The AO Alliance has officially launched the Ghana Country Initiative at an event hosted by the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons, on September 13, 2017 in Accra.
The Initiative is a five-year project, with a budget of USD 3 million, aimed at building national capacity for the timely and appropriate management of fractures in the country. Trauma is one of the leading causes of death in Ghana, and is expected to rise to third place over the next five years. With a population of 29 million people, 14 medical institutions and only 34 Trauma and Orthopedic (T&O) surgeons, the country’s medical services are unable to cope with ever-increasing numbers of trauma patients.
Photos (from left to right): Prof. Jacob Plange-Rhule (Rector, Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons), Dr. Anthony Nsiah-Asare (Director General, Ghana Health Service), Dr. Emmanuel Ankrah (Director of Policy, Planning, Monitoring & Evaluation ”“ Ministry of Health)
The initiative aims to address this public health crisis by increasing the capacity for training T&O surgeons, through the development of two additional T&O residency centres; improving the training of all T&O residents through access to appropriate fracture care education; and developing clinical research and audit techniques.
Key partners of the Ghana Country Initiative are the Ghana Ministry of Health, the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons (GCPS), Cape Coast University Teaching Hospital, and the Tamale University Teaching Hospital.
The launch event was a great success, gathering over 60 people from various institutions, including the Ministry of Health, and reporters from local media outlets.