Twenty health professionals from across Ghana are coming back to their communities energized and ready to transform healthcare through entrepreneurship and innovation.
These professionals recently completed an intensive, week-long Community Health Entrepreneurship (CHE) Short Course, a flagship initiative of the Africa Health Collaborative’s Health Employment Pillar at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), supported by the Mastercard Foundation.
We caught up with some of the participants to hear how the training is changing their mindset and fuelling their ambitions.
Portia Tunkumgnen Tom, a Community Health Nurse at the Tolon District Hospital “Healthcare is more than just treating illness, it’s about creating solutions.”
Portia’s eyes have been opened to new possibilities. “Before this, I thought healthcare was simply about treating the sick. Now, I see how entrepreneurship can fill systemic gaps and empower communities,” she says passionately.
Makafui Dawoe, Dentist, at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital “Tools to break through barriers and build impact.”
Makafui felt stuck in recurring cycles with projects at his division. “The training gave me practical frameworks to structure ideas and build partnerships. I believe we can finally break the cycle and drive real change,” he shares confidently.
Louis Asantewaa Opare, from the Holy Family Hospital “Fuelling school-based health initiatives with new skills.”
Louis plans to apply his new knowledge to strengthen oral health programs in schools, a project close to his heart.
Dr. Rosemary Appau, Dental Surgeon with the University of Ghana Dental School “Critical thinking and collaboration, game changers for my practice.”
With over ten years’ experience, Dr. Appau highlights how the course sharpened her planning and problem-solving skills, which she’s eager to integrate into her teaching and clinical work.
Samuel Bonna Junior Adu, a Senior Laboratory Scientist “Spotting hidden challenges, crafting real solutions.”
Samuel explains, “Many problems in our system aren’t obvious. This training taught me how to identify those invisible gaps and respond with practical, entrepreneurial solutions.”
The week-long short course, under the Health Employment Pillar lead by Dr. Kofi Akohene Mensah, aims to build the capacity of healthcare workers not only to deliver quality care but also to become innovators and leaders in addressing health challenges in their communities.
Dr. Kofi Akohene Mensah, added a call to action: “Per the knowledge you’ve gotten, go back, think through and ask yourself, what can I do for myself to create business for myself? Just start basic screening and start something everyone can afford. We are interested in knowing the impact, don’t hesitate to share with us.”
Participants were drawn from various regions and disciplines, including nursing, dentistry, public health, and laboratory science.
Dr. Marion Okoh-Owusu, Director of the Ghana Health Service in the Bono East Region, urged participants to confront the realities of the healthcare system.
“If you sit here and think there are no challenges in the health system, then it means you don’t know the system,” she said. “This training is about finding those challenges and turning them into opportunities to innovate.”
She urged participants to apply their knowledge not only to improve their service delivery but to engage their communities and supervisors effectively to make lasting impact.
Dr. Okoh-Owusu commended the initiative for aligning with the Ghana Health Service’s strategic goals. “This model of empowering community health workers with entrepreneurial skills is not just timely, it’s transformative. We are looking to you for results, results that will justify the replication of this programme for future cohorts.”
Throughout the programme, participants were exposed to critical thinking, problem analysis tools such as the problem tree, design thinking, and the hybrid business model canvas.
