Team Updates

The last words David Mensah spoke to the team on Sunday night were, “Monday will not be for cowards.”

He wasn’t wrong.

We woke to a beautiful, cool morning — so cool that our security guard greeted us at the NEA gate wearing a full balaclava, and several patients who had slept outside to be first in line were bundled in winter parkas. Ghana always knows how to surprise us.

As always, our day began under the gazebo for devotions. Dr. Neil read Psalm 23, alternating each line with our translator. When he reached the final verse — “My cup overflows” — he paused to tell the NEA and Leyaata staff that they are one of the reasons that cup is so full. “You bring joy to our hearts, and this is what draws us back year after year.” Joy overflowed again as we celebrated the news that one of our Leyaata physicians and his wife — a Leyaata midwife — welcomed a brand-new baby into the world.

This is paediatric surgery week at Leyaata. Dr. David Adowia, Dr. Mercy, and our two Ghanaian anaesthesiologists — Fuseini and Adam — are performing roughly ten paediatric surgeries each day, mostly hernia repairs. Long before Leyaata existed, the Hernia International Carpenter teams ran a hernia program right on the NEA compound. Since Leyaata opened, they have partnered closely with the surgeons here, operating side by side to transfer skills and build local capacity. Their partnership continues, but now the day-to-day surgical work is being confidently led by the Leyaata staff. It is a quiet but deeply meaningful step toward local ownership — one we feel privileged to witness. I only wish Rob, Karen, and their teams were here to see it in person.

Brooklyn spent the day in the recovery room with the Leyaata nurses, offering extra hands during this high-volume program — a gift to both the team and the small patients waking up from surgery.

One small but memorable detail: Leyaata has no paediatric gowns, so the nurses fold bedsheets into clever little toga-style wraps for the children. At home, our surgical gowns are printed with cheerful colours, animals, and teddy bears; here, creativity and care make beauty out of what’s available. It made me wonder whether some of our Canadian seamstresses might take on the joyful task of sewing paediatric gowns for future surgical weeks.

Sherry spent time in the Public Health Unit reviewing vaccine storage and learning about the wide range of community programs they lead — from sexual health counselling to menstrual hygiene education to TB/HIV testing and counselling. Their reach is enormous, and their energy is contagious.

The eye clinic has been buzzing, running their primary clinic alongside laser therapy and OCT imaging. To give you a sense of the scope: on Tuesday alone, they saw 90 primary clinic patients, performed laser procedures on 34 eyes, and completed OCT scans for 26 patients. Tomorrow they’ll add a school screening program on top of that.

We wrapped up the day on Tuesday with a workshop on communication skills, focusing on breaking bad news and having meaningful conversations with patients and families facing serious or terminal illness. It was a rich, honest time of learning — and laughing — as we role-played, shared wisdom from our varied experiences, and encouraged one another.

David’s words on Sunday night ring even truer now. It takes courage to be a health professional anywhere, and perhaps an extra measure to work as a global health partner amid unfamiliar illnesses, intense heat, constant change, and limited resources. But working shoulder to shoulder — transferring skills, sharing stories, and learning from one another — our collective courage grows. I often say that teams make me brave. That has never felt more true. The Leyaata team, with their steady skill, compassion, love for their people, and hope, is one of the bravest teams we know.

And in case you were wondering how we refuel our courage in the evenings: Josh and I staged an absolutely epic comeback in a game of Aggravation last night, crushing Garrett and Nicole in what can only be described as a blog-worthy victory.

Dr. Nicole

Dr. Rich

Dan

Bank of eyeglasses.

Martin’s day on laser.

Love Dr. Neil’s backdrop.

Dr. Garrett and Leyaata’s dental nurse.

Pharmacy planning with a smile!

Julie on the OCT.

Dr. McAnthony, Leyaata dentist.

Communication skills workshop.

Role playing for communication skills training.

A special gift for Dr. Tiffany for the Pokua, Leyaata PT.

Run club.

Dr. Josh.

OR team invited Dr. Tiffany to observe a hydrocele repair.

Dr. Michael so kindly speaking to this child before her surgery begins.

Awaiting surgery.

2 children calmly being led to the theatre for their surgeries.

Tracey and Bright portering supplies to the lab.

Pre-op and Recovery team.

Me with Senior Medical Officer, Dr. Mercy, who is coordinating all our GHP teaching sessions.

Jannine and Mavis, providing discharge instructions to the family.

Ella, Leyaata’s dental surgery technician.

