The University of Ghana Medical Centre (UGMC) has successfully performed Ghana’s first-ever Laparoscopic Gastric Sleeve surgery, a groundbreaking procedure that marks a major milestone in the country’s fight against obesity.

The surgery, conducted on Friday, July 25, 2025, involved a 30-member medical team which was led by Dr Kennedy Ondede, Head of the Surgery Department at the Kenyatta National Hospital in Nairobi, Kenya.

The team also included Dr Dominic Darkwa, a General Surgeon Consultant at UGMC, and Dr Emmanuel Nachelleh, Head of UGMC’s Surgery Department.

In a graphiconline.com report on July 27, 2025, Dr Ondede explained that the Laparoscopic Gastric Sleeve surgery was done through a small opening, referred to as pinhole, of not more than one centimetre.

A portion of the patient’s stomach, approximately 80 per cent, was removed to restrict food intake and aid significant weight loss.

“The advantage of this method is that it is minimally invasive. We are able to see inside the patient’s body using a camera and perform the entire procedure without needing to open up the abdomen,” Dr Ondede explained.

He noted that this technique not only reduces the stomach size but also forces the body to burn excess fat, ultimately leading to a healthier body weight.

“If the patient doesn't eat more than necessary, the fat will be burned off naturally,” he said.

Dr Ondede emphasised the long-term health benefits of the procedure, including a reduced risk of heart disease, diabetes, joint problems, and respiratory issues.

“When patients reduce weight, they stand the chance of avoiding these situations and have renewed life,” he stated.

The surgery comes amid rising obesity rates in Ghana. According to Dr Ondede, an estimated 17 to 25 per cent of the population is obese. He attributed this to poor diet and increasingly sedentary lifestyles, stressing the need for lifestyle changes and early interventions.

He also encouraged individuals struggling with obesity to consider medical solutions where conventional methods have failed.

“If you are obese and cannot reduce it through exercise or diet, we will assess you and determine whether surgery is the best option,” he indicated.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), a body mass index (BMI) above 25 is considered overweight, and above 30 is obese.

In 2019 alone, an estimated five million deaths from non-communicable diseases were linked to high BMI.

Global obesity rates have surged in recent decades, with adult obesity more than doubling and child obesity quadrupling between 1990 and 2022.

UGMC’s landmark surgery is part of broader efforts to tackle Ghana’s rising burden of non-communicable diseases and to provide advanced medical interventions locally.

MRA/VPO

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