(soft music) (upbeat music) - We're in Boston right now, we'll be flying to Portugal.

That will be our next stop befor (upbeat music) (plane engine roaring) We just got to Lisbon, Portugal, we have about a four hour layove (upbeat music) (plane engine roaring) We made it to Ghana!

(all cheering) (soft music) - On our bus ride in though, I was a little bit shocked at the living conditions that we had passed.

- First I would say it was extre which I expected and very humid.

The city was a lot bigger than I I don't know why I expected it to be a lot smaller, but it was huge.

- I thought the only surprises really were just the amount of goats and chickens that are running around.

- First impressions, very differ than anything I've experienced.

- I did have some culture shock.

It was far from what I expected and what I imagined in my head and even though I have prepared a little bit, especially for the clinical aspe I don't think you can really pre (dramatic music) - I'm excited honestly.

I was kind of tired last night.

Got a good sleep.

Woke up to some roosters crowing this morning.

(rooster crowing) I'm very excited for what the week has to hold.

I think that we're gonna get a l meet some cool people, I think we have a lot to learn.

(soft music) - [Shelby] We've definitely turned the clinic around it was a bare empty church.

And then I felt like before I kn seats were filled with patients.

- I think that we're getting along really well.

We got some PT students.

- Do you think it's contributing to your back pain?

- [Owen] Pharmacy.

- Have you ever breastfed?

- [Owen] Public health.

- Do they treat you with respect - Social work, as well as nursin and it's really just been great get everyone working together and the gears are meshing.

- I guess, I just hope to learn how people here have become so resilient, how they get through some of the things that they're and maybe bring that back to my and some of the patients that I to teach resilience.

- Ah.

(kids cheering) - Today, we kind of saw it comin in the clinical a bit helping each other out.

[Indistinct chatter] I do believe that throughout the it's really just gonna become like a well oiled machine.

(soft music) (upbeat music) - [Kids] Hello from Ghana.

- [Narrator] The Ghana Cross Cultural Health Immersion Program was born of a chance meeting in an airport in 1993.

- I had opportunity to travel to for the first time in my life.

(plane engine roaring) It was quite an adventurous jour God was with me.

- [Narrator] Lita McHenry, a registered nurse and longtime faculty at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and the Reverend Robert Andoh, a well known pastor in Ghana's western region, struck up a conversation that led to a long lasting partn Andoh and McHenry envisioned an equal exchange of knowledge and culture that could benefit both sides.

They worked out a plan to bring UMass faculty and students to Ghana, in partnership with the Ghana Health Service and the local University of Cape When McHenry retired in 2008, she looked to former UMass doctoral student and mentee Jennifer Morton to take over administration of the program.

Morton was born on the nursing faculty at UNE, and McHenry was intrigued by UNE interprofessional approach to health education and collaborative care.

Perhaps more important was the philosophical alignment between the two women.

McHenry trusted Morton to continue to lead the program according to its original vision - I knew when I became a faculty that this was something I wanted to continue and I wanted to follow Lita McHenry's legacy and exposing students to something so important.

(upbeat music) - We're hoping to see at least 50 people today.

We have some of the nurses over Yesterday, unfortunately, our blood pressure machines weren't working but they got them all up and running now.

They're very excited.

We have our pharmacy students ov we got some more medication last which is super exciting.

We have our physical therapists getting ready to teach some exer And we have an optometrist up th And social work, we'll be doing some exit surveys, and we also have public health.

We're doing some research, which really exciting to see the resul So we're excited for today and hope we can help a lot of pe (upbeat music) - I'm Katie, I'm at the nurse's here in Ghana, I'm with Owen.

- Hey.

- And well, I'm at the lab stati so we're testing for malaria, we're drawing blood sugars, we're doing urine analysis, checking to see how people's kidneys are doing.

Making sure they don't have diab (speaking in foreign language) People here, their blood sugars, blood pressures seem to run a little bit high.

So we're trying to get an idea o and keep everything under contro And if we see some numbers that we don't like, we'll send them over to pharmacy - We're running into a lot of in and skin infections, upper respiratory infections, lots of anemia.

We're seeing a lot of pain and s we're just trying to really like and that way we can stay ahead of the game a little bit.

We've labeled a lot of things, prepackaged lots of pain medicat like Ibuprofen and Tylenol.

- And did they ask you to follow up at a hospital or go get more medicine?

