Pathology Project
Azra Khan's Experience in Nandom
Azra Khan, Senior Biomedical Scientist, working in a Hospital Infection Research Laboratory
found the perfect opportunity for her skills through her involvement with Freed UK.
The result was a fulfilment of a deep personal ambition to improve and provide healthcare in a developing country. With the charity, she travelled to Ghana in October, where she worked in challenging surroundings with limited resources to begin to transform the microbiology laboratory of Nandom hospital.
The hospital is 40 years old and serves a population of
500,000 people with just three doctors
and 171 beds. Even the most basic hygiene and infection prevention procedures are ignored.
The site is filled with families, who are cooking, washing and cleaning on the grounds of the hospital so they can give food and clean clothes to their hospitalised relatives. Many of them remain camped outside for several days and weeks.
Azra was one of the team of 20 who travelled to Nandom for the two-week trip. Her first task was to roll her sleeves up and give the place a good clean and throw out broken equipment and chemicals that were out-of –date and had no use. Her second major task was to assess and improve the services of pathology.
Her commitment to the project is now a life-time pledge. She will travel back to Ghana in 2008 to
teach microbiology and infection prevention and control and to continue the work started this time.
She would like to take out desperately needed equipment that is in good working order for her hospital,
including fridges, incubators, biochemical and haematology analysers, centrifuges, computers and
printer, and would be grateful to anyone who could help with donations.
One of the most exciting and unexpected aspects of the trip for Azra was the enthusiasm of the Muslim community in Nandom, which took real inspiration from her achievements as a professional Muslim woman.
“The whole experience was such a heart rendering journey for me, mainly because I finally achieved
my dream to be able to use my skills to help others less fortunate. I felt a sense of achievement as
each day we progressed to improve another detail and was always deeply touched by the simplicity of
living conditions of the community and their genuine kind gestures in appreciation of our work and
presence in Nandom. I have also made long lasting and true friendships with the other team members.
From the bottom of my heart I would like to thank my family members, friends and colleagues for all
their support and encouragement and help in realising this aspiration”.