DR. JENNIFER WILSON
MD, CCFP (EM), FCFP, DIM&PH, MPH (FCM) CSGH
Director of International Partnerships Canadian Consultant for Family & Emergency Medicine
Leyaata Hospital, Carpenter, Ghana

DISCLAIMER: This content is intended as updates shared to Ghana Health Partners’ Team Updates subscribers only and should not be shared with anyone. 

Today, I’m honoured to share a guest post from Amanda Ofoliorkor Aryee, Chief Executive Officer of Leyaata Hospital. — Dr. Jennifer Wilson

“And this will be the model of the Carpenter hospital. It will be a hospital run by the best Ghanaian health professionals in Ghana, supported by people like us”…. (Dr. Jennifer Wilson, 2015 GHT blog)

This prophetic statement Dr. Wilson made ten years ago is the reality we live in now.

I joined the Leyaata Hospital family in 2021 when I was called in as a consultant pharmacist to help plan and prepare for the hospital pharmacy department with Linda Dresser, a Canadian pharmacist who had been on several missions since its inception.

That, to me, was the beginning of my partnership with the Ghana Health Partners (GHP). Linda and I shared knowledge of pharmacy practice from different cultures, continents and levels of experience. We had to co-create a pharmacy set-up that would best suit “The Model Hospital” the founders had envisioned.

This experience and shared learning grew bigger and stronger after the hospital was commissioned in 2022, where the Ghana Health Team (GHT) transitioned into Ghana Health Partners (GHP) for Leyaata hospital. From the arrival of the first GHP team in February 2023, when the hospital opened until now (five missions and counting), we have had several trainings for different cadre of staff. 

The trainings and shared learning have covered both the clinical and non-clinical areas. 

The interesting thing we all noticed was that for every training session per mission, God brought us a real life test case to apply the knowledge gained during that mission.

I remember when our first batch of midwives graduated from the Helping Babies Breathe and Essential Care for Babies training led by Dr. Anne Smith and Dr. Jennifer Wilson, we had an emergency case of preterm newborns and this freshly acquired knowledge was put to good use by the midwives. This was an exciting and proud moment for the team!

The GHP have worked alongside the Leyaata staff in building sustainable work flows and plans for each department. They have transferred skills and knowledge in clinical areas such as OPD, ER, inpatient, maternity, physiotherapy, theatre, dental, eye, biomedical, radiology, pharmacy and laboratory units. 

All of this was done with one aim in mind– to make Leyaata Hospital a model hospital that provides the best quality of care for all persons in God’s love.

We are grateful to the GHP for their support and flexibility in co-creating health systems that work for our setting, while maintaining the highest standards of patient care. Their time, dedication, passion and resilience are commendable, and we truly appreciate their support.

Just as in Dr. David Mensah’s analogy of the old experienced horse and new young horse ploughing a field, the GHP and Leyaata staff are forging on together.

Every mission brings a transfer of different skills and shared learning experiences to both old and new team members. We look forward to many more years together and for a stronger partnership. 

I hope and pray that after the next ten years, we will all look back and thank God for the lives (patients, staff, and partners) that have benefited from this great service.

Leyaata CEO, Amanda Ofoliorkor, baby Elsie, Dr. Jennifer Wilson.

Early morning run club.

Tracey making bacterial culture media in the lab.

The Mensahs overseeing the troops!

ER head-to-toe assessment training.

Dr. David and anesthetist Fusi.

Leyaata parking lot.

Leyaata’s eye doctors performed the majority of the 26 OCT procedures today!

The laser.

Dr. Josh preserving vision for this man who translated the Bible into the local Mo language.

Gonioscopy

ER template training!

Our special friend Ernestina visited us today! Ernestina, a now retired physician assistant, and midwife, joined us for all of our past Ghana Health Team missions and recently retired as the head Matron of Leyaata.

Dr. Sue and Dr. Obed announcing that there will be a mental health education session for all hospital staff on Wednesday.

Dr. Rich enjoying his GF oat pancakes!

Favourite video of the day!

Every night is games night!

Favourite photo of the day!

Hugs for Marion.

DR. JENNIFER WILSON
MD, CCFP (EM), FCFP, DIM&PH, MPH (FCM) CSGH
Director of International Partnerships Canadian Consultant for Family & Emergency Medicine
Leyaata Hospital, Carpenter, Ghana

DISCLAIMER: This content is intended as updates shared to Ghana Health Partners’ Team Updates subscribers only and should not be shared with anyone. 

