Sanford Health plans to develop at least 300 clinics in Ghana. In the last two months alone, the Sioux Falls, S.D.-based health system has opened 12 for a total of 17 clinics in the West African nation, according to the Argus Leader.
Sanford Health's growing presence in Ghana is part of a larger goal: "To be the No. 1 primary healthcare provider in the country," said Jim Slack, vice president of Sanford Health International Clinics, told the Argus Leader.
The health system launched Sanford International Clinics in 2007 with a $400 million gift from T. Denny Sanford. The initiative, with the mission to provide healthcare to underserved populations around the world, has forged a new relationship with Global Health Corps.
GHC, a New York City-based nonprofit founded in 2009 and led by Barbara Pierce Bush, daughter of former President George W. Bush, stations professionals from Africa and the U.S. in yearlong paid fellowships to work with local organizations to enhance access to healthcare services and improve health outcomes. Approximately 600 fellows have participated in GHC, working in the U.S., Rwanda, Uganda, Malawi and Zambia.
GHC plans to work with Sanford Health to help develop healthcare providers and implement best practices for EMRs, supply chain management, clinical education and standardization for medication, according to the report.
Sanford Health has been working in Ghana since 2012. Its healthcare infrastructure there is comprised of a network of clinics staffed by Ghanaian medical professionals. Roughly half of the clinic facilities are newly built, and the others are renovated existing buildings. Much of the healthcare Sanford Health providers deliver is through telehealth, according to the report.