He converted a van into a mobile medical clinic. Now, he’s bringing care to thousands in rural Ghana

He converted a van into a mobile medical clinic. Now, he’s bringing care to thousands in rural Ghana

Somerset, NJ CNN — Growing up in a small village in northern Ghana, Osei Boateng watched many of his family members and neighbors struggle to access basic health care. In many regions of the country, it can take hours to get to the nearest hospital.

Boateng said many people lost their lives due to preventable or treatable diseases. His grandmother and aunt were among them.

“My grandmother was a very big part of my life,” said Boateng, 28. “It was very hard when we lost her, and it was due to something that could have been easily prevented. That is the painful part of it.”

The average life expectancy in Ghana is 64 years old, and the most common causes of death are largely treatable conditions, such as malaria, stroke, and respiratory infections.

Feeling an urgent call to help, Boateng decided he would make it his life’s mission to bring health care to remote communities in Ghana. He worked hard in school and got a scholarship to study biology at Cornell University in the US.

“I was learning a lot about high-tension diabetes and things that people back home didn’t know they could die from,” said Boateng, who ultimately earned his master’s in Healthcare Administration.