General Surgeon

Baptist Medical Centre - Ghana — Profile: Baptist Medical Centre is located in the town of Nalerigu in rural northwest Ghana. There are approximately 10 hospital buildings and seven medical wards including medical, OB/GYN, surgical, ICU, pediatric, isolation and TB. It is a 137 bed facility, (50) pediatric, (21) surgical, (23) medical, (14) isolation, (11) adolescent, (8) maternity, (5) HIV/TB and (5) staff/special care. There is currently no ER, but the hospital is open 24 hours a day to receive emergency cases. Approximately 400 patients are seen each clinic day (MWF). There is also a mobile dental clinic, staffed by Ghanaians doing primarily extractions and cleanings three days per week and administrative work two days per week. Expatriate staff consists of a US boarded FP physician and (1) US boarded OBG. The CRNA is Ghanaian.

Travel/Orientation: Fly into the capital city of Accra. The following morning fly to city of Tamale and then driven two hours to town of Nalerigu. Orientation includes staff introductions, a hospital tour and a copy of the formulary.

Climate: The rainy season is April through August. The harmattan, a dry desert wind blows from December through February. The average annual temperature is 79 degrees.

Language: While English is the official national language, the major people group around the hospital is Mamprusi, whose language is Mampruli.

Charting: English. Translators are available for patient interaction.

Surgery: There are (2) major operating rooms and (2) minor operating rooms. On MWF (clinic days), minor operations are performed on those admitted. Elective surgeries are performed on TTH and emergency surgeries as needed 24/7. On average 1,200 major surgeries and 2,500 to 3,000 minor surgeries are performed each year. There is no portable x-ray available in the operating room.

Anesthesia: Spinal, Ketamine, propofol and local (lidocaine, marciane, etc). The only anesthesia machine is an old EMO machine. There is monitoring equipment.

Radiology/Ultrasound: Basic X-ray. X-ray technicians take the x-rays. Physicians read the results. Ultrasound machine with linear array, phased-array and vaginal probes. No CT and no MRI capability.

Pathology: No lab on site.

Common diseases: TB, snake bite, malaria, typhoid, arthritis and hypertension.

Baptist Medical Centre is currently without a long term general surgeon and are thus relying on short term volunteer general surgeons to meet their surgical needs. Baptist Medical Centre will accept volunteers for minimum two week commitment. All volunteers are self-funded. World Medical Mission assists with booking flights, obtaining visas, licensing and in-country travel arrangements.

If you are a Protestant Christian general surgeon currently licensed in the US or Canada and are interested in meeting this need, please contact or by phone at 828/278-1144.