Professor Oumar Diallo, a specialist skull-base neurosurgeon from Mali, was in Ghana at the invitation of the Director-General of the Ghana Health Service, Dr. Samuel Kaba Akoriyea, who is also the second Vice President of the Continental Association of African Nuerosurgical Societies(CAANS) and also the National Coordinator for Neurosurgery Residency Training, at the Faculty of Neurosurgery, Ghana College of Phsyiscians and Surgeons to support the Neurosurgery Unit of the Greater Accra Regional Hospital, Ridge, in undertaking complex brain surgeries and to contribute to the exchange of specialised neurosurgical knowledge and skills.
Prof. Diallo, who is based at Hospital du Mali in Bamako, spent two weeks working alongside the Ridge Hospital Neurosurgery team, participating in a series of complex procedures and supporting the team with his expertise in skull-base neurosurgery.
With more than 20 years of experience as a neurosurgeon, Prof. Diallo is a member of the Continental African Association of Neurosurgeons (CAANS). He also serves in several professional and leadership capacities in Mali, including Chief of the Neurosurgical Department at Hospital du Mali, President of the Malian Association of Neurosurgeons, President of the Malian Neuroscience Association, and President of Mali’s neurosurgical training programme.
His area of specialisation is skull-base neurosurgery, which involves the treatment of complex conditions affecting the base of the skull and areas around the brain, including the use of advanced minimally invasive techniques.
During his two-week stay in Ghana, Prof. Diallo participated in 12 skull-base brain surgeries at Ridge Hospital, working closely with the local neurosurgical team. His presence provided an opportunity for clinical collaboration, knowledge exchange, and skills transfer in advanced neurosurgical procedures.
One of the specialised techniques involved endoscopic endonasal surgery, in which surgeons use an endoscope to access certain tumours and lesions at the skull base through the nose and nasal passages. The approach can provide access to areas that may otherwise require more extensive surgical procedures and require specialised expertise.
The collaboration was aimed not only at supporting the immediate surgical needs of patients at Ridge Hospital but also at strengthening specialist capacity through direct interaction between experienced neurosurgeons from Ghana and Mali.
Dr. Kaba Akoriyea subsequently joined the Neurosurgery team at Ridge Hospital alongside Prof. Diallo, as they continued a series of neurosurgical procedures. His presence in the operating theatre highlighted the importance of strengthening specialist services and supporting continuous professional development within Ghana's health sector.
The Medical Director of the Greater Accra Regional Hospital, Dr. Leslie Issa Adam-Zakariah expressed appreciation for the Director-General's continued support for the hospital and its specialist services, noting the importance of such support in advancing specialist care and professional capacity.
The collaboration is also expected to extend beyond Prof. Diallo's current visit. As part of the arrangement, the Director-General has proposed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Neurosurgery Unit of Hospital du Mali and the Neurosurgery Unit of Ridge Hospital.
The proposed MoU would establish a framework for continued cooperation, including an exchange programme for neurosurgical residents from Ghana and Mali. The programme would provide opportunities for trainees from both countries to gain exposure to different clinical environments, share experiences, and develop skills in advanced neurosurgical practice.
The partnership between the two institutions reflects growing opportunities for regional collaboration in specialist healthcare and medical education. Through the sharing of expertise, technology, and clinical experience, the initiative seeks to strengthen neurosurgical capacity and improve access to advanced care.
Prof. Diallo's visit has therefore served both an immediate clinical purpose, supporting complex brain surgeries at Ridge Hospital, and a longer-term objective of building professional and institutional links between neurosurgical teams in Ghana and Mali.
The collaboration is expected to provide a foundation for sustained knowledge sharing, specialist training, and joint professional development, ultimately contributing to the strengthening of neurosurgical services and improved patient care in both countries.