Edumafa

  • Overview
  • Medical
  • Dental
  • Water
  • Business
  • Public Health

Overview

Edumafa is located near the coast in the Central Region of  Ghana. A typical house in Edumafa is made of concrete blocks, mud bricks, or wood. People in Edumafa are primarily dedicated to farming, fish mongering, and day labor. There is a health clinic located in the community. When Global Brigades began working in Edumafa, there were 4 standpipes in the community that provided access to safe drinking water. The water system was inadequate for the population and community members still had to walk a long distance to retrieve water. Around 1% of homes have their own toilet facilities. There is no community bank in Edumafa that offers savings and loans services. The community expressed that their top needs are household toilets and household water connections.

District: Ekumfi

Region: Central

Homes : 500
Population : 775
Water System : Yes (limited)
Community Bank : No
Electricity : Yes
Health Center : Yes
Midwife at clinic : No
Homes with toilet facility : 1%
Education : N/A
Nearest GB lodging facility : Weda Lodge

Medical

Program Status

  • Planning
  • Active
  • Complete

HEALTH CARE ACCESS:

There are two types of public health clinics available to rural Ghanaians: Health Centers and Community-Based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) compounds. Health Centers serve large geographic areas within a district and are staffed by physicians. CHPS compounds serve small clusters of communities and are staffed by live-in nurses. The nurses provide basic services and, if capacity allows, they conduct home visits to families in the communities. 

Even with this coverage, it is important to note that medications, equipment, and essential infrastructure are often not available in these clinics and the physician density in Ghana remains around 0.2 physicians per 1,000 people. According to the World Health Organization, there should be a minimum of 2.3 physicians per 1,000 people to qualify a country as having adequate access to medical attention.

Another key factor for health care access in Ghana is insurance. Ghana’s National Health Insurance plan offers universal coverage, but few rural community members are actively enrolled. During Medical Brigades, community members are educated about the benefits of health insurance and are encouraged to enrol (or re-enroll) in the National Health Insurance Plan.

Edumafa has a CHPS Zone compound which is staffed by nurses but does not have a midwife. The most common illnesses in Edumafa are malaria and arthritis.

136

Volunteers

2498

Patient Consultations

426

Vision Screenings Provided

34

Health Education Workshops

BRIGADE INFORMATION

Brigaders observe as GB Ghana Medical Program Manager, Dr. Cornelius, provides a patient consultation at the Narkwa Health Center

Medical Brigade clinics are hosted in Edumafa’s CHPS Compound. Volunteers assist local doctors and community nurses to serve patients at each station of the clinic. Each day of the brigade, an average of 2 educational workshops are facilitated with the clinic’s patients.

  • AVERAGE PATIENTS ATTENDED: 441

MEDICAL/DENTAL VOLUNTEERS IN EDUMAFA:

Chapter Date # Of Volunteers Chapter Date # Of Volunteers
Wayne State University July 2017 35 DePaul University June 2018 29
UK Professional June 2019 9 University of Colorado Springs January 2022 23
University of Missouri May 2023 26 North Carolina State University May 2025 14

Dental

Program Status

  • Planning
  • Active
  • Complete

DENTAL CARE ACCESS:

In working closely with the medical program, the dental program provides fillings, extractions, and fluoride treatments as a standard part of medical brigades. Most community members do not have regular access to dental care due to the lack of dentist within a reasonable distance.

28

Patient Consultations

9

Number of Extractions

9

Dental Education Workshops

MEDICAL/DENTAL VOLUNTEERS IN EDUMAFA:

Chapter Date # Of Volunteers Chapter Date # Of Volunteers
Wayne State University July 2017 35 DePaul University June 2018 29
UK Professional June 2019 9 University of Colorado Springs January 2022 23
University of Missouri May 2023 26 North Carolina State University May 2025 14

Water

Program Status

  • Planning
  • Active
  • Complete

Global Brigades is working on the implementation of the Holistic Model in Edumafa, but has not yet begun with the Water Brigades program.  Now in the planning phase, implementation of a water solution will start as soon as feasible.

Water System : Yes
System Type : Standpipes
Homes connected to water : 1.2%
Water Council : No

Business

Program Status

  • Planning
  • Active
  • Complete

Global Brigades is working on the implementation of the Holistic Model in Edumafa but has not yet begun with the Business Brigades program. Now in the planning phase, a market study and the establishment of a community business will start as soon as feasible.

Community Bank : No
Community Bank Members : N/A
Economic Activities : farming, fish mongering
Existing microenterprises : N/A

Public Health

Program Status

  • Planning
  • Active
  • Complete

Global Brigades is working on the implementation of the Holistic Model in Edumafa but has not yet begun with the Public Health Brigades program. Now in the planning phase, implementation of a public health solution will start as soon as feasible.

Homes with toilet facility : 1%
Common house materials : concrete, mud bricks, wood

Local Reference Points

View the map to see the closest volunteer lodging facilities, hospitals, and other relevant points of reference.

  • Feature

The Largest Movement for Global Health and Holistic Development

“Global Brigades” refers to one or more Global Brigades entities, each of which is a separate and independent legal entity; “Global Brigades, Inc.,” “Global Brigades Health and Development,” “Global Brigades UK,” “GBO Ghana,” “Asociacion Global Brigadas de Honduras,” and “Fundacion Brigadas Globales de Panama”. Global Brigades Health and Development (“Global Brigades Canada”) is a federally registered Canadian charity independent from Global Brigades Inc.

Guidestar 2021