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Prof Afua Adwo Jectey Hesse …First Ghanaian trained female Paediatric Surgoen opens up on impactful career
Prof Afua Adwo Jectey Hesse, delivering an address
Working as a Paediatric Surgeon was God’s plan for my life because l was told by my parents that at the age of four, l had indicated l would become a paediatric surgeon. It is so surprising that l knew nothing about it so l inferred that it was God who had directed my thoughts.”
These are the words of a genius and no wonder Prof Afua Adwo Jeckey Hesse became the first in all her fields of endeavour.
She is the first Ghanaian trained female Paediatric Surgeon, the first female to head the Department of Surgery at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital and the first female to head the Paediatric Surgery Department at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital.
She is also the first female to work as the Director of Medical Affairs, Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, and the first female to Act as the Chief Executive Officer at the hospital.
She is presently the President of Accra College of Medicine (ACM).
EDUCATION
Prof Afua Adwo Ajectey- Hesse who turns 70 this year was born in Kumasi to Prof Kwadwo Asare Jectey Nyarko and Mrs Agnes Jectey Nyarko of blessed memory.
Her father was a lecturer in Geography at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi while her mother taught at the Basic School in the same university.
When her father had the opportunity to study for his Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in France, he took the family along because he wanted his children to get the necessary exposure to the outside world.
After the completion of the course, the family returned to Ghana. She enrolled at the Wesley Girls’ High School and sat for the Ordinary Level and later completed the Advanced Level certificate in 1969.
She entered the University of Ghana Medical School and graduated in Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB) in 1976. She did her house job at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital.
While working as a Demonstrator in Anatomy at the Anatomy Department, University of Ghana Medical School, she wrote the primary examination and later gained admission to do her Postgraduate studies at the Royal College of Surgeons in the United Kingdom.
She later read Management Studies at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) and the School of Management in London.
WORK ABROAD
She got married to Prof Adukwei I.F. Hesse in 1978 and when her husband went to Birmingham in the United Kingdom to study for his postgraduate programme in Physiology, she joined him with their two sons.
While lecturing in Birmingham as a Senior House Officer, within three years, she had sat for the Fellowship Examination at the Royal College of Surgeons in Birmingham.
Prof Jectey Hesse worked as a Clinical Fellow in Paediatric Surgeon. She again worked as Clinical Fellow in Clinical Surgery and Paediatric Surgery in the Bristol Royal Hospital.
In 1998, she and the husband returned to Ghana with their four children and applied to the University of Ghana to lecture. Her husband was employed in the Department of Medicine ( Internal Medicine), and taught Physiology also, while she worked in the Paediatric Surgery Department at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital.
Coincidentally, the Head of Paediatric Surgery Department who was her tutor, left unceremoniously and the mantle fell on her to head the department.
EXPERIENCE
She said it was an arduous task working continuously as a paediatric surgeon with no time to rest. Later, she had to recruit more doctors and nurses to assist her in the department and ensured that the staff were exposed to some of the best practices outside the country.
She said she had never wavered going through all the disciplines in medicine.
“In paediatric surgery, a child comes to the hospital with a problem and when you operate on the child or you correct the problem, the next day the child is ready to go and play football. In this situation, the anxious parents would like to find out whether the child should be allowed to play or not,” she said.
Prof Jectey Hesse explained that there was no regret working as a Paediatric Surgeon because she attached professionalism to her work and the relief given to parents and their sick children had provided her a lot of satisfaction. Additionally, working with her hands to see a little child get better was a wonderful activity which she took delight in.
Though on retirement, she is a part-time lecturer at the University of Ghana Medical School and still has so much to pass on to the younger generation as long as God gives her the strength to do what she loved doing best.
CHALLENGES
She explained that the Paediatric Surgery Department took care of newborn babies up to 13 years.
She said the challenges in the department included the clinical condition the patient was identified with, you could diagnose the condition and prescribe medication for the patient, but the parents could not purchase the medicine, and having completed a nice job, the post-operative management of the case could be problematic because the parents could not provide the needed items.
Prof Jectey Hesse intimated that there were occasions she had to use her money in support of needy children on admission in the hospital, and this situation had occasioned the establishment of a Special Fund in the department in support of needy children.
ACCRA COLLEGE OF MEDICINE
When asked what motivated the family to establish the Accra College of Medicine, she said one of her sons had expressed concern that there were many students who had applied to the medical schools in Ghana with good grades but could not gain admission to the public medical schools because of the cut-off point, so he asked why couldn’t the family establish a school to cater for some of these students.
She said the family decided to manage the academic part of the university while other stakeholders provide the financial part. That was the vision to get stakeholders who would provide the needed funds for this laudable project, hence the coming into being of the Accra College of Medicine.
“By the grace of God, the school has graduated 28 medical doctors from three batches. The main thing is about their work ethics and high character,” she said.
