New Pediatric Ophthalmology Fellowship in Ghana Faculty from the Kellogg Center for International Ophthalmology have partnered with medical educators in Ghana to establish a pediatric ophthalmology fellowship — the first such program of it’s kind in Ghana. The need is great. Currently, four pediatric ophthalmologists and one pediatric-oriented general ophthalmologist serve the entire country — a physician-to-patient ratio of 1 to 1 million. The origins of the program date back to 2015, when
“With the help of our Kellogg family, we are addressing the urgent need for pediatric ophthalmology specialists in Ghana.” — Dr. Vera Essuman
Ghanaian ophthalmologist Vera Adobea Essuman first visited Kellogg. Dr. Essuman was accompanying her
“The key to all of our international alliances
husband, also a Ghanaian doctor, who
has been designing programs that keep doc-
geriatrics at U-M. Here, Dr. Essuman, a faculty member of the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons (GCPS), observed clinical activity, training and research in pediatric ophthalmology. Driven by Dr. Essuman and
“
Kellogg colleagues Monte Del Monte, M.D., Jonathan Trobe,
tors caring for patients in their home countries for subspeciality training,” explains Dr. Del Monte. “Until now, ophthal-
UNTIL NOW, OPHTHALMOLOGISTS
mologists interested in specializing in
INTERESTED IN SPECIALIZING IN PEDIATRIC
for formal fellowship training. Too
pediatric care had to leave the region many don’t return to their home
CARE HAD TO LEAVE THE REGION FOR FORMAL
countries.”
FELLOWSHIP TRAINING. TOO MANY DON’T
M.D., and Grace Wang, M.D., Ph.D., a partnership was formed to
“
traveled to Ann Arbor for training in
The first year of the two-year curriculum is spent training with
RETURN TO THEIR HOME COUNTRIES.
establish a formal pediatric ophthal-
local attending physicians and access-
— Monte Del Monte, M.D.
mology fellowship in Ghana patterned after those in the U.S. Work began in 2018 with an exploratory grant from Global REACH (Research, Education, And Collaboration in Health), a U-M
ing educational materials and recorded lectures and grand rounds from Kellogg. Year two is spent in pediatric rotations outside of Ghana, for example, with India’s
Aravind Eye Care System, or in Nepal, where
“hands on” surgical training is possible. The fel-
Medical School program that pilots sustainable teaching and
low will then spend 3 months at the Kellogg Eye Center on an
clinical interventions to reduce health disparities in developing
International Council of Ophthalmology fellowship to observe
countries.
how clinical and surgical care is performed here, before complet-
Dr. Wang spearheaded the grant proposal. “Growing up in China, I experienced firsthand the effects of limited access
ing fellowship training. The program launched in January
to healthcare,” she says. “At Kellogg, I’m part of a team plant-
2020 with one fellow, Dr. Vera Beyuo,
ing the seeds to improve eye care in this disadvantaged and
only to be paused within weeks due to
deserving part of the world.”
the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Beyuo
The program is modeled after successful pediatric fellow-
restarted in 2021. A second fellow is ex-
ships launched by Dr. Del Monte in China and India. It is
pected to begin in 2022. “I am excited to
offered through Ghana’s two teaching hospitals, where U-M
apply the excellent training I’m receiving
has already established training and research collaborations in
to caring for Ghana’s youngest patients,”
obstetrics/gynecology, pediatrics, emergency medicine, family
says Dr. Beyuo.
medicine and otolaryngology. Dr. Essuman serves as fellowship director. 25