- What we do on day three, once folks are comfortable with the flow, is we start interchanging students in some of the different areas so they get an experience of what the different disciplines have to offer.

For example, a nursing student may cross train over in physioth A physiotherapist may cross train over in intake.

Nursing student may spend time doing pharmacy technician work in the pharmacy.

All of these things are important, as students learn to really understand what the roles and responsibilities are of other health professions, dis (gentle music) - I've done some traveling but n with my nursing skills that I've learned at UNE.

And Maine is really becoming div so I think it's kind of importan that cultural sensitivity going into my profession.

We've been doing clinic for about four days now.

And it's been a really great experience so far.

At first, I was having a little bit of, I guess spiritual issues because I kind of came here and I wasn't, I didn't really know what to expect and from seeing all the patients and what was going on, especially little kids that had some malnutrition.

(baby crying) I felt like, why do I get to live the life I live?

I hear you, I think I already di Ready?

And it was really helpful to have my teachers and my colleagues here to be able to debrief that 'cause it was really a bad feeling that I was feeling and then after talking about it, I felt so much better.

- I think though, what you really have to do is come here and just look at it through the context of the community, and the richness of their culture and how much they know one another and celebrate and are just more or less a very happy population.

And I think those are values that you can't put a price on.

- Now, even at the halfway point I already have a completely different outlook on everything.

- I've definitely grown a lot in the last four days and it's crazy to think that it's only been four days 'cause I feel like so much has h And it's just really made me grateful for where I come from and also grateful for the experi to be in a different culture and to be living amongst these people who are so beautiful and welcoming.

(upbeat music) - [Narrator] Ghana, situated on the Gulf of Guinea in West Africa, was the first Sub Saharan African nation to achieve independence from colonial rule.

Ghana's 28 million people comprise several native groups, and a rich and diverse cultural Sekondi-Takoradi, a port city and commercial center in Ghana's western region is the third largest metropolitan area.

(soft music) While clinical work is the prior the Ghana Immersion Program reco that people's health is tied to their culture and community.

Whenever there's free time, students and faculty embark on day trips, and sightseeing excursions, where they learn more about Ghanaian history and culture.

(soft music) - [Colleen] The Elmina castle, I fostered a sense of self reflect Also being there and all the his that it holds is more or less ha (soft music) - [Shelby] Something I really en was seeing the art just beautiful paintings.

(soft music) - What did your school day look - We learn a lot and then there after the learning, the break fo and refresh your mind.

- [Monica] I'm so happy to be here and to meet you all.

Thank you for having us.

- Thank you.

- [Shelby] It was beautiful, we got to run in the ocean and take pictures, amazing food.

-I just got soaked by that wave.

(soft music) - Whoa!

- Yes!

(all celebrating) - This is insane.

We don't have clinic today so we're able to sleep in a bit.

We're going to our first Ghanaian service this morning.

We're very excited and very grat We all got a traditional Ghanaia and we were very, very grateful that we're all given these.

We're gonna be able to sing and Sit side by side with all the Ghanaians this morning.

(singing in foreign language) - [Jennifer] Reverend Andoh has been getting dresses and shirts made for all the female and male students and faculty and so we attend the It's a very heartwarming experience for our students, faculty, as well as the communit (singing in foreign language) (congregation applauding) (soft music) - [Narrator] After a week in Reverend Andoh's home base of Sekondi, the team headed out to the rural towns of Kansawarado and Diabene, to h health care access to these more remote communities.

- Welcome.

- Hi, I'm Efua, I'm a community health worker and physician assistant and we're at Kansawarado.

And this is day five.

So we are here to attend to the, those from the villages.

(men speaking in foreign languag - [Narrator] The rural sites are an important aspect of the partnership.

They allow students to assess the differences between patient populations.

For example, patients in the rural communities tend to be sicker, especially in Kansawarado.

And the urban patients in Sekond tend to have higher rates of being insured.

- Hey!

Ha!

- [Narrator] The Immersion Program is built around the equal exchange of culture and knowledge.

As director, Jennifer Morton say our purpose is not to impose Western healthcare.

Students come to Ghana to learn and to that end, the relationships they form with the Ghanaian partners are invalu - Denise.

(man speaking in foreign languag - [Narrator] Working with members of Reverend Andoh's congregation, as well as medical professionals from the Ghanaian National Healt and the local Cape Coast Univers students are guided across cultural and language barriers.

