NHS Doctor, Dr Guy Stanley, with a special interest in Burns and reconstructive surgery is visiting Accra in Ghana as part of a research project. Dr Stanley arrived on June 3rd as deadly floods were striking Accra. He writes from Ghana:
“I arrived in Ghana on Weds 3rd June at 8 pm, during torrential rain. I was picked up in a van, which got stuck in a river, with rising water. There were many objects, which struck the van – furniture, building materials and vegetation but fortunately we didn’t get washed away. The van did take on a lot of water and needed bailing out for 4 hours. When the flood eventually subsided, the driver and I tried to push the van out of danger and jump start it, to no avail. Consequently, I walked to my accommodation with all luggage, making the first day pretty scary and eventful. While I had a prolonged journey, I would later find out that many people lost their lives in the floods. I’m currently learning about the clinical duties required of a plastic surgeon, spending time on the wards and in theatre. This involves caring for two young victims of a tragic explosion, which killed many people, during the flooding. These patients have sustained substantial facial, thoracic and upper limb burns and are both being treated on the unit, as there are not enough Intensive Care beds available. There is a great deal of media interest and we have had visits from the presidents of Ghana and Togo as well as a delegation from Ivory Coast along with a prominent religious leader, Archbishop Nicholas Duncan-Williams.”
Dr Guy Stanley
