A Son of Ghana Returns

Comment Print E-mail

With more than a million frequent-flyer miles to his credit, Kofi Gyan arguably lives not in the United States or his native Ghana—the two countries where he spends most of his time—but somewhere in the air between them. That’s because Gyan, MPH ’96, is on a mission to improve the health system of his homeland and the health of his fellow Ghanaians. As program manager for all UM health-related programs in Ghana, he’s uniquely able to do both.

Gyan is especially keen to help lift the burden of infant and maternal mortality in Ghana. The problem is particularly severe in rural areas, where physicians and medical facilities are scarce, and women often can’t get the help they need for conditions like eclampsia and postpartum hemorraghing. In parts of the country there is just one doctor for a population of 200,000, says Gyan, who is collaborating with the UM Center for Global Health and SPH Associate Professor Rachel Snow on a Gates Foundation grant to increase the number of doctors in rural Ghana. Gyan also works closely with Tim Johnson, chair of the UM Medical School’s Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and other UM medical faculty and students to help train physicians, midwives, and medical personnel in Ghana.

“Any given year, I live about six months in Ghana and six months in the U.S.,” Gyan says. “I help Ghana more this way than if I lived there. Right now two UM emergency medicine doctors are in Ghana training eight Ghana doctors. Family medicine physicians have been to Ghana three times—also physical medicine doctors and orthopedic surgeons. Faculty and students ask lots of questions before they go over. I tell them who to see. I make things happen, more or less. I tell them to forget about your morning hot shower and this Internet on demand—because you won’t get all those things. What UM faculty and students take away from Ghana is how privileged they are. They also learn a lot, because a lot of the things they see there they never see here. Like eclampsia—you never see it. And infectious disease. The number one cause of death for children in the U.S. is injury. But where I’m from it’s not injury, it’s infectious disease.

29 Reader Comments

Apr 15, 2013 at 10:14 AM Posted By Amor

I am also from Africa and I want to attend U of M and be just like you. I want to help Africa by networking here and there,

Apr 16, 2012 at 10:33 AM Posted By Kofi Adom-Boakye

He is a gem. A very good person. An honorable man. God bless him

Apr 02, 2012 at 10:33 AM Posted By Afua Quantson Kunadu

congrats Uncle Kofi

May 28, 2011 at 06:04 PM Posted By WUSUWE ROBERT

Ghana need you now more than ever.May the good LORD bless you and give long LIFE to acomplish your mission and acheive your dreams.

Apr 10, 2011 at 11:05 PM Posted By Maame A. Adom-Boakye

I couldnt have been more proud of you Dr.Gyan. Ghana more than needs more physicians especially for the rural areas. Kudos !

Jan 20, 2011 at 10:55 PM Posted By Akosua Anim Kusi-Amankwah

A job well done. Ghana needs you.

Nov 05, 2010 at 04:47 PM Posted By Koduah Howard

After speaking to Kofi on the 5th of November, 2010, I was convinced that Dr. Gyan was a God sent Man to safe mankind. In fact, having devoted all your time and talent to man health, Prof, I know you will be blessed and rewarded accordingly by your Maker. May the God Lord bless you and may He guide you in all your travels around the globe. Long live Prof. Kofi Gyan, Long live Ghana.

Oct 22, 2010 at 09:42 AM Posted By Gharbin John

I haven't met Mr.Gyan in person,only spoke to him on the phone a couple of days ago but his words are such an encouragement and fulfilling ,I have met a few Ghanaians like him but from my experience he stands tall among them,can't wait to meet him.

Sep 10, 2010 at 10:54 AM Posted By HANATU IBRAHIM

YES! Am so proud of you kofi kutu gyan!GOD will richly bless you for all you do for the sake of others!

Aug 27, 2010 at 10:06 AM Posted By Jemima

Wemen and children in Ghana will continue to blesse you for good thought and work done. You are a life saver. Live long.

Aug 24, 2010 at 05:45 AM Posted By Emmanuel Myers (Nii)

Congratulations for a good work done.

Uncle God bless you.

Aug 23, 2010 at 12:28 PM Posted By Lucy Nelson

May the Almighty Jehovah bless you in all your ways.

Aug 22, 2010 at 09:36 PM Posted By Kofi Gyan

Keep up the good work Dad! You're truly making a difference :)

Aug 22, 2010 at 03:38 PM Posted By Theodora Mame Nyaneba Jonah

Good work done Kofi. This is the area in the M.D.Gs. in which Ghana is not doing well at all. Hoping your efforts will help Ghana make some progress.

