Colo-Proctology is a highly specialized branch of General Surgery concerned with the treatment of diseases of the colon, rectum and anus. In Ghana diseases of the colon, rectum and anus are treated by general surgeons and Gastroenterologists. This is a source of concern hence in 2012 Prof. Jonathan CB Dakubo and Dr. Antoinette AA Bediako-Bowan, both general surgeons, decided to dedicate and focus their attention and effort towards developing highly specialized colo-rectal surgery service at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital. The two surgeons have designed and practiced procedures to treat diseases of the colon, rectum and anus that are acceptable to the African population. Due to challenges with operation space and perennial logistical constraints, and to expand in the number of sites for rapid training of colorectal surgeons Colo-Proctology service has been added to the activities at Mwin TubaHospital.

The incidence of colorectal diseases is increasing steadily in Ghana and in the whole of the Sub-Saharan region. We estimated a few years ago that the incidence of colorectal cancer in Ghana is about 11.18 per 100,000 population per year. This translates to approximately 3,300 new cases diagnosed in people each year presently with a disproportionately high youthful population affected. Given the genomics of these cancers, which is a rich interplay between gene mutations, epigenetic modifications and environmental factors, there is a yearning need for these cancers to be pooled and treated by people dedicated to work on them.

This will make it easier for these cancers to be researched deeply into so that we can be at par with our counterparts in the Western world by contributing to discussions aimed at finding answers to these cancers. It will also greatly improve in treatment with better outcomes. For example, Ghana witnesses about 1,000 to 1,500 cases of these cancers located close to the anal canal. The prescribed surgery for these cancers is not what patients readily accept.

The prescribed surgery for low rectal cancers involves removal of the anus with the cancer and creating a permanent colostomy for the patients, something that no patient on this earth likes; worse in the African. My unit has improved upon and advanced a surgical procedure that was first described in 1994 and we are able to remove these low-lying cancers and still preserve the anus with acceptable oncological and functional outcomes. This is one of the patients centered surgical approaches we have worked on to make surgery for a deadly disease acceptable to our people, who before chose to die with their cancers.