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Dr. Richard Baiden: ‘I had a dream but didn’t know how it was going to happen’
“All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.” — Walt Disney.
During interactions with his colleagues in basic school, he had constantly talked about becoming a medical doctor although he was not certain where the support would come from.
He was a teenager when his father died so there was hardly any hope of furthering his education beyond Junior High School.But by dint of hard work, tenacity and the support of his uncle, he has been able to achieve a dream which initially appeared unattainable.
That is the story of Dr. Richard Baiden, an Obstetrician Gynaecologist and the Medical Director at the Kaneshie Medical Centre, a subsidiary of The Community Hospitals Group in Accra, when he spoke about aspects of life and career in an interview with The Spectator.
Background
The specialist, who recently graduated from the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons in Accra, started his education at Beach Road Primary School at Saltpond popularly called ‘Akyemfo’ in the Central Region and continued at Lower Town Junior High School, where he obtained Basic Education Certificate in 2002.
“When I completed Junior High School, I wanted to go to Mfantsipim Secondary School but I had to drop the idea due to financial reasons.
“My uncle who was working at the Obuasi Mines at the time suggested I join him to enroll at Obuasi Secondary School,” he recalled.
At Obuasi Secondary School, he got a government scholarship based on his academic performance in Science.
Determined to make a mark, he worked harder and his final examination (Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (SSCE) topped the scores in the Obuasi District in 2005.
In 2006, he gained admission to Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) Medical School and graduated with Bachelor of Science (Bsc) Human Biology and Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MB ChB) in 2012.
After graduation, he did a two-year housemanship first at KomfoAnokye Teaching Hospital,Kumasi, and later at Asante AkyemAgogoPresby Hospital, all in the Ashanti Region and relocated to Accra in 2014 to join The Community Hospitals Group.
In 2019, he began the specialisation course and successfully completed in September 2022. In the course of his studies and career, he further obtained certificate in Leadership in Management and Health from the University of Washington.
Road to medicine
From humble beginnings, Dr. Baiden, acknowledged the rugged road he took from childhood through to medical school. Nonetheless, his personal commitment and divine intervention had contributed to the progress made over the years.
“I nearly gave up in my second and third year in the university. I was getting support but the financial challenges were still daunting but any time the thought of quitting came to mind, I had to reflect on where I came from and pick myself up and continue moving.
“I had a dream; I wanted to be a doctor but I didn’t know how it was going to happen but somehow it happened. It has been tough but somehow God saw me through,” he noted.
Impact
Having risen through the ranks to become a Medical Director, Dr. Baiden is one of the key specialists in-charge of maternity at the Ashongman Community Hospital and Kaneshie Medical Centre who help women undergo safe delivery.
Through collaboration and support from staff and team members, these facilities since their inception have been receiving positive feedback from patients as it continues to provide quality and reliable health services to the general public.
Apart from Kaneshie, The Community Hospitals Group has four other branches at Ashongman and Ashaiman, in Accra, and Oda and Kukurantumi in the Eastern Region.
The group provides holistic healthcare services in General Consultation, Surgery, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Eye care, treatment for Ear, Nose and Throat, Paediatrics, among others.
Breast care
In line with the Breast Cancer Awareness campaign in the month of October, Dr. Baiden maintains that “breast cancer is curable if detected early.”
He says every woman should endeavour to know the anatomy (structure) of their breasts so they can quickly report and seek help from doctors when “there are any changes at any point in time.”
“It is important women pick a day in their monthly cycle (preferrably two or three days after their menses) to examine their breasts. Women who do not know how to do self-breast examination can visit any hospital or health facility close to them and be taught,” he notes.
Beyond self-examination, he again recommends clinical breast examination, at least once a year, for women aged 40 and above.
Future
Dr. Baiden, expressing optimism about the future of the Kaneshie Medical Centre, hopes to impact the community positively in the years ahead.
Advice
The Medical Director has, therefore, urged aspiring doctors to follow their passion, adding that “there are lots of medical schools these days” andstudents should not limit their options.
“Medical school could be tough but the key thing is determination and perseverance. No matter what you go through, just remember that others have been there and they made it so you can. At the end of the day, the hustle would pay off,” he points out.
He is a staunch member of the International Central Gospel Church and married to Ms Christian Prisca Ofosu, a midwife. They have three children.
By Ernest Nutsugah
Massive celebrations were recorded countrywide as the Black Stars opened their 2026 World Cup campaign with a 1-0 victory over Panama in Toronto on Wednesday.
Midfielder Caleb Yirenkyi scored the only goal of the match late in the game as he shot in a decent cross from substitute Brandon Asante.
The win gave Ghana a positive start in the competition, placing them in second position behind England, also with three points but with a superior goal aggregate.
After the final whistle, the streets and other viewing centres were turned into partying grounds as fans, mostly clad in the team’s paraphernalia, danced to several World Cup-themed music.
Others blew the vuvuzelas in joyous mood with others putting up a spirited ‘jama’ session.
Former New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary candidate for the Adentan Constituency, Akosua Manu, has urged party members to move away from what she describes as an “entitlement mentality” and focus on unity, sacrifice and hard work as the party prepares for the 2028 general election.
In a statement titled “Is Loyalty a Queue?”, and posted on facebook, Ms. Manu argued that loyalty to the NPP should not be judged by how long a person has been in the party but by their contributions and commitment to its growth.
According to her, the NPP’s history shows that many of its leaders faced significant opposition from within the party before eventually leading it to electoral success.
She cited former President John Agyekum Kufuor as an example, saying he had to overcome resistance from influential figures within the party before winning power for the NPP in 2000.
Ms. Manu noted that after the party lost power in 2008, former President Kufuor faced criticism and accusations from some party members.
However, she said supporters eventually put their differences aside and worked together to rebuild the party.
She pointed to the experience of former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, who, according to her, faced opposition from some factions within the NPP despite his long service to the party.
“His trials were ten times what Kufuor endured,” she stated, adding that Akufo-Addo eventually overcame the challenges and became President of Ghana.
Turning to the NPP’s current flagbearer, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, Ms. Manu said he also faced resistance from different groups within the party while seeking leadership.
She praised Dr. Bawumia for contributing to policy-based political discussions in Ghana and for remaining composed following the NPP’s defeat in the 2024 elections.
According to her, party members must now rally behind him in the same way they supported former Presidents Kufuor and Akufo-Addo.
Ms. Manu, however, warned that internal divisions and a sense of entitlement remain major threats to the party’s future.
She argued that some party members place too much emphasis on how long individuals have belonged to the NPP rather than on their contributions and capabilities.
“This entitlement does not question impact. It does not ask what you sacrificed or what you built. It asks only how long have you been here,” she said.
The former parliamentary candidate cautioned that such attitudes could discourage committed members and prevent the party from selecting the best people for leadership positions.
She further called on the party’s incoming national executives to strengthen the NPP’s core values of sacrifice, honesty, integrity and dedication to national development.
Ms. Manu addressed the concerns of young party supporters, many of whom she said became discouraged following the NPP’s electoral defeat in 2024.
According to her, many young people remain eager to see the party return to power but are unwilling to support internal conflicts driven by personal ambitions.
She urged party elders to place the interests of the NPP above their individual goals and to demonstrate leadership that attracts rather than alienates members.
“The NPP is bigger than any one of us. It always has been. Our collective responsibility is to act like it,” she stated.
By: Jacob Aggrey