If Week One at Leyaata was full of intensity, service, and deeply meaningful work, then this weekend has been its perfect companion. Rest, laughter, discovery, and simple pleasures have nourished our hard-working team in ways we knew we needed—and perhaps even more than we realized.

On Saturday morning, we rose early and set out for a field trip to the Bui Hydroelectric Dam and its accompanying solar facilities—an impressive example of Ghana’s investment in renewable energy.

We began at the dam itself. The Bui Hydroelectric Generating Station uses three turbines to produce roughly 400 MW of power from the Black Volta River. We donned our hard hats and descended into the underground area that houses the turbines. Although they were not running while we were inside, it was easy to appreciate the scale of the infrastructure poised to turn the force of the river into electricity. Our guide’s memorable instruction—

“Prepare your heart and mind, don’t touch anything, and don’t panic.”

—set the tone.

From there, we drove a few kilometres to the land-based solar farm, where rows of panels stretching over hundreds of acres quietly feed renewable electricity into the national grid.

Our final stop was the reservoir, where 16,000 floating solar panels have recently been added to the water’s surface. This 5 MW facility produces the same output that would have required about 19 acres on land. The water beneath the panels helps keep them cooler, boosting their efficiency.

Together, the dam, the land-based solar farm, and the floating array form a hybrid system designed to improve both energy reliability and environmental sustainability. It gave us plenty to think about.

After our tour, we visited the bustling Bamboi market before returning home for what has become a daily highlight: another extraordinary meal prepared by Justina and her team. They spoiled us with papaya and carrot soup, a beautifully garnished salad, chicken and potatoes in tomato sauce, turmeric rice, and fresh watermelon and papaya for dessert.

And because laughter is its own kind of medicine, the night ended with an 18-person round of Code Names under the gazebo. The competition was spirited, and the laughter was loud despite the heavy, still heat and complete lack of airflow.

Sunday brought a different kind of renewal. We had the honour of worshiping with the Carpenter church family. The service was full of heartfelt singing, dancing, and a beautiful baby dedication. As always, worship flowed seamlessly between local languages and English—often alternating verses—and our hearts were lifted by the unity of it all.

After lunch came the kind of rest that restores the soul: naps, card games, yoga under the gazebo, and frisbee in the hot sun. Nothing complicated—just the luxury of unhurried time.

Later in the afternoon, we enjoyed a tour of the NEA compoundby Dr. Mensah himself—another reminder that Leyaata is just one expression of a much larger vision. NEA’s work spans church growth, education, environmental protection, food security, peacebuilding, water and sanitation, women’s programs, and health, always addressing the many causes of poverty together rather than in isolation. Walking the grounds made it clear that the hospital is one vital piece of a much bigger puzzle of sustainable community development.

After dinner tonight, I asked everyone to share one word describing how they feel as we begin our second week at Leyaata. Their words paint a simple but powerful picture of Week One: thankful, fulfilled, satisfied, rejuvenated, hopeful, overwhelmed, sated, confident in what we will achieve, thoughtful, humbled, hot, inspired, discontented that the job is not yet done, excited for the future, amazed—and, as one person put it, “my cup is overflowing.”

Thank you for cheering us on from afar. Your prayers, your messages, your love: these, too, are part of what renews us.

Bui generating system.

Control room.

Bui Solar Facility

Floating Solar System on Bui reservoir.

Bamboi market.

Checking out fabric.

Saturday Supper!

Ready for church!

ECAC Church Service in Carpenter.

Super handy having a team chiropractor!

So many games!

Touring the compound.

Dan the Man.

Lemon tree!

Best snack ever.

Treatment for traveller’s diarrhea is available 24/7 thanks to team pharmacist Sherry!

NEA Aquaculture Centre

NEA piggery.

NEA ostrich farm.

DR. JENNIFER WILSON
MD, CCFP (EM), FCFP, DIM&PH, MPH (FCM) CSGH
Director of International Partnerships Canadian Consultant for Family & Emergency Medicine
Leyaata Hospital, Carpenter, Ghana

DISCLAIMER: This content is intended as updates shared to Ghana Health Partners’ Team Updates subscribers only and should not be shared with anyone. 

Yesterday was a special day around here. It marked 35 years since David and Brenda Mensah packed up their three young children and moved permanently to Ghana to begin their life’s work.

Brenda often recalls the tears she shed during those early years, watching people die needlessly for lack of access to basic health care. So you can imagine what must have been going through her mind on this anniversary as she walked the hallways of the mighty Leyaata Hospital.

