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Re-establishing a surgical pathology service in Kumasi, Ghana†

Case report and discussion of barriers and key elements of a successful collaboration between low- and high-resource countries

  1. Helge Stalsberg MD, PhD1,‡,*,
  2. Baffour Awuah MD2,
  3. Julio A. Ibarra MD3,
  4. Anthony Nsiah-Asare MD2

Article first published online: 3 OCT 2008

DOI: 10.1002/cncr.23830

Issue

Cancer

Cancer

Supplement: Guidelines for International Breast Health and Cancer Control–Implementation

Volume 113, Issue Supplement 8, pages 2338–2346, 15 October 2008

Additional Information

How to Cite

Stalsberg, H., Awuah, B., Ibarra, J. A. and Nsiah-Asare, A. (2008), Re-establishing a surgical pathology service in Kumasi, Ghana. Cancer, 113: 2338–2346. doi: 10.1002/cncr.23830

Author Information

  1. 1

    Department of Pathology, University Hospital of North Norway, Tromso, Norway

  2. 2

    Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Kumasi, Ghana

  3. 3

    Department of Pathology, Orange Coast Memorial Medical Center, Fountain Valley, Southern California

  1. ‡

    Fax: (011) 47 77 62 72 04

*Department of Pathology, University Hospital of North Norway, 9038 Tromsø, Norway

  1. †

    Complete financial disclosures are presented at the end of this article.

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 3 OCT 2008
  2. Article first published online: 3 OCT 2008
  3. Manuscript Accepted: 24 JUN 2008
  4. Manuscript Received: 10 JUN 2008

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Keywords:

  • pathology;
  • diagnostic services;
  • education;
  • professional;
  • pathology department;
  • hospital;
  • developing countries;
  • Africa;
  • Western

Abstract

At Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi, Ghana, a breakdown of technical equipment and lack of pathologists resulted in closure of the surgical pathology laboratory in 2004. At an international meeting in January 2005, 1 USA and 1 Norwegian pathologist were asked if their departments could help with the pathology problem at KATH. This article describes the proposals, the barriers encountered, and the key elements of the final successful collaboration between a low-resource and a high-resource country. The proposal to the USA hospital focused on receiving specimens for diagnosis. A detailed proposal was not developed, as several key operational barriers were identified early on, including legal issues, technical capacity issues, and staff capacity issues. The proposal to the University Hospital of North Norway (UNN) resulted in development of a 5-year plan to reestablish surgical pathology at KATH. Two KATH technicians came to UNN and trained in the histopathology laboratory for 3 months. On their return, they started producing slides at KATH. Since April 2006, weekly shipments of hematoxylin and eosin (H & E) stained slides have been sent to UNN by courier service. When needed, paraffin blocks are sent on request. In March 2006, 2 young Ghanaian physicians were received as trainees at the UNN to do full resident work and training with the aim of being approved as specialists in pathology in Ghana by 2010. Full surgical pathology service and training of new pathologists on site are expected to be reestablished at KATH by 2010. Cancer 2008;113(8 suppl):2338–46. © 2008 American Cancer Society.

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