This is an article requested by the Africa West Area webmaster for the new website. It is a synopsis of the audiology program we have been working on. Thought readers might enjoy. John Ribera
Much
like the pioneers of the 19th century who crossed the plains of
Northern America with nothing more than a handcart and some bare essentials,
there are pioneers in the country of Ghana who are making a difference because
they have a vision of what could and ought to be.
Audiology
is an allied healthcare profession that focuses on the evaluation and
rehabilitation of individuals with hearing and balance disorders. Currently in
Ghana the population is estimated to be 25 million, whereas the number of
audiologists is eight, all trained at institutions outside of Ghana. Today there is a need for 1000
audiologists to provide needed services from newborn to the geriatric
populations throughout Ghana.
Synergy
has been defined as “The interaction of two or more
agents or forces so that their combined effect is greater than the sum of their
individual effects.” (http://www.thefreedictionary.com/synergy, 2013). This was certainly the
case when Emmanuel Kitcher, MD, (Ear Nose and Throat Specialist) at the KorleBu
Teaching Hospital in Accra, Ghana (West Africa) met Dr. Isaac Ferguson,
representative of LDS Charities, the humanitarian arm of the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints. Dr.
Kitcher had a vision of audiologists dotting the country of Ghana in concert
with Ear, Nose, and Throat specialists, providing needed hearing and balance clinical
services. This encounter took place in 2003. Since that time there has been an
ongoing effort to establish an academic program that would prepare Ghanaians in
a post-graduate degree program as audiologists.
The third
organization to partner with LDS Charities, and KorleBu Teaching Hospital was
the University of Ghana, School of Allied Health Sciences. Dean of the School,
Dr. Patrick Ayeh-Kumi exhibited the necessary leadership to ensure that the
curriculum would be developed in order for students to matriculate and obtain
the newly-formed Masters of Science (MSc) Degree. Shortly thereafter Dr. Anim
Sampong was appointed Program Advisor, a position he currently holds.
Help was sought to identify senior or
retired audiologists who might be willing to volunteer their time and expertise
in developing the needed program. There were many who answered the call, mostly
from the western United States. LDS Charities provided the means necessary to
support the efforts of these volunteers who came, sometimes for only a few
weeks to provide necessary face-to-face training of students. Eventually LDS Charities donated a
video conferencing system to allow transmissions from the United States by
volunteer faculty. In all, a dozen or so professionals have contributed to this
program. Medical equipment and supplies have all been donated, in part by LDS
Charities as well as other donors. The students have had no textbooks, although
a library of used books has be established to which they have access.
The first
students selected for the program began their post-graduate program of study in
the fall of 2011. As of this date there are six students completing their 2nd
year of study and four students completing their first year. The 2nd
year students will complete their degrees and graduate in November 2013. These
graduates will then spend a year in various internships throughout Ghana prior
to being certified as professionals. New students are already applying for
acceptance into the audiology program for this fall.
In May 2013,
the University of Ghana graduate students in audiology are joining forces with
graduate students and faculty in audiology from Utah State University (USU) in
a 2-week humanitarian/training mission. The combined group will travel throughout Ghana providing
free audiological services at Abomosu and environs, Cape Coast School for the
Deaf, Mompong Demonstration School for the Deaf, Adjei Kojo State School for
the Deaf (Ashaiman), and the Christianborg Stake Center of the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints (Accra). The humanitarian mission will consist of
hearing evaluations, and where needed, the provision of hearing aids for those
with significant hearing loss. In addition, the faculty and students from Utah
State University will be providing specialized audiometric training for all 10
Ghanaian graduate students.
There will be
a grand celebration in late July 2013 recognizing the efforts of all the stake
holders in this venture. It will be the 10th anniversary since the
inception of the program. There will be much to celebrate.
What does the
future hold for audiology in Ghana? There are plans already in place for
satellite clinics throughout Ghana that will provide a place for audiologists
and ENTs to work side-by-side providing desperately needed services. New technology
that enables testing of patients at a distance, known as telehealth, is being
researched as a viable option. In addition the Ministry of Health has just
acquired two mobile medical vans especially equipped for audiologists and ENT
physicians to conduct clinical services, by traveling to remote areas. Within
the past few months a new program has been initiated where all babies born in
the KorleBu Teaching Hospital undergo a hearing screening test. This is the
only testing of this type in all of Ghana. Ghana is positioned to become the center of excellence in
hearing evaluation and training of audiologists in all of West Africa!
All of this from one man’s vision. What will the
next 10 years bring?
“Where there is no vision, the people perish.” (Proverbs
29:18)
Ghana’s first graduates in audiology
Back row:
Graham Amposah, Elder John Ribera (USU visiting professor), Sesi
Akotey
Front row: Dr.
Kofi Sampong (MSc Program Advisor)
Joyce Anomaob,
Elsie Nyarko, Daniel Tumpi and Ramatu Alhassan
Left:
Dr. Patrick Ayeh-Kumi, Dean of the School of Allied Health Sciences,
University of Ghana
Right:
Dr. Emmanuel Kitcher, Head of ENT Unit and Consultant ENT Surgeon at
KorleBu Teaching Hospital
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