The Medical University of Warsaw has joined the international initiative of the Omenaa Foundation, whose goal is to support children in Ghana. The Health for Hope project, implemented at the Child Protection Center and Kids Haven School, combines medical, educational, and volunteer activities, creating a unique space for developing professional competence and shaping the social sensitivity of future physicians.
Principles of Health for Hope
“This is one of our most important and key collaborations, combining education, medicine, and humanitarian aid. I believe that thanks to joint efforts with the Medical University of Warsaw, children in Ghana will have access to professional medical care, which will improve their quality of life, and future and current medical professionals will gain valuable experience,” says Omenaa Mensah, founder of the Omenaa Foundation.
As part of the collaboration, representatives of the Medical University of Warsaw traveled to Africa: Prof. Michał Grąt, Vice Rector for internationalization, promotion, and development, Prof. Zbigniew Gaciong, Rector of WUM in 2020–2024 and medical adviser to the Omenaa Foundation, Dr. hab. Joanna Peradzyńska, Vice Dean of the Faculty of Dental Medicine, and Dr. hab. Jacek Sieńko, Vice Dean of the Faculty of Medicine. The WUM team provided medical consultations, screening examinations, and educational workshops focused on hygiene, disease prevention, and promoting a healthy lifestyle. The project and volunteer coordinator is Vanessa Mensah, a WUM student who, like her mother, continues the mission of providing aid in Africa with great commitment.
“The involvement of the Medical University of Warsaw in the Health for Hope project is a natural part of our mission of educating physicians in the spirit of social responsibility and global solidarity. We believe that a medical university not only treats and teaches but also responds meaningfully to the needs of communities that face limited access to health care. Our presence in Ghana expresses the conviction that knowledge and empathy can cross national borders, and joint efforts with partners such as the Omenaa Foundation have the power to create lasting change,” says Prof. Michał Grąt, Vice Rector of WUM.
Educational workshops
During their stay in Ghana, the university faculty conducted educational workshops for children from Kids Haven School and Blessed Laura Catholic School in Tema. The classes, adapted to the participants’ age, addressed important topics related to health and the functioning of the human body:
- “How blood flows in the human body” – presented by Prof. Zbigniew Gaciong, specialist in internal medicine and hypertension;
- “We breathe together – clean air is life” – presented by Dr. hab. Joanna Peradzyńska, pediatrician and pediatric pulmonologist;
- “How my body works – I am a superhero on the inside too” – presented by Prof. Michał Grąt, transplant surgeon;
- “Where do babies come from?” – presented by Dr. hab. Jacek Sieńko, obstetrician-gynecologist – a discussion about pregnancy, reproduction, and birth adapted to the age of the group.
The WUM expert team also included Kamila Szczawińska, a psychologist and psychotherapist in training, who collaborates with the Omenaa Foundation. Together with Dr. hab. Jacek Sieńko, she led workshops on the physiology of puberty in girls. The classes were interdisciplinary, combining medical and psychological perspectives. The instructors also addressed the topic of pregnancy prevention in a way that was accessible and respectful of local cultural norms.
“Our joint workshop, which was initially intended to be a modest addition to the other activities, became an important part of the educational program of the past week,” says Dr. hab. Jacek Sieńko. “Gynecological issues identified during an informal conversation with the participants quickly turned into a multidisciplinary consultation involving gynecology, pediatrics, surgery, and psychology held shortly afterward in the medical office. And this concerns only a dozen girls cared for at the center,” he adds.
“This is a milestone not only for children in Ghana, who will gain access to professional medical care, but also an important chapter for our students – future physicians for whom this will be a valuable lesson in empathy, intercultural cooperation, and social responsibility,” emphasizes Prof. Zbigniew Gaciong. “Ghana has reported specific needs, and our university will respond to them. Perhaps soon we will be able to launch an educational program that will allow physicians to gain unique experience because the Ghanaian community faces health issues that we do not encounter in Poland,” he adds.
Health check examinations
In addition to theoretical classes, the physicians also performed health check examinations that included basic medical history, anthropometric measurements, and comprehensive physical examinations. This thorough assessment made it possible to initially determine the health status of the children and provide them with individualized preventive health recommendations.
“We assessed the children’s health status and nutritional condition and found that thanks to daily care and the commitment of local caregivers, most of them are in good health. For some children, this was the first medical examination in their lives. We are also planning additional screening tests, including ultrasound evaluation of abdominal organs and spirometry, which is particularly important given the high level of air pollution in the region,” says Dr. hab. Joanna Peradzyńska. “All children, like their peers around the world, require long-term monitoring of health and development,” she adds.
The WUM team also had the opportunity to observe progress in the construction of the Doctor’s Room at the Kids Haven Sport & Art Complex, which will provide the children and the local community with permanent access to basic health care and specialist consultations. The university representatives shared their knowledge and experience related to organizing medical care at the center, advising on planning clinic spaces, staffing and specialist needs, and developing standards of care for children and adolescents.
Meeting with UGMC representatives
During the visit to Ghana, a meeting was also held with representatives of the University of Ghana Medical Centre (UGMC). During the discussions, the parties declared their intention to establish trilateral cooperation between the Medical University of Warsaw, the Omenaa Foundation, and UGMC. Planned activities include student exchanges, clinical internships, and joint initiatives at the Kids Haven Sport & Art Complex in the area of medical support for the foundation’s beneficiaries.
“Each university brings unique expertise that can successfully contribute to the development of educational opportunities for Polish students and provide specialist support for physicians in Accra (UGMC),” notes Prof. Michał Grąt.
“As of 2026, the project initiated by the Omenaa Foundation and WUM will be expanded to include a volunteer and internship program for Polish medical students, who will be able to gain clinical experience while providing assistance in regions with limited access to health care,” adds Vanessa Mensah.
Establishing cooperation with WUM physicians will be a milestone in diagnosing children.
“The visit of physicians from Poland was a tremendous support for us. Thanks to their professional examinations, we were able to accurately determine the condition of the children and outline the next steps regarding medical care and rehabilitation. This is extremely important because each of these children carries a history of violence, hunger, and suffering, and now, for the first time in their lives, they are receiving a real chance at health and a dignified life,” summarizes Damian Kurpiewski, Managing Director of the Omenaa Foundation LBG in Ghana.
Photos: Alexandra Dolny
