Dr Penelope Baaba Tettey Adinku
Dr Penelope Baaba Tettey Adinku is Ghana’s first female cardiothoracic surgeon, a distinction she achieved following years of medical training and specialist surgical education.
A major milestone in her career came in May 2022 when she performed her first open-heart surgery at the National Cardiothoracic Centre (NCTC) at Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital.
The procedure involved the successful repair of the heart of a six-year-old girl and was performed under the supervision of Dr Lawrence Agyemang Serebour.
Dr Adinku also received regional recognition for her specialist training. She completed her fellowship in Cardiothoracic Surgery with the West African College of Surgeons (WACS) and was named Best Candidate in Cardiothoracic Surgery in West Africa at the 2022 fellowship examinations.
Her medical education began at Wesley Girls’ Senior High School in Cape Coast, where she studied General Science.
She later attended the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), graduating with a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB).
She subsequently completed a three-year membership programme in General Surgery with the West African College of Surgeons before undertaking specialist fellowship training in Cardiothoracic Surgery.
Her academic pursuits have also extended into biomedical research. She holds a Ph.D. in Molecular and Cell Biology from the University of Ghana.
Dr Adinku has additionally obtained a certificate in Leadership and Management in Health from the University of Washington.
Her career trajectory—from medical school and general surgery training to specialist cardiothoracic practice—has established her as a pioneer in Ghana’s heart surgery field.
Her historic open-heart procedure in 2022 and her recognition as the best cardiothoracic surgery fellowship candidate in West Africa that same year remain notable milestones in her professional career.
