About Us

The Korle-Bu Neuroscience Foundation (KBNF) supports the delivery of quality brain and spinal medical care in West Africa.

We partner with national governments and local partners to develop neuroscience care in West Africa.

Three men sitting in a bar or lounge area, engaged in conversation. The bar is stocked with bottles in the background.

“You probably have more neurosurgeons in Vancouver than I have in the whole of Ghana. We have only 25 neurosurgeons for a population of 33 million. We need to support each other, so we can build upon this, because these lives also matter.”

— Dr. Harry Akoto, Neurosurgeon, Deputy Medical Director, Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Ghana on the NEED FOR NEUROSURGEONS

OUR PURPOSE is to enhance the delivery and quality of healthcare in West Africa.

OUR FOCUS is to develop fully equipped, staffed, and self-sustaining neurosience programs and facilities.

  • Two surgeons wearing scrubs, masks, gloves, and surgical caps performing a procedure in an operating room.

    EDUCATION & TRAINING

    3 LAYERS

    - SIDE-BY-SIDE MENTORSHIP involves health care professionals working and learning together, from the operating room to bedside nursing and rehabilitation.

    - HORIZONTAL COLLABORATION fosters supportive relationships among healthcare professionals in West Africa, creating a network of mutual assistance.

    - VERTICAL COLLABORATION connects established neurosurgeons and centers with frontline healthcare providers in West Africa, providing advanced support on clinical cases and operations throughout the year.

    In 2024:

    - 110 nurses received in-person training in neuro-specific care, wound care, patient rotation and pain management. 

  • Group of five young people standing in a room with stacked beds and a hospital bed in the foreground, some smiling and posing for the camera.

    SHIPPING & ACQUISITIONS

    EQUIPMENT & SUPPLIES

    We partner with local governments, NGO’s and hospitals in the developed world to supply and distribute critically-needed medical equipment and supplies to hospitals and clinics in West Africa.

    In 2024:

    - We shipped seven containers with medical equipment and supplies to 3 West African countries. 

    - In Liberia, our warehouse facilitated 54 distributions to medical facilities and hospitals across the country that in some cases had very little to no supplies. 

    - KBNF also partnered with Health Partners International in a pilot project to send $560,000 worth of medications for $10,000. 

  • A smiling male healthcare worker holding a large stack of medical files in a bright, modern room.

    NEUROSURGICAL ADVANCEMENT TRIPS

    MEDICAL MISSIONS

    Our specialized teams, including neurosurgeons, anesthesiologists, nurses, occupational therapists and biomedical engineers collaborate with local medical professionals to perform essential brain and spine surgeries.

    In 2024:

    - KBNF conducted two Neurosurgical Advancement Trips, during which 35 patients received life-changing surgery.