Meet Ghana`s first female heart surgeon, Dr. Penelope Adiku

From the classrooms of Wesley Girls' High School in Cape Coast to the operating theatre at the National Cardiothoracic Centre of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Dr. Penelope Baaba Tettey Adinku has carved an extraordinary path of excellence and broken one of Ghana's most remarkable barriers!

As a young girl, Dr. Adinku was an avid reader who once dreamed of becoming an author of children's books. But her journey eventually led her into medicine, inspired in part by her family and her growing fascination with the medical profession.

After completing her secondary education, she proceeded to the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) School of Medical Sciences, where she studied Medicine and earned her MB ChB degree.

It was during her final year of medical school that she discovered her passion for surgery.

Later, while working with children suffering from congenital heart disease, she developed a desire to help them—an experience that drew her towards the challenging and highly specialised field of cardiothoracic surgery.

Dr. Adinku went on to undertake specialist surgical training with the West African College of Surgeons, completing her general surgery membership training before pursuing a Fellowship in Cardiothoracic Surgery.

Her determination paid off spectacularly! She successfully completed her Fellowship training and was adjudged the Best Candidate in Cardiothoracic Surgery at the 2022 Fellowship Examinations, making history as Ghana’s first female cardiothoracic surgeon.

Today, she serves as a Cardiothoracic Surgeon at the National Cardiothoracic Centre, Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, where she continues to help save lives while also inspiring and mentoring the next generation.

From a book-loving young girl at Wesley Girls' High School to a pioneering heart surgeon, Dr. Penelope Adinku's journey reminds us of what is possible when passion meets perseverance, hard work and the courage to pursue an unconventional dream.

Her message to young girls is powerful: Believe in yourself, work hard, keep learning and never disqualify yourself before you have even had the opportunity to try.