It's "Ghana" Get Interesting

Sorry, I had to use that pun at some point. It's done now.

Sunday, June 1

Preface

I have been making references to what I am studying in my past blogs, but I have never explicitly said what I am studying or why I am here, in Ghana.

At school, I was just accepted into the College Scholars major. This is an honors program designed for "highly motivated and academically talented students who have clear goals for their undergraduate education, and who cannot attain those goals within the traditional requirements structure of the College." Essentially, it offers a student the opportunity to design their own course of study, working closely with a faculty mentor, and culminating their studies in a senior thesis project.

The program I have designed is entitled ‘Exploring the Relationship Between Conflict Zones and Health Care Delivery’. It focuses the consequences of war on access to health care, and looks at access before, during, and after violent conflict. It also focuses on African studies. I want to work as a surgeon in areas of armed conflict, predominantly Africa. It is imperative in providing optimal health care to understand the culture and society within which you are working.

To list all the reasons I wanted to come to Ghana this summer would take to long—perhaps a conversation best held in person. Primarily, I wanted to immerse myself in the culture and work in a medical context to be able to compare the practice of medicine here and to that in the U.S. I am also working at the Buduburam Refugee Camp in order to do research regarding my university studies. Talking to refugees and hearing their stories is a great way to learn about the effects of war.

Buduburam Refugee Camp

Last Wednesday I visited the refugee camp. The day went as most of my time here has been: One step back, two steps forward. I mentioned that I had met the director of PAC (Pan African Center for Peace) and arranged to meet with him at the camp. It turns out the organization is not yet a registered NGO but is a CBO (Community Based Organization). They focus on education and hold workshops in the areas of NGO management, Peace Education, Private Education (on how to teach), and Community Health. They had the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) hanging on their wall and when I asked, they said all their programs are aimed at fulfilling the MDGs.

They were excited that I was studying conflict and health care. What PAC had in mind for my involvement was for me to design and lead a workshop either in Peace Education or Community Health. I felt I was not qualified to lead such a workshop (especially not in peace education; I’m just starting to learn about that myself!), but I agreed to help inform PAC more about community health since they know essentially nothing. While talking to them, it was difficult to find a happy medium not letting them overestimate me, but without underestimating myself.

I was able to talk to some medical assistants and the head doctor at the camp clinic, which I believe is run by UNICEF. I was trying to figure out the health situation in the camp (i.e. - what the biggest problems/ diseases are) just to have a starting point. I was able to speak to the head doctor in the end. While trying to be polite to John of PAC, what I believe he was trying to tell me is that Pac is a CBO that doesn’t know anything about health care and it would be a much better opportunity and experience for me to piggyback on the campaigns that the clinic already ahs running in the camp. I’ll admit, this was a relief to me since this is more the type of opportunity I was looking for. I did not feel comfortable with the responsibility PAC was trying to give me.

I hope to gain insight to the health care situation in the camp and to have time to sit and talk to refugees; to hear their stories.

I don’t know if I’ll be able to go twice a week as I had hoped simply because it is quite a journey by tro tro to get there.

Friday, May 30

Medical outreach was cancelled today. I tried to sleep in since it was the first day I’ve had free since I’ve been here. I was awake by 7:00. I finally had an opportunity to meet with a friend of Dr. Hackett’s, Kwesi. He and his family were very nice. He is the Chief of his village and showed me the video of his installation as Chief. I wish I had time to watch it in its entirety; it was very interesting!

Saturday, May 31

Today was the end of the month beach party with Projects Abroad. It’s an all day party at Akwaaba Guest House on Coco Beach near where I live. Volunteers from all the different regions PA has placements come down for the day. There is food, drinks, games, drummers, dancers, etc. We played tug of war between the different regions (our Accra guys won!). We also had football (soccer) matches and I played with the girls. It was a punch in the face reminding me how out of shape I am!

There was a cultural group there with African drums and dancers. I love watching African dancing. Everyone always looks so happy. Not to mention that they can move in ways I didn’t think humanly possible! After dinner, they moved the drums down to the beach around a bon fire. But the festivities didn’t last long.

There was a group of four from another region that went swimming. The current here is very strong and the waves are really big. They got too far out and had to start swimming in. Two made it in on their own, and two of our guys were able to pull a third guy in, who was taken to the hospital. The fourth girl was still missing. It gets dark very quickly here so there was no way to see her. There are not effective emergency services here either, so there was essentially nothing we could do except walk the beach looking for her and wait. A little over an hour she came up on the shore right in front of where we were. She was still alive and taken to the hospital.

I just heard this afternoon that she did not make it. Please keep her family and friends as well as the other volunteer that was taken to the hospital in your thoughts and prayers.