Reflections on the 2nd Medical Mission to Ghana, Africa

We safely completed our medical outreach in Ghana on August 28, 29, and 30.

Although the volunteer work itself lasted only three days, the long journey to and from Ghana required an additional four days of travel.

Ghana’s capital is Accra. The country is approximately the size of North and South Korea combined, while its population is similar to that of South Korea.

In 1482, the Portuguese constructed Elmina Castle, which later became associated with the transatlantic slave trade. The gentle people of Ghana were reportedly captured and sold as highly valued enslaved laborers.

It was deeply ironic that such a beautiful castle, standing beside the cool blue waters of the Atlantic Ocean, carried such a painful history.

Ghana later remained under British colonial rule for many years before gaining independence in 1957.

Although the country experienced a period of economic growth under military rule, widespread poverty continued. More recently, it appeared to be passing through a difficult period of transition, with both public safety and the economy facing serious challenges.

There was also a severe shortage of physicians and medical institutions, leaving much of the population without access to adequate healthcare.

Medical Outreach Activities

We provided medical services in communities near Accra, in the Jafong area approximately two hours away by car, and at Ghana’s national cardiac hospital, where we conducted heart disease screenings.

To reach Jafong, we crossed the Volta River, one of Ghana’s major waterways, and traveled for a considerable distance along unpaved roads surrounded by brush.

When we finally arrived, we found a small hut used as a church and a temporary treatment area made from tree branches that provided little more than shade from the sun.

Although no homes were visible across the surrounding fields, local residents continued arriving throughout the day to receive medical care.

The most common conditions included malnutrition, malaria and other febrile illnesses, untreated injuries, arthritis, chronic adult diseases, and various eye conditions.

We distributed antiparasitic medication and nutritional supplements according to the number of people in each household. Many families had more than ten members.

Supporting Heart Surgery in Ghana

The Ghanaian side had initially asked us to evaluate patients with heart disease and bring selected patients to Korea for surgery.

However, the cardiac hospital in Ghana had relatively good facilities. We also realized that the travel expenses required to bring one patient to Korea could instead help fund surgery for one or two additional patients locally.

The hospital had established a fund for patients who needed heart surgery but could not afford the cost.

In the presence of a lawyer, we completed the necessary documents and agreed to provide financial support for approximately ten patients to undergo surgery in Ghana.

The mission received extensive coverage from Ghanaian newspapers, radio stations, and television networks.

Members of the Korean community were pleased that the outreach had helped strengthen the reputation of Korea and Koreans living in Ghana.

It often seems that when we do something good, the impact becomes far greater than the amount of work we initially put into it.

We hope that many more people will take an interest in this work and join us in serving others.