Both the greatest joys and the greatest tragedies are witnessed in the medical world. These true stories come from Ghana straight from the patients and their families to you. We hope you take courage from the studies that turned out well, and that the memories of those who were lost will never be forgotten. Through learning from the positive and negative side of this medical world, we at KBNF can better plan, prepare and function to save lives.

The Story of “Baby Ceci” is both tragic and great

The tragic side of her story is that she lost her mother at birth. There was no ventilator available in her mother’s time of need. The great part of the story is that she has been adopted by a loving family that includes an Executive member of International World Vision and the Korle-Bu Neuroscience Project in Accra, Ghana. Yet, the story remains tragic because the death was needless. Unfortunately premature deaths are a daily occurrence on a continent that desperately needs medical help. This also includes deaths from untreated or poorly treated neurological conditions.

The result of this touching story:
Ventilators from Vancouver Island hospitals were donated through the Korle-Bu Neuroscience Foundation and have been shipped to Accra, Ghana. Baby Ceci has been adopted by a loving family and is enjoying a happy life.

Testimonial #1

My brother George

Family life in Ghana was centered around my brother George Kwabena Agyeman Ababio. I grew up seeing him have continuous seizures. My parents took him to various places to seek help for him. Ankaful Psychiatry Hospital was frequented so much that almost all the nurses knew him. When that did not work, my dear Mom turned to extreme religion. Rolling at dawn on the beach in cold mornings, fasting, sleeping on church grounds, camping on hillsides, reading and reciting the Bible, eating foods even someone on a kosher diet will pass, and drinking water and oil blessed by the priest.

That last part still haunts me to this day. Refusal to comply with any of these rules meant you are the child who does not wish well for a suffering brother. My mom always kept telling us that she was pregnant of my brother for 11 months. I wish there was a medical unit then that could have put two and two together.

Everybody loved George, because he was so helpful to all. He had amazing natural talents in healing with herbs. Unfortunately he couldn’t heal himself. He died in November 2003 at an age of 42. I was told he had a seizure he couldn’t recover from. 42 years seems a lot, but he suffered through it all. I wish he could have seen any of my kids before he died.

When I had Elizabeth my daughter, I called him and told him she looks like me but when she cries she looks like him. He said that is fine, any time we come to Ghana, she will like to see her looking like him, so if she doesn’t cry a lot, she should be prepared to cry and look like him. He is gone with his humour.

There are many like my brother still living, and if getting a neuroscience hospital is what will relieve their pain, then I will use every bit of energy in my life to do this. This is why I am a member of the Canadian team of KBNF. Please help me help those who suffer through no cause of their own.

Alexander Kofi Owusu Ababio, April 05

Case Study #2:

Brain Tumor Removed Successfully

Sister Theresa, a 59-year-old Catholic Nun, presented with a long-standing history of headaches, black spots in her vision and dizziness. Her visual field defect remained a primary complaint. A computerized (CT) brain scan revealed an extremely large, non-malignant brain tumor

In November 2002, she underwent a craniotomy. The tumour was fully excised by the neurosurgery team at Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital. Sister T. gratefully returned to work as the nurse manager of a Catholic Hospital in Northern Ghana.

This successful outcome chiefly depended upon the expertise and direction of the visiting Canadian neurosurgeon and Korle-Bu Neuroscience Project member, Dr. Felix Durity. In spite of the absence of specific operating room tools such as a microscope, the skilled neurosurgery team enabled this nun to return to society as a productive and valuable member of society.

Case Study #3

Architect in Crisis

Mr. Kofi (pseudonym) a 59-year-old highly trained architect, presented in November 2002 with progressive visual deterioration and loss of normal hormonal function. Unable to drive or enjoy recreational activities, he complained of a chronic lack of energy. Losing peripheral vision, his eyesight was limited to a narrow portion of central vision. He was found to have a pituitary tumour, a non-cancerous brain lesion, which was pressing on the optic nerves. If this tumour was not excised promptly, permanent blindness was a very real and imminent possibility.

