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Nalerigu, Ghana

Dr. Ryan Case went to Ghana as a PGY-4, and he wrote the following about his trip.

"I went on my first international mission trip to Nalerigu, Ghana. The Baptist Medical Center in Nalerigu provides much needed medical care to northern Ghana while delivering the good news of Jesus Christ. The hospital might seem quite foreign to American patients due to the facilities, and lack of technology. This does not seem to hinder the dedicated nurses, staff, and doctors who deliver care to approximately 60,000 patients annually in a nurturing Christian environment.

I accompanied two physicians: Dr. Robert Battle, an anesthesiologist, and Dr. Fred Rushton, a vascular surgeon, on this trip. Fortunately for me, Dr. Battle and Dr. Rushton had been to Nalerigu numerous times and were very familiar with challenges of traveling, the local culture and hospital staff. Each day during my stay, my primary role was to perform and assist with surgery; repairs of hernias and hydroceles were probably the two most common operations we performed although there was certainly a wide range of procedures performed.

For me, one of the most challenging aspects of the trip was traveling to and from Ghana. The transatlantic flight was about 13 hours and then in-country travel both by plane and bus was another eight hours. This spoke volumes to me about the people who regularly undergo significant cost just to reach a desolate area that is in so much need. The staff at the hospital was also an amazing group. While they were fortunate to have a job in an area where most people barely carve out a living by farming an inhospitable land, they were accustomed to doing more with less resources. This commitment to their work and dedication to the patients in Nalerigu did much to make great strides toward compensating for the financial and infrastructural deficits that the hospital faces.

I cannot say enough in appreciation for those that gave freely of their time and money to make the trip a reality for me. They have lead by example in showing generosity that I will do my best to emulate by continuing to be a part of international medical missions throughout my career and supporting others with an interest to pursue this ministry."