French for Health: A New Initiative by the French Embassy in Ghana

 

Ghana and France have long enjoyed diplomatic relations which have culminated in various industries in the country with substantial support from the French Government. One of the key areas the French government continues to establish its presence and relationship with Ghana is through the healthcare system by providing training and funds to improve quality healthcare delivery systems.

Ghana’s healthcare system has seen a significant change in the past decades moving from catering for only citizens but also for international residents and visitors alike. Being a country with a far advanced healthcare system, many patients from neighboring countries often visit to seek medical attention, with most being French speakers. Sharing its borders with French-speaking countries (Côte d’Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north and Togo to the east), it has become important for the largely anglophone country to provide healthcare for some French speaking medical tourists. On this premise, the French Government has extensively provided funds in excess of $100,000 towards the “Le Fonds de solidarité pour les projets innovants” (FSPI-R) project also known as the Solidarity Fund for Innovative Projects.

The FSPI-R project under the auspices of the French Embassy in Ghana, Ashesi University and Alliance Francaise d’Accra with funds from the French government and Ministry of Foreign Affairs embarked on training Ghanaian workers in the healthcare industry in specialized French to bridge the gap of provision of healthcare to French speaking patients in Ghana.

Since its inception, the project has been dedicated to training medical professionals, specifically paramedics and EMT specialists, in French language skills. This initiative leverages the Vitalite app, a tool designed to simplify French language acquisition for healthcare professionals. The ultimate goal is to empower these professionals to provide high-quality healthcare services in French. The Regional Director of the Ghana National Ambulance in his communique on the FSPI-R project commented that over 200 paramedics are undergoing the French medical training and noted that “The Medical French training program has fully equipped Emergency Medical Technicians the requisite tools to use during patient assessment, treatment and transport. The course has enlightened the staff on medical French in relation to medical equipment in the Ambulance.”

Nathalie N’Guessan, Quality Director at Alliance Française d’Accra, shared that the project has achieved a remarkable milestone: Over 140 of the 200 targeted medical professionals have completed their training on the Vitalite app, and impressively progressed from beginner to level A1 and some even attained level A2 French proficiency with the use of this innovative Vitalite app, accessible on Android and soon on iOS platforms.

The project has proven successful by augmenting the functions in healthcare delivery to French speaking and francophone patients. The FSPI-R project runs on the objective to carry out a feasibility and viability study as part of a project to popularize the use of the French language in the field of health in Ghana from different angles. Some trainees who benefited from the project were part of the medical team core at providing healthcare to both Francophone and Anglophone sports persons at the African Games held in Accra.

Speaking on the benefit of the project, Madam Angela Baafour-Gyimah, Deputy Director of Alliance Francaise Accra noted that “the efficacy of the team was evident in the results obtained. She hopes the project will be able to continue training personnel in the medical field thus ensuring they can extend the best care to the Francophone community in the country.”

Ghana’s proximity and affordable healthcare costs have made it an attractive destination for French-speaking medical tourists from Sub-Saharan Africa.

To meet the growing demand for quality healthcare services, this project aims to equip healthcare professionals with the necessary language skills.

The FSPI-R project is more than providing a catalyst for French language education, Mr. Julien Lecas, Advisor for cooperation and cultural action and Director of the French Institute of Ghana stated that “By investing in the development of French language skills, Ghana can enhance healthcare quality, attract medical tourism, strengthen regional cooperation, and prepare for future opportunities.

The FSPI-R project is more than just a language initiative; it is a strategic investment in Ghana’s future. By promoting French language proficiency, Ghana is positioning itself as a bilingual nation, ready to embrace the opportunities of the 21st century.

This groundbreaking partnership between the French Embassy, Ashesi University, and Alliance Française Accra is poised to revolutionize healthcare in Ghana. By empowering medical professionals with French language proficiency, the project aims to bridge language barriers and improve patient outcomes. This initiative will also strengthen cultural and diplomatic ties between France and Ghana.

 

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