Just days before he presented to the neurosurgeons, a set of specialized transphenoidal surgical instruments arrived on urgent loan from Vancouver General Hospital in British Columbia, Canada, sister hospital to the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra, Ghana. The tumour was removed, while protecting the optic nerves. Dramatically his eyesight was restored. Mr. Kofi was discharged three days later and returned to his prosperous architectural business soon thereafter.

Unfortunately, due to inadequate neurosurgical follow-up, precipitated by lack of qualified staff, Mr. Kofi did not receive necessary radiotherapy to prevent re-growth of the tumour. As a result, he experienced recurrent visual deterioration. In August 2004, he underwent repeat surgery, this time appropriately followed up by radiation treatments. Mr. Kofi has since returned to work, is playing tennis and driving his car, while appreciating the opportunity of resuming a full life once again.

On-site training of the local neurosurgeon by a visiting colleague from the Korle-Bu Neuroscience Project team along with the acquisition and availability of specialized surgical equipment ensured the development of the technical skills needed to perform the repeat surgery safely and expertly. The Korle-Bu neurosurgical team now has the skills and specialized equipment necessary to perform this surgery for other afflicted patients.

Case Study #4

Needless Death Due to Inadequate Training

Mary (pseudonym), a 15-year-old otherwise healthy schoolgirl, came to hospital after 6 months of headaches, vomiting and a recent deterioration in her level of consciousness. On examination, she was found to be very drowsy and demonstrating markedly reduced vision and left sided weakness. A CT brain scan revealed an extensive, non-malignant tumour within the lateral ventricles of the brain. In November 2003, the Korle-Bu neurosurgeons, with the assistance of a Canadian neurosurgeon, conducted an 8 hour craniotomy and successfully removed Mary’s tumour. They had to perform this delicate surgery in the absence of any contemporary technical instruments or suitable lighting. An obsolete fixed microscope was their primary tool.

In the recovery room post-operatively, inadequate and inexpert nursing and medical care and monitoring resulted in dire consequences. The intraventricular drain that was positioned externally for the drainage of cerebrospinal fluid from Mary’s brain was positioned incorrectly and drew off too much fluid; consequently, the total loss of brain fluid led to herniation of her brain tissue and tragic death.

Extensive education of nursing and medical staff is a critical priority and is currently being addressed by our Project Education Committees, chaired by Drs. Felix Durity and Eddie Yeboah. Suitable surgical tools and supplies are gradually being provided by KBNF while many more are needed in the extreme. If these elements had been in place for this unfortunate girl, she may not have died before the prime of her life.

Case Study #5

Two losses for Ghana

An extremely concerned young mother brought in her 3 year old son for assessment. He had developed a staggering gait, deviation of his gaze, and vomiting. On presentation to the Korle-Bu Hospital, Joseph (pseudonym) was found to be alert; however, he exhibited a broad-based unsteady gait with a tendency to fall towards the left side. He also had raised intracranial pressure as evidenced by papilledema (visible swelling of the optic nerve heads visualized by an ophthalmoscope). A CT brain scan revealed a huge but well-defined tumour in his midbrain.

In November 2002, Joseph underwent surgery and in spite of deficient lighting and a lack of surgical microscope magnification, his surgeons accomplished a gross total excision of his tumour. Joseph’s pathology report was significantly delayed and in June 2004, his symptoms returned. A repeat CT scan revealed that his tumour had recurred. A second craniotomy was seriously delayed by several months due to the unavailability of a ventilator needed for surgery. In spite of a second surgery in August 2004 to resect this extensive re-growth, Joseph tragically died a month later. His grieving mother, a practicing nurse in Ghana, left the country for the UK, further inflicting additional loss to the country and its health care system. A program of education and training has been proposed by KBNF to develop relevant and vital personnel infrastructure and waits urgently needed funding.