Health Directorate in Ghana Receives Medical Supplies from The Church

In the remote community of Daboase in the Western Region of Ghana, the Wassa East Health Directorate celebrated the donation of critical medical equipment from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The handing over ceremony, held on 18 August, 2025, brought together local traditional leaders, government officials, and health professionals whose grateful spirits were undampened by the rainy weather.

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One of the most pressing challenges facing health delivery in this underserved area is the lack of vaccine management fridges. Vaccines are critical in this area helping prevent diseases and saving lives, but healthcare providers have had difficulty maintaining vaccine potency and cold chain requirements, thus causing spoilage and waste. The Health Directorate serves nearly 110,000 residents in 246 communities spread across the area and administers nearly 4,400 vaccines yearly, out of which 366 per month are for children. The Church’s donation of 5 vaccine fridges helps to ensure that vaccines remain viable.

In addition to addressing storage needs for vaccines, The Church’s donation tackled issues related to the adequate and timely process of record keeping, which is increasingly digital. Efficient electronic data management informs appropriate decision making in healthcare delivery and allows the Health Directorate to tie into some of Ghana’s national healthcare systems, enabling healthcare workers to enter, process, analyze, and make efficient use of health data.

As the handover ceremony began, Mr. Emmanuel Affelkum, District Health Director, graciously acknowledged The Church’s donation saying the donation could not have come at a more critical time.  He continued: “Distinguished guests, this donation is more than just equipment. It is an investment in the health system, strengthening the existing structures and sustaining our gains over the foreseeable future. It is an expression of solidarity with the black communities and we want to identify the church with that for their generous contributions. It is a legacy that will live on in the improved health and well-being of our people.

“On behalf of the Wassa East Health Directorate, I once again want to extend my deepest appreciation to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for this timely and impactful donation. We assure you that these items will be used responsibly and effectively for the benefit of our people, especially the most vulnerable.”

President Jacob Helland, President of the Ghana Takoradi Mission of the Church in which Daboase lies, offered some remarks that reminded the audience that Jesus taught us that when praying to God, we should address him as our Heavenly Father. He explained that if God is our father, that makes us all children of the same Father and thus, we are all brothers and sisters. 

Then, in telling the audience about the Lord’s other sheep in the Americas, he quoted King Benjamin’s declaration in Mosiah 2:17, “And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God.”

He then explained: “When we serve and help each other, we are actually serving God. We are pleasing Him. That is why we are here: to bless you with this donation as you have blessed us. We are grateful to know you. We are grateful for your hospitality in this wonderful country.”

In his remarks, President John Ankrah, Second Counselor in the Sofokrom Ghana Stake, reaffirmed President Helland’s comments by referencing Matthew 25: 34 and shared the Savior’s words: “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”

The Queen Mother of Daboase, Nana Ama Animah II, helped bring the ceremony to a climax with her remarks and then added: “I am a member of the Wasaa East District. As for you, you are from God. We thank you. May the Lord richly treat you and reward you for what you have done.”

The final remarks of the ceremony came from Mr. Affelkum again who declared: “we will support the cause of the gospel by propagating this donation to all the communities.”