Insights & Updates
Stories, research highlights, and program updates from the Global Colorectal Initiative network.
Explore the latest news from our partners, teaching hospitals, and fellows as we work to expand access to high-quality colorectal care in low- and middle-income countries. From training milestones to implementation lessons, this is where we share what we’re learning along the way.
Congratulations to Dr. Ijeoma Aja
We are thrilled to celebrate Dr. Ijeoma Aja, our second graduate of Ghana’s Colorectal Surgery Fellowship. In November, Dr. Aja marked this milestone with a small, heartfelt celebration alongside faculty and residents at Koforidua, the hospital where she has helped…
CHALLENGES OF SETTING UP A COLORECTAL SERVICE
CHALLENGES OF SETTING UP A COLORECTAL SERVICE By Ijeoma Aja 10th Nov, 2025. A little over a year ago, I set off bright eyed and eager back to Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, my alma mater. I had left 6years prior after completing my fellowship in General Surgery eager…
Walking Full Circle: Thanksgiving in Eastern Region of Ghana
This past Thanksgiving, I found myself standing in the corridors of a hospital I had rarely set foot in—and yet, somehow, it felt like I had been there all my life. I was in Eastern Region of Ghana, at Eastern Regional Hospital, located in the bustling town of…
Help us build colorectal surgery capacity in Ghana
December 11, 2025 Dear Colleagues and Friends, I hope you’re doing well. If it’s been a while since we last connected, I hopethings have been going smoothly on your end. As the holiday seasonapproaches, I wanted to share something personal and ask for yourgenerosity…
Building Colorectal Surgery Capacity in Ghana: Reflections from the Kumasi CRS Workshop
On April 15, 2025, we convened a one-day Colorectal Surgery (CRS) Educational Workshop in Kumasi, Ghana, bringing together general surgeons from across the Ashanti and surrounding regions for focused, practical training in colorectal care. The workshop was held at the…
Varshini Odayar, a first-year medical student at Michigan, presented her poster at the American Society of Clinical Oncology
Varshini Odayar, a first-year medical student at Michigan, presented her poster titled “T-cell effector cytokine signature as predictor of survival and toxicity in metastatic NSCLC patients treated with immunotherapy” at the held in Chicago on May 31st. She was one of…
Our Summer Intern – Elsie Van Wieran
This summer, our intern, Elsie Van Wieren, shared how her experience as a college athlete has shaped her approach to global health research. She highlights the strong parallels between athletics and research—discipline, teamwork, adaptability, and resilience—all of…
GCSEI Featured as a NPO Spotlight in the Fall25 Edition of the Ghana Physicians and Surgeons Foundation of North America News
GPSF-News_Summer-Fall_2025v3We are deeply honored to have been featured as the non-profit organization spotlight of the latest 2025 news edition of the Ghana Physicians & Surgeons Foundation of North America (GPSF). Amongst background and context information, the…
A Heartfelt Thank You to the Incredible MPU Team
A huge shoutout to all the amazing RNs and techs in the MPU (Medical Procedure Unit) at the University of Michigan—you all are truly the heart and soul of the team. Whether it’s supporting Dr. Gifty Kwakye on scope days or just everyday tasks, these professionals work…
Tuning into Dr. Aja’s National Talk on Colorectal Cancer
On March 22nd, our second CRS fellow—Dr. Aja—spent her morning giving a talk on Colorectal Cancer on Ghanaian national television. We applaud her for her commitment to raising awareness of colorectal diseases, and look forward to many more such educational spotlights…