Sunyani Hospital

One of our Elders, a very strong, Nigerian young man named Obasi, has been suffering from a very sore knee for several weeks.  He didn't want us to think he was wimpy (unlike most of the African Elders who whine and are wimpy about any little ailment), so he didn't tell us until it was really apparent that it was affecting his work.  After consulting with the area doctor in Accra, Dr. Fife, we decided to take him to the Sunyani hospital for X-Rays and tests.  Dr. Fife warned me that this would be a full day or even full two days.

Lucky for us, President Owusu's wife Lucy, has worked at the hospital for over 40 years.  We truly know how connected that man is and how blessed we are to have him as our earthly African guardian angel.  Lucy went with us to the hospital, early on Monday morning.  I was not prepared for what we encountered.  The hospital is very large, clean, and single story, much like about 14 army barracks hooked together with walkways.  The main entry hall is huge, filled with hundreds of chairs for waiting, and when we arrived at 7:30 am, EVERY chair was taken and hundreds of people were standing as well, waiting to be seen, even out in the parking lot. It was unbelievable! Of course we were the only obrunis in the whole hospital, but Lucy marched us right up to the front desk and checked in Elder Obasi.  Because Ghana is a cash only society, everyone must pay for their service before anything happens.  On the average, you go to pay before each station, sometimes 5 or 6 times.  Every barracks-type buidling is for a different department or service, so you pay again.  Lucy streamlined us through the entire myriad of departments.  If we had gone alone, I'm certain we would have still been waiting in the parking lot.

The entire scene was heartbreaking:  Young mothers holding their sick little babies; old men barely walking with canes; young pregnant mothers; it went on and on.  While we were waiting for the X-Ray, we couldn't help but notice a young boy, maybe 12 or 13, who had perhaps been in a serious accident some time ago. His entire left side was disfigured and his left arm was scraped away to the bone and was in a filthy cast.  His left leg was about the size of a five-year old's, and was horribly deformed.  His older brother was helping him and was so kind and gentle.  It was humbling to say at the least.  It made us feel terribly guilty as we looked around and saw so many others who needed treatment so much more urgently than we did, and yet we were being shuffled through ahead of them all. 

They decided to try some prescriptions and physical therapy on Elder Obasi instead of surgery, which we were truly grateful for, and as we waited for his first consultation, we watched them work with a tiny girl, maybe five, who had had some kind of brain operation, as she had a huge scar across her head.  They were encouraging her to push a walker, to make her use her legs, and she did not want any part of it.  She would scream at the top of her lungs, and her grandmother, who was with her was so patient and loving, and they just kept working and encouraging her amidst the screams.

Lucy took us on a tour of the hospital while Elder Obasi waited for his prescriptions to be filled.  It was amazing to see how well it was laid out and how clean it was.  And yet......Elder Thayne and I both said, if we have to go to the hospital, it's on a plane and back to the USA and Dr. Lambert we go.  As we left the hospital, in record time, several hours later, we couldn't help but notice that there were still hundreds of people waiting in that first area.