How this Kwahu indigene moved from the streets of Adabraka to become CEO of UGMC

He may not have directly grown up at Kwahu, but all of the achievements and giant strides Dr. Darius Kofi Osei has made to date, particularly in the path of his career, have brought a lot of pride to his indigenous people.

From the streets of Adabraka in Accra, through to the recently war-torn eastern European country of Ukraine, his hard work and perseverance has seen him become the first Chief Executive Office of the University of Ghana Medical Center (UGMC).

Already, he has been able to bring the hospital to an enviable place today, especially looking back on what the picture looked like when he first walked in there some 5 years ago.

But first, let us take a look at the story of his formative years, as well as the journey that has led him here.

Dr. Darius Kofi Osei had a sit-down with Odame Agyare, on his Kwahu Ambassador channel, as he shared his story.

“I am a native of Kwahu; I am from Obo… I am currently the head of my family house… my mother’s sister’s son is Mark Assibey-Yeboah, and we all come from the same house.

“I didn’t grow up at Obo at all. All I realised growing up was that my mother was a teacher in Accra, at a school in Accra just around the UTC. She taught there until she went on retirement. I am the oldest of three boys and that is where we all schooled until I left for middle school at Amuzudai, on the Kojo Thompson Road at Adabraka.

“I went to St. Peter’s in 1974; September 26… and in 1981, as you remember, on December 31, Rawlings led a coup that forced all universities to shut down. All university students had to go to cocoa growing arrears to carry cocoa and for some of us, it was through this that we were able to travel overseas,” he narrated.

Dr. Darius Kofi Osei continued his story by explaining how he found himself in Ukraine to read medicine.

He said that upon completing his education, he returned to Ghana in November 1990, and did his two-years house job at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital.

“In November 1992, I went to the Kwahu Government Hospital at Atibie, until 2002. I went there as a young medical officer, rose to become a senior medical officer, and then a medical superintendent of the hospital. During my time there, the Atibie hospital became so attractive that hospitals came for a study tour of the facility.

“This was between the period of 1995 to 1996. Through that, I won a scholarship to go to the UK to study for a Hospital Management Master’s at the Leeds University.

“On my return to Ghana, I was posted to the Inter Bethel Hospital at Cape Coast in 2002. While there, I used the opportunity to take other courses at the university. In 2006, I left for the SSNIT hospital at Osu,” he added.

With his ingenuity, he was able to expand the single branch of the hospital to 6 other clinics.

After 12 and half years, he was able to make the SSNIT Hospital become autonomous of the institution that set it up.

In 2018, he got a call to head the UGMC.

“When I came, I was the only one here. After a few hurdles, on July 18, 2018, we officially started the hospital, and we prepare to mark 5 years after its operationalisation, today, we have a staff of about 1300: about 200 doctors and about 600 nurses,” he added.

Dr. Darius Kofi Osei believes that his ability to operate more as a leader than a manager, inspiring all he has worked with.

Watch the full interview below:



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AE/KPE