For hundreds of people in Sandema and Fumbisi, the third week of November ended with renewed health and renewed hope.
A 13-member volunteer medical team from Team of Hope Ghana has successfully provided 231 free surgeries during a week-long medical outreach from 17–21 November 2025. The operations were carried out at the Sandema District Hospital and the Fumbisi District Hospital, bringing critical care to people who often struggle to access or afford such services.
In Sandema alone, doctors performed 142 surgeries, while another 89 procedures were completed in Fumbisi. Patients received treatment for conditions including hernias, hydroceles, fibroids, goitres, breast lumps and other general and gynecological conditions that, left untreated, could severely affect quality of life.
The mission was led by Dr. (Med) Alhassan Jaabir and Dr. (Med) Benjamin Akinkang, who also serves as CEO of Team of Hope Ghana. The team praised health workers at both hospitals for their strong collaboration, saying their support was essential to the outreach’s success.
With demand for their services growing, Team of Hope Ghana has already announced its next free medical mission. From 15–19 December 2025, the team will run simultaneous surgical outreach programs at the Paga District Hospital and Talensi District Hospital in Tongo.
The organization is appealing for continued support from individuals, corporate bodies, and development partners to sustain what many in northern communities have described as life-changing, dignity-restoring health interventions.
A Mission Rooted in Loss and a Promise to “Never Forget Our People”
Team of Hope Ghana’s work is deeply personal for founder Dr. Benjamin Akinkang. After the death of his father, Mr. Akinkang Anyaga, in 2016, he felt compelled to return home to Buluk to serve the people who shaped him. His father’s words while he was in medical school — “Never forget our people when you become a doctor” — became the guiding light that birthed what is now one of northern Ghana’s most impactful medical charities.
What began as small volunteer missions has grown into a well-organized nonprofit delivering free, life-enhancing surgeries, across rural districts where access to surgical care is scarce. In some communities, only one medical doctor serves entire populations, leaving many conditions untreated for years. Others who can afford care are forced to travel more than 100 kilometers to receive surgery.
Poverty, lack of information, and widespread misconceptions about treatable ailments — such as hernias, hydroceles and fibroids — further compound the health crisis.
Since its inception, Team of Hope has delivered hundreds of surgeries and medical interventions, reaching patients in the Builsa districts and neighboring areas including Kassena-Nankana, Sissala East and Moagduri. The organization’s work earned national recognition when the MTN Ghana Foundation honored Dr. Akinkang as the Health Category Winner of MTN Heroes of Change Season V (2019).
Growing a Lifeline for Northern Communities
Even with limited funding — mostly personal contributions, volunteer service, and small but cherished donations — the organisation has consistently stretched its resources to meet overwhelming demand.
Officially incorporated in 2019, Team of Hope Ghana now aims to scale its reach across rural northern Ghana. Its vision is simple but powerful: provide quality healthcare to restore hope to people who need it most.
Source: kumasimail.com
