A specialist in laparoscopic surgery has underscored the urgent need for retooling hospitals across Ghana to support the sustainability and expansion of minimally invasive surgical programmes.
Dr Ralph Amarh, a Consultant General Surgeon and Medical Director of the Tema General Hospital, said that despite notable progress in promoting minimally invasive surgery across the country, with many facilities now having trained personnel, the lack of essential equipment needed to perform laparoscopic procedures remains a major challenge.
He, therefore, called for stronger national and institutional support to sustain and expand laparoscopic services across the country.
Laparoscopy is a minimally invasive surgical procedure that allows doctors to examine organs inside the abdomen or pelvis using a small camera called a laparoscope.
Instead of making a large incision, surgeons make a few tiny cuts, often less than 1cm, through which the camera and surgical instruments are inserted.
Training
Dr Amarh made the appeal in an interview with the Daily Graphic in Tema last Thursday, December 4, during a three-day Trainer-of-Trainers (ToT) programme for staff of the International Maritime Hospital (IMaH) in Tema.
The training session, supported by the Korea Foundation for International Health (KOFIH) Laparoscopic Project, which forms part of the Strengthening Laparoscopy Capacity Project, brought together 15 selected participants, including surgeons, perioperative nurses, anaesthetists, and biomedical engineers, for intensive theoretical and simulation-based instruction.
The laparoscopic surgeon specialist, the lead facilitator and also the national laparoscopic lead for the KOFIH Laparoscopic Project, explained that the training was aimed at equipping healthcare professionals with the expertise needed to perform and teach minimally invasive surgical techniques.
Supporting the facilitation was Dr Michael Nortey of the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital, a beneficiary of earlier training, who now contributes as a trainer, demonstrating the project’s sustainability model.
Investment, expansion
Dr Amarh described the training as a crucial investment in Ghana’s surgical advancement, noting that laparoscopic surgery offered faster recovery, reduced complications and improved patient outcomes.
“Laparoscopy is the way to go. Our goal is to make this service accessible to ordinary Ghanaians, not just the affluent,” he said.
He stressed that equipment shortages remained a major barrier to scaling up services nationwide, referencing regions such as Tamale, where skilled staff are unable to fully practice due to inadequate tools, emphasising that without the needed resources, facilities risk losing the momentum built through capacity-building initiatives.
“Some centres have the skills but no equipment,” Dr Amarh noted, urging the government, development partners, and private-sector stakeholders to invest in laparoscopic equipment, endoscopic surgical tools, and maintenance systems.
He expressed optimism that IMaH could evolve into a major laparoscopic training hub not only for the Tema Metropolis, but also the Eastern Region, and parts of the Volta Region.
Dr Amarh reaffirmed his commitment to expanding laparoscopic training across the country, stressing that the technology “has come to stay” and urged clinicians to embrace it to give Ghanaian patients improved surgical care.
Capacity
The Administrator of IMaH, Adams Umar Mengu, commended the initiative, describing it as vital to enhancing staff capacity and ensuring safe, quality healthcare delivery.
He noted that minimally invasive procedures remain relatively new in Ghana and require sustained investment in training and technology.
“With support from our partners from Korea, we believe the knowledge gained will be transferred to other staff so we can consistently deliver safe, quality care to our community and beyond,” he added.
Writer's email: benjamin.glover@graphic.com.gh