Dr. Sue and I have been working alongside the physicians and physician assistants in every area of the hospital. Each day at 4:00 p.m., we gather the team for a teaching session. My first was a simulation workshop on managing the unconscious patient. Dr. Garrett and Dr. Neil—whose dental clinic wrapped up early—earned “Academy Awards” for their performances. They are really great at being unconscious.

And wouldn’t you know, the very next day a group of men carried an unconscious young man into the ER. The team was calm, coordinated, and ready. Training met reality—and life was preserved.

Dr. Sue has been teaching on primary mental health, including depression, anxiety, and tonight’s topic, “Caring for the Caregiver.” Isn’t it remarkable that, even at this early stage, Leyaata is prioritizing mental health—both for patients and staff?

Our two ER nurses, Jannine and Brooklyn, are thriving. Watching them in action—full of enthusiasm, compassion, knowledge, and skill—is pure joy. Whether caring for patients, teaching, or learning, they embody what it means to be true global health partners.

The eye clinic is also in full swing. Patients first meet Dan for auto-refraction and eye pressure checks, then see Dr. Nicole and Dr. Rich for full assessments before heading to the eyeglass dispensary run by Prosper and team. Dr. Martin and Julie are busy with the incredibly sophisticated OCT, while Dr. Josh literally focuses on the laser and Marion provides expert pre- and post-procedure care. Dr. Agyemang’s list of cataract patients is growing quickly.

The dental clinic hums with the same energy, with Dr. Garrett and Dr. Neil working tirelessly alongside their Ghanaian colleague, Dr. McAnthony.

Tracey has been busy in the lab, joyfully popping in and out of the ER to teach phlebotomy (drawing blood) to the nursing staff.

Sherry, our pharmacist, is in one of the busiest departments in the hospital, dispensing medication to both inpatients and outpatients. She also came to the rescue when one team member went “DWD” (down with diarrhea)—that team member has since recovered quickly!

And then there’s Dr. Tiffany—our chiropractor cross-trained as a paramedic. Even though she’s stationed in the rehab unit with Leyaata’s two physiotherapy technicians, she somehow seems to appear in the ER just as a critical patient arrives. Her paramedicine skills have been invaluable, and for the first time, Leyaata’s ambulance attendant has a partner to work alongside.

Our first week came to a close with a party at the Mensah home—complete with David’s freshly made lemonade, Brenda’s muffins and cookies, groundnuts, and fresh papaya and pineapple. On the center of the table, Brenda placed a basket of delicate white and yellow frangipani blossoms, their soft, citrus-sweet scent drifted through the room as we gathered.

We spent a couple of hours listening to David’s stories and hearing about the other sectors of NEA’s sustainable development work, such as peace and conflict resolution. We had so much fun reminiscing about the eleven Ghana Health Team missions, recalling moments that shaped us all. We have done a lot of life together since 2007.

The team presented the Mensahs with an anniversary gift—a box full of letters expressing what these two remarkable individuals mean to us all.

As I wrap up this blog, the power has just gone out on the NEA compound—such a fitting reminder of days gone by. And yet, somehow, those days—those tears, those prayers, those makeshift clinics and flashlight surgeries—have culminated in this moment, this week, this hospital.

What 35 years can build, when God is in it, is nothing short of astonishing.

We thank God for David and Brenda’s faithful “yes,” and on behalf of all of us who were invited along for the ride, we are deeply, humbly grateful.

Simulation training.

Tiffany teaching us how to safely transfer a patient from the floor to a stretcher.

Dr. Sue is bringing primary mental health care training to Leyaata.

My favourite quote from today: “Any scorpion needs to be killed.” Dr. David Mensah.

ER Team

First-time team member, Brooklyn.

Jannine’s third partnership visit in two years.

Tracey teaching phlebotomy in the ER.

Our presence at the residence has disturbed this remarkable colony of ants, so they are moving their eggs (right outside Dr. Martin’s room).

Sunset over Leyaata.

Celebrating the end of week 1 at the Mensah home.

DR. JENNIFER WILSON
MD, CCFP (EM), FCFP, DIM&PH, MPH (FCM) CSGH
Director of International Partnerships Canadian Consultant for Family & Emergency Medicine
Leyaata Hospital, Carpenter, Ghana

DISCLAIMER: This content is intended as updates shared to Ghana Health Partners’ Team Updates subscribers only and should not be shared with anyone.