Heroes of COVID-19: Dr. Michael McCarthy of Sinel Specialist Hospital

In April of 2020 TheAfricanDream.net in conjunction with Dr. Bertha Serwa Ayi (MD, FACP, FIDSA, MBA) rolls out a series dubbed Heroes of COVID-19. The series evolved on the backdrop of the fact that the world, facing a dark period amid the fight against the virus SARS-CoV-2 still shines multiple glimmers of lights of hope. It is these shining lights of humanity that the series — Heroes of COVID-19 — will be spotlighting.

SARS-CoV-2 is our common enemy and the cause of COVID-19 also known as the Novel coronavirus disease. In the midst of this, some people have chosen to let their light shine. Their works make us smile amidst the confusion to boost our morale and indeed our immune system.

As a result, Dr. Ayi reached out to TheAfricanDream.net to find out how we could bring light to some of these amazing front liners, whether they be professionals or just everyday people with a furious zeal to defeat COVID-19. We felt it was a great idea, so decided to showcase one such person as often as the opportunity to do so presents itself.

We will publish their stories in partnership with you, the reader too because there are so many such individuals we can’t be everywhere to pinpoint them all alone. So if you know of them, please point them out to us so we share their stories with our audience.

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Dr. Ayi has chosen to highlight Dr. Michael McCarthy, CEO of Sinel Specialist Hospital and Consultant Obstetrician-Gynecologist, MBChB FWACS OBGYN as our first Hero of COVID-19. Dr. McCarthy is a specialist in uterine fibroids and maternal care, he is a medical school mate of Dr. Ayi and one time President of their school’s Christian Medical Fellowship (CMF).

At the time Dr. Ayi was the Secretary of CMF with Dr. McCarthy the President for three years. Dr. McCarthy trained fully in Ghana and has had some periods of training in the US postgraduation. He took over his father’s practice in Ghana 10 years ago and has practiced in Ghana for over two decades.

So why is Dr. McCarthy one of our Heroes of COVID-19 you ask? Well, while others are ripping people off by quadrupling the prices of their services and goods; selling N95 masks for a whopping $16; and ventilators for $50,000, Michael chose to offer his telemedicine services at Sinel Specialty Hospital located in Tema, Ghana for free. Such small and simple actions is what heroes are made of…

Michael without even jacking up his prices could still have raked in a lot of money even by charging half what he normally charges for the professional medical consultancy that he offers. People would have still paid, but no, he chose to take a loss, a financial loss, only so he could gain a bigger win through the smiles and satisfaction he brings to the faces of clients via Sinel Specialtist Hospital telemedicine.

Read also: Kenya: Recovered covid-19 patients say virus is ‘real and treatable’

Established in 1996 as a part of the Health Sector Reform of Ghana, the Ghana Health Service under Ghana’s Ministry of Health has since the arrival of the viral pandemic of COVID-19 joined the world in the use of lockdown-stay-at-home measure to curb the spread. “Since March 12, 2020, when the first case was reported in Ghana, there have been 8 deaths,” said Dr. McCarthy.

“This is a very low number compared to the obvious numbers other countries are suffering across the developed world. I think Ghana and other African countries are doing the best they can to contain the virus, despite the continent’s little developed healthcare systems. It is my admiration for this that makes me want to keep pitching in with my little bit to help the fight,” Dr. McCarthy explained to TheAfricanDream.net.

Thank you, Dr. McCarthy, for reaching out to the people of Tema in Ghana and thank you Dr. Ayi for pointing him out to us. If you are ever at Sinel thank the hardworking folks there for TheAfricanDream.net and let them know we appreciate their contributions to this fight, and that together we all, yes the entire Ghana and the world at large will pull through. 

Find out more about Doctors Ayi and McCarthy by visiting www.berthaayi.com and www.sinelhospital.com respectively. And please continue to help us find our Heroes of COVID-19 by emailing their stories to serwabb@gmail.com or WhatsApp +1712 898 8716 so we share.

Written by Oral Ofori