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U/E/R: Serving the vulnerable in deprived communities is refreshing, not always money — Dr. Bogee

By Akayeti Emmanuel || Contributor
Regional News The Chief and people of Bongo-Soe together with the visiting team of Doctors at the Ayire Clinic
NOV 25, 2022 LISTEN
The Chief and people of Bongo-Soe together with the visiting team of Doctors at the Ayire Clinic

Serving the vulnerable in deprived communities is refreshing and fulfilling. Money is not everything but the passion to save the lives of people and improve their living conditions in terms of healthcare delivery.

This was disclosed by a Board Member of the Ayire Clinic Dr. Natalia Bogee when accompanied by other Doctors paid a visit to the Ayire Clinic in Bongo Soe in the Bongo District of the Upper East Region.

The team is made up of Dr. Vitus Adaboo Azeem Retired, Board Chairman, Dr. Natalia Bogee and her husband Mr. Scott Witty a novelist, both residents of the United States of America, Dr. Kofi Asare-Ansah, Family Medicine Specialist and her wife Dr. Gillian Bogee, Paediatrician both at the Bolgatanga Hospital, among the Chief and people of Bongo Soe.

Dr. Natalia Bogee shared her experience of working in some rural communities in Ghana since the eighties with ModernGhana News at Bongo Soe. According to her, she followed her passion to Ghana in 1988, after graduating as a Veterinary Surgeon in the Soviet Union. She stated that she worked from Akwatia, Kade to Koforidua all in rural communities. She said, “I saw poverty among the people.”

While working in Ghana as a Veterinary Doctor, she realized that animal health was not taken as important as human beings, so she decided to help some of her Ghanaian daughters to have medical training in Russia one of whom is Dr. Gillian Bogee, a Paediatrician at the Bolgatanga Regional Hospital and Board member of Ayire Clinic.

Her desire, she indicated was to know how people in third-world countries live. She added that she has never worked in the big cities in Ghana because there is excellent competition there and one cannot make much impact helping the poor in the big cities. Dr. Natalia Bogee stated that she remained working in remote communities teaching the people how to rear and keep healthy animals as a source of livelihood for income to augment their family until her return to settle in the United States of America (USA). She assured the Chief and people of Bongo-Soe of volunteer specialist Doctors to serve at the facility at no cost and appealed for accommodation within the area to minimize cost.

Regarding how the facility faired in terms of healthcare delivery at Bongo-Soe, the Medical Director, Dr. Kofi Asare-Ansah explained that patronage has been good despite not being up to what they are looking for. He said in a month they could see up to 108 to 110 patients on average and some of the common diseases they recorded are malaria, typhoid fever, peptic ulcers, and severe anemia among others.

Dr. Asare indicated that, at times, they do get referrals from the satellite health facilities. In terms of quality healthcare, he noted that the facility is good for the community. Apart from that, the location of the facility is closer to the adjoining neighbourhoods to access healthcare than commuting long distances to the District Hospital for service. Dr Asare stated that countless times, they have been able to save a lot of lives and the people are happy the facility is located within the community and their working relationship is excellent.

The Visiting Team Of DoctorsThe Visiting Team Of Doctors

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