Scholastica Of Cocoa Clinic Honoured By A Patient

Date: 27th November 2023

Madam Mercy Nana Esi Aidoo, a client who underwent a surgical operation a year ago at the Cocoa Clinic, Accra, has presented a citation containing emotionally stimulating words to Scholastica Adusei Opoku, a Principal Nursing Officer at the Clinic. The carefully chosen words reflected the extraordinary support received from the nurse during her period of ill-health at the facility. 

‘Your sense of empathy is the perfect prescription that kept me going and facilitated my recovery process and has kept me among the living’, a portion of the citation read. 

As congratulatory messages flooded the COSSAH H/O Platform in the early hours of Monday, 6th November 2023, to celebrate her, COCOBOD News proudly associates and celebrates her accomplishment. In what appears to be contemporarily unconventional in clinical practice, Scholastica is being celebrated not only for monitoring closely and observing Mercy’s responsiveness to recovery after her operation at the Cocoa Clinic but taking upon herself the extra duty of discussing her painstaking observations with the team of surgeons who worked on her. Her extremely cogent medical suggestion is said to have confirmed her suspicion of some emerging complications the patient was exposed to, culminating in the client’s referral to the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital. 

In an interview, Scholastica explained that for some strange reasons, she felt that something odd was about happening although the operation performed on the client was successfully done by very experienced team of surgeons. 

‘My brother, I just can’t explain what was going through me about this very client. Much as I cannot disclose all the details because they bother on confidentiality, I can only say that I followed up on her in an unusual manner, monitored her situation continuously while discharging other duties. At every time, I would discuss my observations with the Doctors and make suggestions for further investigations to be carried out on her. I feel proud that the doctors were always ready to understand me. Later when a complication was observed and she had to be transferred to the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, I did not stop there. I went ahead to continue my monitoring together with my colleagues at the hospital. Ordinarily, I should have withdrawn my services because, she was in another medical jurisdiction, but I said No, so I went ahead and when she finally recovered, I felt relieved. I thank God and the leadership of Cocoa Clinic for all the support’, she narrated. 

Scholastica further indicated that at a thanksgiving service which was held by Mercy’s family at a branch of the Light House Church in Accra, Cocoa Clinic was celebrated through the effort she put in to ensure that Mercy recovered perfectly to be counted among the living.

‘We were honoured at the church where Madam Mercy worships. I am told the pastors prayed for the clinic and for me as well. I just cannot hide my joy. I share this happiness with all my colleagues and also use the opportunity to thank all who have congratulated me through various means. I am fulfilled indeed through this normal duty’, she expressed.    

The Deputy Director of Health, Dr. Eric Fordjuor, while praising his colleague, described the development as not being the first time a staff has brought honour to the facility. Corroborating the virtues the nurse portrayed, he said she was meticulous, vigilant, observant, diligent and assiduous during the time the client was under her care. According to him, his amazement stems from the fact that Scholastica showed an unflinching desire to continue monitoring the patient even when she was referred to the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital and called on all to emulate such gesture. 

‘We all as medical staff need to put in extra efforts especially when it has to do with healthcare delivery, it makes clinical practice complete and brings relief to our clients. I am not sure she was expecting any kind of appreciation from what she was doing but, today, see what is happening, she tells me she is being celebrated on a number of platforms and even her colleagues are congratulating her’, he observed. 

As many continue to heap praises and eulogize Scholastica, the iconic Florence Nightingale of our time, virtues such as meticulousness, excellence, diligence, sensitivity, affection, and heartiness remain essential to our call to duty. 

Undoubtedly, there may be a lot more unsung heroes and heroines in various offices across the industry. Let us keep on doing what we love to do and one day we will be honoured with, perhaps ‘Ayekoo’, or better still a jump in our career path which will come with it, countless benefits. 

Congratulations Scholastica!