Paulien & Ann-Sofie 2017 ENG

We are Paulien and Ann-Sofie and our ‘keuzecoschap’ of ten and eight weeks was the last part of our Masters in Medicine. A nice ending of six years of hard work. So last summer we left for Ghana full of engagement. After our first week of traveling in the south of Ghana, where we visited the Kakum National Park (see picture below), we started to work in the West Gonja Hospital (WGH).

Canopy Walk Kakum National Park

During our introduction week we shadowed the local doctors and Kirsten, a fellow students with already some weeks of experience, to get to know the hospital. After that we started as “doctor” Paulien on the male ward and “doctor” Ann-Sofie on the female ward during three weeks. Because of the rain season there were a lot of patients with malaria, upper airway infections and pneumonias. Because of the high patient load and the variety of diseases there was plenty for us to do. Luckily the three Ganesan medical students were always willing to help us. As the weeks went by we got more used to the vision and policy of the hospital and got the opportunity to be fully responsibly for our ‘own’ ward. After these educational and productive weeks we decided to both go to a new ward: the female ward and the paediatric ward. During these weeks we felt completely at home in the hospital and became part of the team. Even though there was a lot of work to do in the hospital there was still plenty of time left for fun evenings and trips to the Mole National Park.

Paediatric ward in het West Gonja Hospital

We ended our ‘keuzecoschap’ together on the paediatric ward. Living and working in Damongo was an enrichment for us, by coming into contact with an extensive range of aspects of medicine and life, which concerned both birth and death. We have grown both as a doctor and as a person by the inspiring people we have met and the intense participation in the Ghanaian culture. In short, a life experience that we will  never forget!

We have lost our heart in Ghana, we have cried and laught and are the MUSTANGH Foundation so grateful for this amazing adventure.

 

Read more: Tessa Engels: GEZP