Consultant to provide training and vital equipment on humanitarian visit to Ghana
A UHDB consultant will this week be travelling to Ghana to provide training and donate essential equipment and medication.
Mr Azher Siddiq, a Consultant ENT Surgeon based at Queen’s Hospital Burton, will fly to Africa on Friday 3 June alongside three other Consultant colleagues from the UK in his role as Medical Lead for Humanity First UK (HFUK) in Ghana.
Prior to this visit, Mr Siddiq hopes to fundraise £10,000 for the training and up-skilling of clinical staff, as well as providing essential equipment and medications – particularly in the Upper West Region of the country where they will be based.
HFUK is an international charity and non-governmental organisation responsible for the provision of various charitable and medical projects in at least ten developing nations, primarily in Africa.
Mr Siddiq explained how he came to be involved with HFUK: “Around eight or nine years ago I wanted to explore charitable work in Africa, and I had seen some of the excellent work that HFUK were doing, so I approached them and was very impressed by their values and priorities. I have been a volunteer since then and have had the privilege of representing HFUK on medical missions both in The Gambia and Ghana.
“Last year, they asked me to take on the role of Medical Lead for Ghana, as they sought to stride forward in improving the global health provision in the country. I went on a fact-finding mission to Ghana in November 2021, primarily to one of the municipal hospitals in the north-western area – and I was really quite taken aback by what I found.”
Mr Siddiq describes large areas of poverty with a severe lack of vital and basic equipment, such as drip stands, ECG machines and syringe drivers, and so alongside equipment provision, he has worked on capacity building with key emphasis on up-skilling all healthcare workers. This will be achieved through lectures, practical skills courses and bedside/outpatient clinic teaching.
“It is an immense challenge but one which we are committing ourselves to. We have a responsibility to improve this situation to deliver training and up-skilling of the local clinicians, and have already started hosting a weekly virtual programme of teaching since our visit in November, which will continue after this visit and which has so far proven to be very successful.”
On his previous visit, Mr Siddiq has described seeing children die because of preventable conditions such as malaria and malnutrition. This, alongside his faith, continues to fuel his desire to do more to help improve the standard of healthcare in Ghana.
“Once you’ve been on the ground and have seen for yourself the desperate healthcare situation, you can’t turn a blind eye to it.
"For me, it further fuelled a desire to contribute what little we could to ease the suffering of the local population. While many have a drive to fulfil what they feel is their moral obligation, I harbour the same intentions but importantly for me, as a Muslim, my faith is what drives me too.
“I can do all I can individually but as part of a collective we can do so much more, and that’s why when I found HFUK and saw their principles and drive in action, I knew I was working with an exceptional organisation.”
HFUK is in the beginning of its journey in Ghana and has ambitions to expand its programme and volunteer pool in the future - and Mr Siddiq and his colleagues hope this will lead to a lasting impact on healthcare provision in the country.
“When we arrived, we were really encouraged by the local authorities and were received with open arms.
“While many projects in the country have failed to ‘get off the ground’, we were invited to meet both the Regional Health Director and the Regional Minister for the Upper-West region, at a reception at the President’s regional home. This was a wonderful opportunity for both sides to share vital future capacity building strategies for the region. Both were very keen for HFUK to return frequently and with larger clinical teams in the future.
“Once I saw the situation on the ground, my passion to serve combined with my experience of this beautiful country and the humble, welcoming people, only grew – and it was impossible to turn away.”
You can donate to Mr Siddiq’s fundraising efforts here on JustGiving here (opens in new window) >