GRATITUDE
According to her, some of her former students were grateful for the opportunity granted them to study medicine to become doctors. They said this would not have been possible without the establishment of ACM.
Prof Jectey Hesse is a Christian whose hobbies include, reading, cooking, baking, playing the piano at her leisure and she loves singing.
She loves Ghanaian foods and cooks perfectly well without the use of additives.
She urged Ghanaians to desist from telling lies and “do what they would like to do if nobody was watching them.”
By Raymond Kyekye
The Ghana Tourism Development Company Limited (GTD) in collaboration with the Department of Organisation and Human Resource Management, University of Ghana Business School (UGBS) has marked the 2026 World Safety Day Celebration in Accra.
The event held on Tuesday, April 28, 2026 at the Cedi Conference Centre, Legon was under the theme “Good Psychosocial Working Environment: A Pathway to Thriving Workers and Strong Organizations.”
The day is observed globally to promote safe and healthy working conditions and to raise awareness about both physical and psychological risks at the workplace.
The event formed part of efforts by stakeholders to deepen national conversations on workplace safety, particularly the growing concern about psychosocial well being.
In his keynote address, the Minister for Labour, Jobs and Employment, Dr Abdul Rashid Hassan Pelpuo stressed that workers must not be treated as machines but as human beings with dignity, rights and families.
He explained that unsafe work environments marked by fear, harassment, intimidation and excessive pressure reduce productivity and weaken organisations.
He noted that although physical hazards such as faulty equipment and unsafe buildings remain a concern, psychological risks including excessive workload, bullying, job insecurity and toxic communication are equally dangerous and must be addressed.
According to him, psychological hazards are real, measurable and preventable, and should be treated with the same urgency as physical risks.
He maintained that safe and healthy working conditions are not a luxury but a fundamental right that supports productivity and social justice.
Dr Pelpuo further stated that the government remains committed to strengthening occupational safety and health systems, adding that worker wellbeing is a core responsibility of leadership and not a public relations issue.
He urged employers to create environments where dignity is protected, and workers are empowered to speak without fear.
The Dean of University of Ghana Business School, Prof Ernest Y Tweneboah Koduah noted that the school is committed to shaping a better world of work that is equitable, productive and sustainable.
He announced that the school has secured accreditation from the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission to introduce a programme in organisational health and safety.
He explained that gaps in workplace safety in Ghana are linked to weak enforcement, underreporting and limited professional training.
He added that the new programme will equip graduates with the skills to prioritise employee wellbeing as a key organisational responsibility.
Prof Tweneboah Koduah urged organisations to assess psychosocial risks, invest in human resource capacity and create environments where workers can openly discuss mental health concerns.
He emphasised that collaboration between academia and industry is essential to addressing workplace safety challenges.
Delivering remarks on behalf of the Vice Chancellor, the Registrar of the University of Ghana, Emelia Naa Kwantsua Agyei Mensah described the event as historic, noting that it is the first time the university is marking the global observance.
She explained that the focus on psychosocial wellbeing reflects current realities in the world of work.
She stated that employee health, including mental and emotional wellbeing, directly affects productivity, morale and institutional performance.
Mrs Agyei Mensah added that the university is committed to creating a safe and supportive environment for staff and students, beyond minimum legal requirements.
She called on leaders to reflect on the kind of workplaces they create and to prioritise the wellbeing of employees.
CEO of the GTDC, Prof Kobby on his part noted that its participation aligns with its commitment under the Riyadh Declaration, which calls on member states to improve infrastructure and public safety, as well as enhance services, transport, connectivity and accessibility.
He indicated that the company intends to use the platform to highlight Ghana’s readiness to implement the declaration, with a strong focus on worker safety and wellbeing as a foundation for sustainable tourism development.
The event brought together policymakers, academics, industry players and students to discuss strategies for improving workplace safety and promoting healthier work environments across the country.
By: Jacob Aggrey
The Ghana Armed Forces has confirmed that an escort convoy protecting civilians was attacked in Binduri in the Upper East Region, leaving three people dead.
In a press release issued on April 27, 2026, the military said the convoy, which was escorting about 140 civilians from Bawku to Bolgatanga, came under gunfire from unknown attackers.
It said the attackers shot at the convoy several times, killing three of the civilians being escorted and injuring one other person.
According to the statement, soldiers returned fire and were able to repel the attack. In the process, seven of the assailants were killed.
The military added that during a follow-up operation, weapons and ammunition were retrieved from a suspect who had taken refuge in a mosque.
The items included a G3 rifle, two loaded magazines, and additional rounds of ammunition.
It said ten other suspects have been arrested and are assisting with investigations.
The Ghana Armed Forces cautioned the public against engaging the military or any security agency during operations.
It extended condolences to the families of those who lost their lives and wished the injured person a speedy recovery.
By: Jacob Aggrey
