A new perspective from Ghana
Michael Meagher, Margret Marquart Catholic Hospital, Kpando, Ghana.
Tell us about your placement: The placement was the most incredible experience I could have asked for. Through Cosmic Volunteers, I had the opportunity to stay with a local family - in my case, a small family of 4 whose household grew 12 months ago when they took in 12 orphans. Eating, playing, relaing with the family made me feel like I got a good feel for Ghanaian life (including getting damn god at the ol' 'fetch the water from the well' trick).
The hospital placement itself was eye-opening, to say the least; a 200 bed hospital seen to by only 3 doctors, a lack of hand sanitiser in the medical ward, typhoid patients sharing bedpans with post-op patients, and countless other examples of a different world of medicine. The staff were very welcoming, allowing me on rounds, in operations experiencing minor and major procedures (including delivering babies in the ever-busy maternity ward). Major cultural differences challenged me almost to the point of anger - the poor level of education and continuing care for HIV patients was astonishing.
Like any placement, things got slow on certain days and boredom well and truly set in. My supervising doctor was pretty well attuned to me, though, and would order me to buy some chocolate if my eyes glazed over. Legendary.
Tips for making the most of this placement: Get to know the town - Kpando is a rural community with tight-knit groups ready to welcome a stranger. Introduce yourself, ask about the local culture, go to church with the family - it's the only way you'll really experience Ghana.
