Baba Musah, the obstetrician, and other Czech medical professionals. Photo credit: i-life.cz
Many Ghanaians have achieved remarkable success in their careers in foreign countries, yet they are unknown in their home country. One of the most well-known obstetricians in the Czech Republic is Patrice Awonseba Baba Musah.
An obstetrician is a
doctor who specializes in pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period.
They tend to women during pregnancy, assist with labor and delivery, and
provide aftercare. Obstetricians handle any problems that may
arise during pregnancy and delivery, safeguarding the health and safety of both
the mother and the fetus.
Although Ghana is
home to many talented individuals, many of them struggle daily to
get into the professional schools they want to attend, and some of the few who do get the opportunity to study abroad often do not return home for a variety of reasons, such as poor
political policies, widespread corruption, and underdevelopment.
Born in Bolgatanga, the
northern part of Ghana, the 39-year-old obstetrician’s father was a clerk, and
his mother was a cook at a nursing school. In the Czech media, Baba Musah is
referred to as "an angel among healthcare workers" for helping mothers give birth to their children safely.
Musah claims,
"As a kid, I was always quite bashful and shy during talks with the
girls," not realizing he would eventually work as a gynecologist. In the
face of so many challenges, he even imagined himself in a priest's uniform.
However, the chance to see a birth at the beginning of his studies ignited his
desire to pursue a career in medicine.
Musah decided to go
for a scholarship overseas after excelling in general science courses in high
school in Ghana, including physics, maths, English, and agriculture. However,
due to technological issues, his initial application for a scholarship to study
pharmacy in Russia was rejected. In 2005, he made another attempt and was successful
in the Czech Republic.
Patrice Awonseba
Baba Musah is the chief of the ambulance service at the Institute for Mother
and Child Care (PMD) in Prague-Podol, where he has been in service for seven years. During
his medical training in the Czech Republic, he studied many things,
including how to get over his fear of swimming.
Musah claims that in
1992, Ghana's population reached a peak of 14 million. "I believe that the
census at that time never took place in many settlements located across the
river." Nonetheless, due to improvements in healthcare and the fact that
many newborns survive, there are currently 28 million people in the nation.
"Births sometimes compound superstitions," he adds.
Some families would
rather have their babies born on a particular day so they may give them names.
Issues arise as they begin to give birth to another day. "This refers to
the royal families' requirement that a child is born on a specific day to
become king," he says.
"I had no idea
I wanted to be a doctor until I received a scholarship to study pharmacy."
"I am not the worst student. At a language school in Mariánské Lázně, a
town in the Cheb District of the Karlovy Vary Region of the Czech Republic, a
teacher asserted, "I could study medicine." "She made me apply
to medical school," Musah said. I'm a doctor now because I tried it."
The obstetrician and
gynecologist who decided to remain in the Czech Republic after graduation
delivered thousands of babies. He was nominated for an Angel Award for healthcare
professionals in 2021 and took first place in one of the highest medical awards
given to Czech medical professionals for his charisma and sense of humor in the
medical field. Adam Vojtch, the Minister of Health, congratulated the winners.
In an interview with Helena KOOV, Musah stated, "The valuation was the sheer participation in the event." I must admit that I was pleasantly surprised, which made me extremely happy. Receiving recognition for your efforts is fantastic. It also suggests that I'll need to work more to please others, especially women.
There are other medical professionals in Patrice Musah's family, including three midwifery-trained sisters and a younger brother with a degree in finance. In addition to being a hard-working doctor, he loves football. Dr. Musah wants to help the health sector in Ghana after working for fifteen years in the Czech Republic, but will he be able to accomplish so in spite of his love for Ghana?
Tribalism prevents many Ghanaians from appreciating what they have. Considering the ongoing discrimination and hatred towards people from Ghana's northern regions, who can blame Patrice Awonseba Baba Musah for not going back to his home country after graduation to help build and grow the medical sector?
Musah discusses his own encounters with the coronavirus pandemic. "Even if the department is full, there is occasionally only one individual who is optimistic." Pregnant women found it particularly challenging, and it was mentally draining. Thankfully, the births of pretty young ladies proceeded smoothly. We had to take turns because there was only one paramedic, and you could only go to her, making organization really tough.
"To me, it implies that everyone has the same chance to do whatever they desire. In other countries, it can be a barrier for a stranger who has become the head of a department or worked at a clinic," he said.