Dr. Vanessa is one of the people who dreamt of becoming a doctor and ended up becoming a doctor.
She disclosed that her Dad was the inspiration behind her becoming a doctor.
She is an old girl of Holy Child School and happily married to a captain in the Ghana Army
Here’s her journey as revealed to Edward Asare in an interview
What’s your name, educational, and career background?
My name is Dr. Vanessa Mensah-Kabu. I graduated from DaLian Medical University in the Peoples Republic of China where I was actively involved in an array of activities one being a Mock UN conference where I represented Afghanistan and consequently winning the best represented country with my team. I am also a proud Hopsan (an alumni of Holy Child School, Cape Coast) while there, I was the 2IC (second in command) for the school cadet corps as well as being a pioneer in the school’s rugby team. With regards to career, I have been practicing as a general practitioner for over 5 years having started my horsemanship in Korle-bu Teaching hospital, 37 Military Hospital, and Legin Hospital. Currently, I work with the West African Rescue Association as a medical officer attending to patients with regards to the management of diseases. I went through training in BLS (Basic Life Support) ACLS ( Advanced Cardiac Life Support) as well as Basic Fire Training.
What or who is the Inspiration behind what you are doing?
Quite simple actually, my inspiration comes from my Dad who himself is a seasoned medical doctor.
What is peculiar about what you do and how do you stand out from others?
I was inducted the youngest medical doctor in Ghana for my batch in May 2015 at the age of 22. With my passion and drive to ensure health is understood by all through education creating awareness through various initiatives and the media coupled with my passion in other ventures such as fashion, and modelling, i would say i stand out from the lot.
What can people expect from you this year and what tips or advice do you have for people that want to do what you’re doing?
Although COVID-19 may have changed the definition of “normal” there are a few programs in store for the year example being a health show on TV3. I also intend to kick of my fashion career by starting a program in fashion. As a word of advice, i would say, the journey has not been easy but to take each day as it comes trusting God for strength, wisdom, patience and understanding to navigate through the storms of life.
Who are some of the people you have worked with or would love to work with and why them?
I have worked with an array of influential persons to name a few, H.E Claudia Quintero (Colombian Ambassador to Ghana), Hon. Bernard Oko-Boye (Dept. Minster for Health), and some prominent media personnel such as GioVanni, Berla Mundi, Regina Van Helvert etc. I would love to work with H.E Rebecca Akufo-Addo why because not only is she an epitome of beauty and discipline, she represents and shares the same views as I do with regards women and girl child education and empowerment.
What was the hardest moment for you on your journey that almost made you give up and why did you keep going on, it doesn’t have to be connected to your present status?
My hardest moment was getting through housemanship. Being a foreign trained doctor, there is a perception that we have poor understanding and management in endemic diseases. My zeal, determination, faith in God not forgetting a good support system from family propelled me to continue and eventually completing with one of the highest number of assisted cesarean sections performed amongst my team peers and was known for my dexterity and wit.
Is there anything else you want to put in the public domain besides the above?
Yes, most certainly. I am married to an amazing man Capt. Davison Mensah-Kabu of the Ghana Armed Forces who together with my family have been a pillar in my life and career. We are together blessed with a baby boy who we fondly call blue.
Her Instagram its_yeeyee
