Kumasi Ghana Project

In 1993 the first Volunteer of the newly formed International Reconstructive Surgery Unit (IRPSU) – founded by Prof Jack Mustarde a retired Glasgow Consultant – started work in Ghana. The major input was initially at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra. Each volunteer as part of the project visited Kumasi in the Ashanti Region. In 1994 Dr Pius Agbenorku who had trained in Russia and Eastern Europe returned to Ghana and was assigned by the Ministry of Health to work in Kumasi.

It was clear to Arthur Morris a Dundee based Plastic Surgeon on his first visit to Kumasi that Pius had insufficient support in facilities and equipment to deal with an overwhelming workload particularly burn injuries. At Jack’s suggestion Arthur was asked to “take Kumasi under his wing” as Jack was committed to the Accra unit.

Faced with this monumental task, Arthur – a member of Claverhouse Rotary Club – decided to enlist the help of Rotary. Bob Barnett, President of Claverhouse Rotary Club at that time was extremely enthusiastic for District 1010 to help and application was made for a matching grant from Rotary International. In the mean time District 1010 made it a fund-raising project and in excess of £100,000 was raised.

The need was very great and, in a nutshell, dedicated bed space with isolation facilities was essential together with theatre facilities and full equipment for plastic and reconstructive surgery operations. Also, specialist training for Nursing Staff in Ward and Theatre was required. In partnership with the Hospital Authorities a project was agreed. The Hospital made space available and converted it for use as a Burn Intensive Care Unit. The Rotary project raised sufficient funds to provide the specialist equipment for ward and operating theatre. In addition, specialist training was funded for 6 nurses (entirely chosen by the Hospital Authorities) in Dundee at Dundee Royal Infirmary.

The Burn Intensive Care unit was opened 1^st February 2001 and was up and running immediately. The nurses shared their training with junior nurses and trained up a cohort of Ward Nurses.

The Ghana Government together with the Hospital Administration started planning for a major Accident Unit complete with “State-of-the-Art” intensive burn facilities opened 8 years later. The whole project attracted another 3 Ghanaian plastic and reconstructive surgeons who had trained in Europe back to Kumasi.

The project has now introduced and trained a working Burns and Plastic Surgery Service in Kumasi which will now be self-sufficient.

In September 2018 the Kumasi Burn Unit was inspected by Interburns an International Burns charity and it is pleasing to be able to report that the Kumasi Unit was commended and placed in a higher category than the unit in Accra.

I would like to acknowledge the help and support of Rotarians in District 1010 and in particular members of Claverhouse in Dundee and St Andrews Rotary Club which I have been a member of for the best part of these 25 years

 Arthur Morris, OBE FRCS. Hon Visiting Professor at University of Science and Technology, Kumasi