers Unit of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra.

They also donated stethoscopes, bandages, isopropyl alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, blood pressure cuff and other medical supplies to a Community-based Health Planning Services (CHPS) Compound at Ayikuma in the Shai-Osudoku District in the Greater Accra Region where they also constructed a child welfare clinic shade.

Furthermore, the students organised health screening exercises for residents at Alikope and Fiankonya, both in the Shai-Osudoku District.

At the Akropong School for the Deaf in the Eastern Region, they painted the administration block of the Demonstration (primary) School and donated indoor games to the senior high school department.

Ghana’s healthcare system

The students, made up of three graduates and 18 undergraduates from the Northeastern University, Boston, were taken through lectures on Ghana’s healthcare system.

The experiences gained from the one-month education tour would form part of their academic assessment.

They were led by Dr Vanessa Johnson, an Associate Professor and Director of the College Student Development & Counselling Programme, Department of Counselling & Applied Education Psychology, Northeastern University.

“They love the people here. They all talk about how great everybody is. Everybody they meet, it seems they want to take them back to America, whether it’s a child or the professionals; they just love everybody,” she said in an interview.

Dr Vanessa is already thinking of something bigger and better next year, with a promise to bring more medical and education supplies for donation to needy institutions.
“Next year, I hope to do more; I hope to bring more stuff,” she promised.

Experiences of students

Clare Einberger, a Psychology and Pre-Medicine student, was struck by what she observed at health facilities they visited, particularly the care health workers had for their patients and the wellbeing of the entire community.

“I think that in America, sometimes we put money first. But we’ve seen time and time again here that people put their communities, families and friends in front of money and just work so hard for the benefit of others,” she said.

Like her other colleagues, Leona Lee, a Second-Year Biology student, was visiting Ghana for the first time, and, obviously, she had to adjust to a cultural shock.

“At first, it was very overwhelming. There’s so much that is so different from what you are used to. So it takes a while to get settled. But it’s so worth the shock.

“Personally, I’ve been struck by the faith that everyone has here. It’s all-inspiring and I think it’s amazing,” she said.

Vishal Sharoff, a Fifth-Year Behavioural Science student, had settled quickly, having acquired a local name – Kofi Mensah, because he is the third boy in his family and born on Friday – and a savouring tongue for red-red (fried plantain and cooked beans).

He was intrigued by how health workers at facilities they visited were able to work around limited resources and personnel, and also make up for external factors that could hold back healthcare.

“It’s definitely hard to see situations where you know that someone is supposed to have better healthcare but for many complicated reasons they cannot,” he said.

Earlier in May, a first batch of students from Northeastern University studying education-related programmes had visited Ghana under the auspices of Brisk Tour Consult, a local tour company that facilitates interaction between Ghanaian and foreign students through tourism.

The Chief Executive Officer of the company, Edward Tetteh, said the essence of the education tour was to enable the students share ideas and impact communities and institutions they visited.

He said plans were underway to bring biomedical students and specialists for the education tour next year to fix faulty medical equipment in the country, while exploring the tourism potentials of Ghana.