(lady speaking in foreign langua And introduced to new perspectiv on health, medical care, material wealth, as well as many practical lessons on providing care with limited r - I think it's a win win situation for both communities.

I'll say, for the students comin I think I've seen lots of them.

The first time in Africa, first time in Ghana, they're meeting different cultur and what have you and for the community here in Ghana, knowing our health system and its challenges, I think it's been positive and it's impacted.

- For the students that come here, I believe it's an eye opener to some of the tropical conditions probably will never see in the U And it's an experience that othe who haven't been here may not ha - But the edges are all undermin so it's never going to heal.

- It looks like it's healing but what he's saying is the bacteria, like until that bacteria gets treated with certain antibiotics, it continues to undermine the surrounding tissue and it won't actually get better.

- So they'll get to learn a lot from the patients.

And also, it will give them a different idea about what health is, the stories, they're touching storie about the patient, why they have that condition, and what they are doing about it And the fact that because of their financial situation, which has landed, some of them in such condition.

And when they leave here, give them a very different experience, they begin to become very connected with their patient.

- This is for your cough.

- [Narrator] Along the way, many lifelong friendships are made.

- We're staying in pretty close me and some of the guys, so we've been hanging out quite a bit and now they've showed me around Sekondi a bit and really got to walk around, try some local flavor.

Watch a couple football matches.

It's been great, we've really been getting along well and just meshing well.

- They've been very great especi It's as if we've known each other for a very long time and it's just two weeks.

(soft music) (car engine roaring) - [Narrator] Konsowarado and Dia were selected as locations for the rural clinics in part because of the Reverend Andoh's long standing relationships with the Paramount of the two communities.

- [Nurse] This way.

(men beating drums) - [Narrator] A highlight of the is the annual performance of the Ghanaian dance and drum troupe Obrempong.

Working in the style of what is called Gahu music with six distinct percussion ins the troupe performs dances assoc with local tribes and festivals.

- Well, it confirmed my suspicio that I'm a terrible dancer.

Their performance was awesome.

It was really something that I've never seen before.

And so being able to experience and see them in the traditional garb and it's good music.

- [Narrator] The celebration is and emotional climax to a rich and eventful fortnight.

(epic dramatic music) - Mina sing.

Sing, sing, sing.

(all laughing) - [Ashley] It was so beautiful, it was stuck in my head for like three days.

- Okay, let me do the end part.

♪ And it's reaching ♪ To the highest mountain ♪ And it flows ♪ To the lowest valleys ♪ Oh ♪ The blood that gives me streng ♪ From day to day ♪ ♪ It will never lose ♪ It's power (all cheering) - I feel like the love and joy and laughter that we all share here together is something that I don't experience often, it is such an amazing community (soft music) - Thank you for welcoming us into your community and treating us like family.

It's been the best two weeks eve (all applauding) - [Ladies] Cheers!

- Everybody here, we wanna say a very big thank you to all of y We want to see you back again.

So, that's all, God bless you.

(crowd cheering) - What a great group, really, it like we're all family right now.

And it's a great feeling.

And just thank you all for opening your arms and taking us in.

(gentle music) - The last couple weeks have bee I feel like I've grown professionally, emotionally, mentally.

It's been a really great experie I'm kind of sad to leave but I'm looking forward to going home with a new outlook.

- I think the things I'll remember most here are the connections I've made between the community health workers, the students and the professionals from Cape Coast.

We've just learned so much from And honestly, I think we built really good friendships.

- I have a new outlook on everyt And I'm excited to make some new changes in my life that I've picked up from this ex so, happy and sad at the same ti - I've also really gained such a respect for the healthcare professions out here and from what they've been able to teach us has been immeasurabl It's a completely different game with what they have to work with and I have nothing but gained re for how they go about their day.

(soft music) - And it really feels good to have UNE around, you know, to the students, teach I'm also learning from them, the America culture, Ghanaian culture, the talk, it's - We've fallen in love with them and we wish they will come back and learn more.

- We want to say we are indebted to the school for allowing us to work hand in with these wonderful people that come our way under the leadership of Dr. Jenn - Our last day in Ghana.

This has been an amazing, humbli emotional experience for all of I think we would all say that we coming out of this changed.

- God bless you, I hope to see all very soon.

(soft music) (gentle music)