A Medical Mission of Love in Ghana
The presence of Orthodoxy in Ghana is small but vibrant and has been steadily growing in recent decades. Ghana falls under the Holy Metropolis of Accra, which also includes Ivory Coast and Mali. Orthodoxy in Ghanaian society may not be large in numbers, yet it enjoys an excellent reputation thanks to its multifaceted charitable and other work. Therefore, in the summer of 2025, we chose to support the Orthodox flock of Ghana by organizing an extensive humanitarian medical mission, which was crowned with absolute success with God’s help.
Our 9-member medical team would first like to extend our warmest thanks to the Orthodox Foreign Mission Fraternity, which consistently supported us in every possible way, even covering the costs of additional luggage for the transport of pharmaceutical supplies, and providing official support in bureaucratic procedures necessary for achieving our ambitious goal.
The team, consisting of 7 young resident doctors from various public hospitals in Athens with diverse backgrounds (general medicine, general surgery, anesthesiology, ophthalmology, pathology), an excellent nurse, and a dedicated secretary and all-around assistant, selflessly offered primary healthcare services to patients in Ghanaian territory, traveling distances of up to 6 hours by road. All participants covered their own transportation costs to Ghana and any other financial obligations that arose before and during the Mission.
To carry out this endeavor, we worked under the auspices of the Holy Metropolis of Accra, which provided us with accommodation, meals, necessary transportation, and translators to facilitate communication with the indigenous patients. The contribution of His Eminence Metropolitan Daniel of Accra was crucial both in notifying the mission to the state authorities of Ghana and in addressing any bureaucratic obstacles that arose, allowing us to proceed unimpeded in the practice of our medical science.
Our team collected the necessary medical and pharmaceutical supplies, which were transported in the personal luggage of its members. A total of 24 suitcases weighing 20 kg each (approximately 480 kg) of pharmaceutical supplies were collected, originating from donations from numerous charitable organizations and individuals, from the purchase of medical and pharmaceutical supplies thanks to financial assistance received from individuals, as well as from organizations such as Pharmacists of the World, GIVMED, local parishes and social pharmacies, and recognized pharmaceutical companies that responded to our call for assistance.
Through this unprecedented mobilization and with the continuous help of the Orthodox Foreign Mission Fraternity, we managed to gather the aforementioned substantial pharmaceutical aid to examine a total of 1,600 patients and to leave a significant quantity of medicines in Ghana for their needs throughout the year, alongside the primary healthcare counseling we provided. With the tireless assistance of His Eminence Daniel, the support of the clergy of the Metropolis of Ghana, and the staff and youth of various parishes, we visited a total of seven different settlements, both near and more remote from the capital Accra, conducting daily clinics and examining all residents who came, regardless of religion, race, or local dialect. The residents always awaited us with impatience and enthusiasm, full of hope that our remedies would alleviate any ailment they suffered.
We must note that our activity was featured in numerous articles in local Ghanaian media and also in our scheduled meeting with the Minister of Health of Ghana. This reflects the radiance of Orthodoxy in the country and the recognition of its contribution to improving the living standards of its inhabitants.
Finally, we owe a great thank you to the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which, through the Greek Consulate in Accra and the honorable Consul Ms. Marianna Gavriil, as well as the Z2 Directorate of Development and Humanitarian Actions/Projects, facilitated our work in the Black Continent and welcomed us with warmth and understanding.
We hope to be able to carry out similar missions in the future in provinces of the Patriarchate that are in need of medical coverage, with the primary goal of strengthening the presence of Orthodoxy in inaccessible and foreign places, as well as promoting and representing our country, which, despite its own challenges, has stood and continues to stand by every persecuted person. Because Greece must and should stand out everywhere, to the ends of the earth, through the work and passion of its people.
The members of the mission
Ioannis Evgenidis
Olga Mourtzouni
Yasmin-Sofia Manafi-Onsoroundi
Elena-Nadia Derdera
Anastasia Rokou
Christina Avgoustou
Fragkiskos Frantzis
Marianna Drositi
Foteini Mouratidou
