How one doctor held KBTH orthopaedic unit together for seven years

A veteran orthopaedic surgeon, Dr Bernhardt Ago Sowa Kuma, has revealed that he was once the only orthopaedic surgeon at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital for seven years after many of his colleagues left Ghana in search of better opportunities abroad.

In an interview with Kafui Dey and monitored by GhanaWeb on July 14, 2026, Dr Kuma said during his time at the renowned Teaching Hospital, he was the only orthopaedic doctor at the facility for seven years because most of his colleagues travelled to the Middle East in search of better working conditions.

"For seven years, I was the only orthopaedic surgeon, they went to look for money", he stated.

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Dr Kuma disclosed that he had also planned to leave Ghana for a year but abandoned the idea after a conversation with his daughter.

"I was going to go away for a year. When I told her, she said, 'Who's going to look after me?' And I never went," he recounted.

Reflecting on the period, Dr Kuma said he relied on a diverse medical team made up of Ghanaian, European and Asian professionals to keep services running.

"The unit was a mixture of Ghanaians, Europeans and Asians. Every morning, I would pass through the accident center, see what problems there were. I was able to carry on," he said.

According to him, his workload began to ease in 1989 when another orthopaedic surgeon, Dr Lawrence Appiah, joined the department.

He recalled that around the same period, medical students voted him the Best Teacher of the Year.

Dr Kuma also described the demanding routine he maintained while serving as the hospital's only orthopaedic specialist, saying he reported to work before 7:00 am each day.

He urged the government to create better working conditions for doctor, so that they would prefer to work in the country.

He noted that countries such as the United States offer qualified medical professionals benefits including affordable housing, vehicle financing and insurance packages, making it difficult for Ghana to compete.

See the video below:

Mr. Bernhardt Ago Sowa Kuma believes that some Ghanaian patients lack confidence in Ghanaian doctors, often assuming they will receive better care abroad.

Watch full interview here https://t.co/TZYeKg8zw8#KafuiDeyInterviews pic.twitter.com/pgJuh56luV

— Kafui Dey (@KafuiDey) July 14, 2026

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