Akwaaba!

Akwaaba means “Welcome” in Twi (one of the local languages in Ghana), and that’s been the theme of my first week here! I couldn’t feel more welcomed and supported here. From the hotel driver that picked me up at the airport last Sunday night, to the manager of my hotel, to my PATH Ghana team, to the new Ghanaian friends I have met so far – everyone just seems so happy and excited that I’m here, and that has really helped with the transition to a new culture and a new country!

I definitely hit the ground running! After two weeks in Seattle (to meet my US-based PATH team and other key stakeholders), I felt very equipped with the information and support I needed to get started right away when I got to Accra. 


This summer I will be developing a supply chain strategy for a medical device that treats women with uncontrollable postpartum hemorrhage, by controlling the bleeding, reversing the shock, and stabilizing the patient for safe transport to a comprehensive obstetric care facility. I will be interviewing stakeholders in the government, medical field, and private logistics network to understand not only the Ghanaian distribution landscape, but more broadly, the West, East, and Central African network. The device's benefits have been limited by its high cost of distribution and large minimum order quantity, so I hope my work will alleviate this barrier and enable broader distribution of the device in order to save more mothers' lives.


I have already met with many government officials (i.e. Ministry of Health, Central Medical Store, Food and Drug Board, Customs Agency) and ob/gyn physicians and midwives to understand the local distribution network, regulations, and informal policies for the introduction of a new medical device in Ghana. The openness and willingness to spend over an hour with me explaining the system has been astounding! I just can’t imagine this same level of availability and immediate trust back in the states!

Boiled peanuts

African Jazz Concert

Although I’ve only been here a week, I’ve taken the opportunity to see a lot of Accra already. I met a few ladies at my hotel, so I tagged along with them to Labadi Beach and to an African Jazz concert this past weekend. I’ve also tried a lot of local dishes and treats, and my favorites so far are the locally grown, boiled peanuts and fried plantains. There's a lot more places to visit and food to try over the next couple months!

                                           

                                                 Labadi Beach