A team of specialist surgeons from the British Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (BAOMS) has completed a three-day training programme at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) aimed at introducing advanced head and neck reconstructive surgery techniques and strengthening Ghana’s capacity to provide specialised care.
The programme, organised in collaboration with KBTH and the College of Health Sciences of the University of Ghana, brought together surgeons from the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Plastic Surgery, and Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) departments to train in complex reconstructive procedures. These procedures rely on microsurgical techniques.
Speaking in an interview, the Chair of the Norman Rowe Educational Foundation (NRIEF), a humanitarian arm of BAOMS, Professor Sunil Sah, said the training marked an important step towards establishing advanced reconstructive surgery services in Ghana.
“This is the largest teaching hospital in West Africa with the manpower and infrastructure needed to establish this service,” he said.
Professor Sah explained that the programme focused on reconstructing the head and neck using a patient’s own bone, blood vessels and soft tissue rather than relying primarily on artificial implants following trauma or cancer surgery.
He said the multidisciplinary approach required close collaboration among oral and maxillofacial, plastic and ENT surgeons, who jointly manage patients with complex head and neck conditions.
Participants received hands-on training in advanced procedures, including Selective Neck Dissection, Maxillectomy and Maxillary Reconstruction, Radial Forearm Free Flap Reconstruction and Lip Split Mandibular Osteotomy.
Professor Sah said Korle Bu was selected because of its specialist workforce and infrastructure, adding that the partnership was facilitated by the Provost of the College of Health Sciences, Professor Alfred Yawson.
Although establishing the service requires significant investment, he expressed confidence that support from the Norman Rowe Educational Foundation would help reduce treatment costs for patients over time.
He added that some Ghanaian surgeons would require further specialist training in countries including South Africa, India, China and parts of Europe to fully develop expertise in the highly specialised procedures.
The General Secretary of NRIEF, Mr. Michael Ho, said the initiative had the potential to transform maxillofacial surgery in Ghana and position the country as a regional referral centre.
He said introducing advanced reconstructive surgery would improve specialist services at Korle Bu, reduce the need for African patients to seek treatment outside the continent and attract referrals from neighbouring countries.
Mr. Ho stressed, however, that sustaining the programme would require continued investment by both the hospital and the College of Health Sciences in infrastructure, equipment and institutional support.
He expressed optimism that the University of Ghana Medical School and Dental School could become a hub for international surgical collaboration, adding that within five years the programme could generate significant revenue through regional referrals while benefiting sectors such as hospitality and transportation.
As part of the collaboration, the visiting team donated specialised surgical equipment, including scalpels, bone saws and other instruments, to support training and patient care.
A Consultant Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon and former Head of the Dental Department at KBTH, Dr. Matthew Owusu Boamah, described the programme as a major boost for specialist healthcare delivery.
He said resident doctors had shown strong interest in acquiring the advanced surgical skills and expressed confidence that participants would build on the knowledge gained ahead of the next phase of the training, scheduled for January 2027.
Both Professor Sah and Mr. Ho said the long-term goal of the partnership was to enable Ghanaians to access world-class reconstructive healthcare locally while establishing Ghana as a centre of excellence for maxillofacial reconstructive surgery in West Africa.