Aug 20, 2010 at 03:22 PM Posted By Dr. Robin T. Levine (SPH '95)

Great Kofi!

Glad to see you are continuing on with your intentions and passions from many years gone by.

Aug 10, 2010 at 08:36 PM Posted By Efua Gyan

GOOD JOB DAD! You've done a lot of great work and made us all very proud :)

Aug 09, 2010 at 06:49 PM Posted By ISAAC MANDOH BOTCHEY M.D

"Now praise we great and famous men, the fathers' name in story, And praise the Lord who has now revealed in man His glory". Uncle Kofi as affectionately called has been a blessing to those of us who are associates of Global Reach. Coming to Ann Arbor was like home due to his hospitality. I believe in the next few years when the history of reforms in the health sector is being written Kofi Gyan will stand tall. One quality i admire about Kofi is his unselfishness. Kofi Gyan ; "ADIKANFO MO, MO WO AYE BI AMA YEN"- translated in english as " TRAILBLAZER , WELL DONE , MISSION ACCOMPLSIHED"

Aug 09, 2010 at 09:20 AM Posted By Esther Oswusu

I give thanks to god for the life of kofi gyan. He is selfless in his dealings with others and very dedicated to any worthy cause he finds himself to do. More grease to your elbows./

Aug 09, 2010 at 08:16 AM Posted By LaKita Pogue Jackson

Kofi, you are truly a blessing and joy to this world. I am honored to know you. Thank you for your continued dedication to serve and educate humankind! We miss u!

Aug 08, 2010 at 04:36 PM Posted By Akye Essuman

Family medicine in Ghana will forever be grateful to Kofi. He played very important roles in my visits to Michigan. Thanks Kofi for your warmth and friendship. I bet you'll read this in the air!!

Aug 06, 2010 at 05:43 PM Posted By nancy mcglothlin

Yes, Kofi. It's all about giving and you are certainly doing that. Our mission is not defined, and all we can do is follow our hearts!

Aug 06, 2010 at 04:32 PM Posted By Eunice Muriu

Great Job Kofi, you are always willing to help. Great times ahead.

Aug 06, 2010 at 03:00 PM Posted By Edith Mensah-Osman

Thank you, Kofi, for your dedication and passion!

Aug 06, 2010 at 01:15 PM Posted By Paulina Gyan

This is "essential Kofi" when he does something he gives his ALL. Great job Kofi, you've made us all proud. Continue with your good works and God Bless you!

Aug 06, 2010 at 12:46 PM Posted By Billy

Congratulations and thank you, Kofi. May the Good Lord richly bless your efforts. Please let me know when you are back in Ann Arbor, so that I can bring your grandnephew for the visit to UMich. Greetings from the family. Godspeed.

Aug 06, 2010 at 10:08 AM Posted By Andrew Haig, M.D.

Quietly and kindly and very effectively Kofi has fulfilled the core definition of 'leader' as 'someone other people follow'. The rest of us may direct programs or raise funds or mentor the students or write the papers. But it is a huge lesson in leadership to see that all of this work from engineering to medicine to the arts comes together in Ghana because of the unassuming person of Kofi Gyan, who 'just' makes it all easier.

Aug 06, 2010 at 09:55 AM Posted By Elsie (Adadzewa)

Ayekoo Kofi, I will work hard to recruit Ghanaian doctors in the diaspora to join your good work

Aug 06, 2010 at 05:20 AM Posted By JONES OFORI

He is truly a son of Ghana; working with him back home in Ghana has being such a wonderful experience. Kofi has being the gateway to most of the successful stories about Health Systems in Ghana.

Kofi is such an inspiration to many Health workers in Ghana.

Ghanaians say "AYEKOO"(BRAVO)

Jul 28, 2010 at 03:31 PM Posted By kwaku Osei Bonsu

I was sponsored by the University of Michigan to go to Ghana with Kofi Gyan to do research from May 2009 to August 2009. I saw Kofi giving out his own money to this poor child in one of the rural areas in the northern region of Ghana, later found out he adopted the child because the child's mother died during her labor. Kofi helped me and my other colleagues in our research and made it very successful. He made our stay in Ghana very fun and easy to adopt to the change in environment. Here in Michigan, he help me personally whenever he is around. All in all Kofi is a GREAT man.