American team performs free surgeries at New Abirem Hospital
A team of American doctors and nurses have carried out surgeries free of charge at the New Abirem Government Hospital in the Eastern Region. The team was brought in by the Ntiamoah Foundation, a non-governmental organisation, in conjunction with America-based Ghana Hope Foundation.
In five days, the team made up of three doctors and three nurses performed surgeries on 54 patients with cases of hernia, uterine myoma, uterine/cervical prolapse, keloids, goitre and breast lumps.
With support from two Ghanaian doctors at the hospital, the medical team also treated 320 out-patients suffering from ailments such as malaria, fever and typhoid during the same period.
Supporting items
A spokesperson for the American medical team, Dr Jacqueline Erksen said the team brought down equipment, medicines and other items worth 500,000 dollars to aid the surgical operations.
Dr Erksen, who is a co-founder and board member of Ghana Hope Foundation, said the two foundations were set up in 2010 to help raise the status of the New Abirem Hospital which was then a health centre.
She said it was through their collaboration that the facility became a full-fledged hospital with two modern operating theatres.
Dr Erkson said the Ghana Hope Foundation was focused on health and education promotion for which reason it also established the Akwadum basic school at New Abirem, which currently comprises kindergarten and a basic school.
She added that her outfit had also partnered the Ntiamoah Foundation to establish a mobile library for a number of schools in the Birim North District.
Communication
A member of the American team, Mr Mike Garrison, who is also a software engineer, said the team had provided equipment for intranet communication at the New Abirem Government Hospital at the cost of 2,500 dollars.
Mr Shiva Oppong-Banahene, the Public Relations Officer of Ntiamoah Foundation, for his part said the purpose of the exercise was to reach out to the less privileged who could not afford healthcare.
He added that the exercise was also to facilitate an interaction between the two sets of medical personnel to make for the exchange of knowledge and experiences.
The Birim North District Chief Executive (DCE), Mr Paul Aboagye Dadzie praised the American team for their selfless services and urged them to sustain the spirit.