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Ashesi, World Health Organisation Graduate Fifth Cohort of Health Leadership Programme

Dean Abdul Mahdi in discussion with WHO PLHTA programme participants on Ashesi's campus.

On Monday, 4th November, participants of the 2024 Pathways to Leadership for Health Transformation in Africa (PLHTA) convened at Ashesi to mark the end of the four-month programme. The PLHTA, started by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in multiple countries for senior healthcare leaders, is now run in Ghana in partnership with Ashesi.

The PLHTA programme equips participants with the leadership skills necessary to spearhead national health reform efforts and effectively tackle ongoing challenges in the healthcare sector. This fifth graduating cohort had participants from a range of institutions, including the Ghana Health Service (GHS), the Ministry of Health, Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), and Ghana Ports and Harbor Authority (GPHA).

As part of the programme, members of the cohort were also paired with certified leadership coaches who supported their learning and development via one-on-one coaching sessions. The cohort was able to apply their learnings towards the completion of Action Learning Projects, which required them to implement initiatives that inspire positive transformation in their various workplaces. 

Dr. Esi Ansah presents to WHO PLHTA programme participants on campus.

While presenting on his Action Learning Project titled “Use of Clinical Guidelines/Protocols in GPHA Clinic, Tema Port,” Dr. Vitus Victor Anaab-Bisi, General Manager- Health Services at GPHA, described the PLHTA lessons that he passed on to his team members.

“All managers should be trained in emotional intelligence,” he explained. “It’s very key if you want to be a good leader…if you don’t communicate clearly, your team members won’t understand you. You must engage in systems thinking to make a difference.”

Mrs. Eva Mensah, Director of Nursing and Midwifery Services at GHS, also shared some reflections about PLHTA, describing the programme as “insightful.”

“I thought, ‘we have been through a lot of training programmes, so what is this one going to offer?’ The [PLHTA] has been very revealing as to how we can use some of the concepts to actually improve on our leadership skills and on our work environment. “ 

In his remarks at the closing ceremony, Ashesi President Patrick Awuah explained that leadership involves more than just one’s title.  

“When people think about leadership at the national level, and certainly at the international level, they think about presidents and elected leaders; [but] it’s not about being in a position, it’s about having a vision, being able to share that vision, and convincing people to move in a particular direction.” He also stressed the importance of building a solid institutional culture in order for leadership to be effective. “I think that a critical element of leadership, of moving organizations in a particular direction, is culture. It is very difficult to make really profound transformational change if one ignores culture.” 

Several participants noted that some of the most impactful lessons they learned from the programme involved being open to “courageous conversations” and approaching their work and teams with appreciative leadership and a growth mindset, focusing on how they might leverage their team’s strengths rather than focusing on the negatives.

WHO PLHTA participants and Ashesi staff and faculty on Ashesi's campus.

Dr. Sofonias Asrat delivered a speech on behalf of WHO Ghana Officer-in-Charge Dr. Frank Lule, announcing that the WHO would continue the programme with Ashesi and making a call to action for the participants to apply everything they learnt.  

“Even as we bring this chapter to a close, in another breath, it marks the beginning. We must remember that learning is only as valuable as the action we take. I encourage you to be champions of change, advocates for progress, and beacons of transformation.” 

Drawing on his career as a leader and an educator, keynote speaker Professor Emeritus Stephen Adei underlined the importance of competence, character, and care in order to practice effective and ethical leadership. Professor Adei emphasised the need to start with rigorous self-leadership in order to “influence people and influence nations.” He explained that how one manages one’s own life is the best indicator of how they will manage other people, adding “You cannot [teach] what you yourself have not become.” 

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