The University of Ghana Medical Centre (UGMC) has taken another significant step forward in advancing weight loss surgery in Ghana, with the performance of the first-ever pin-hole surgery on an obese person. 

The laparoscopic gastric sleeve surgery, a type of weight-loss (bariatric) surgery where a large portion of the stomach is removed to create a smaller sleeve-shaped stomach, was carried out on a patient at the facility on Friday (July 25, 2025).

The historic surgery, which lasted about three hours, was conducted by a 30-member medical team comprising surgeons, anaesthetists, perioperative and recovery nurses, nutritionists, and other supporting medical staff.

Led by the Head of the Surgery Department of the Kenyatta National Hospital in Nairobi, Kenya, Dr Kenedy Ondede, about 80 per cent of the patient’s stomach was taken out, restricting the amount of food that can be eaten, with the ultimate goal to result in weight loss. 

A General Surgeon Consultant at the UGMC, Dr Dominic Darkwa; and the Head of the Surgery Department at UGMC, Dr Emmanuel Nachelleh, were key members of the team that undertook the surgical procedure.

The surgical process

Dr Ondede explained to Graphic Online's Timothy Ngnenbe that the laparoscopic gastric sleeve surgery was done through a small opening, referred to as pinhole, of not more than one centimetre. 

“We have five of these small holes; one takes the camera; we turn inside to be outside so that we see everything like what we do in open surgery. Through these openings, we are able to maneuver to release the stomach from its attachment - that is where food is stored and allow patents to put on a lot of weight. 

“We release the stomach from its attachment, and we are able to split it. About 60 to 80 per cent of the stomach is removed, and that narrows the tube and also means that the patient is able to eat little,” he explained.

Dr Ondede explained that the fat in the body of the patient would be used as long as they did not eat more, “and in no time, you will lose all the fat in your body.”

Minimal side effect

Touching on the adverse effects of the laparoscopic gastric sleeve surgery, he said “the adverse effect we want to create is weight loss, and that is positive to achieve.”

He added that the restriction of the capacity of the stomach to take in more food was not harmful to the patient because “we make sure that the rest of the diet is balanced, and we give supplements where necessary, and the patient lives normal life.”

Dr Ondede said the advantages of the surgery were far more than the disadvantage, which was weight loss. 

“If you are obese, you will have heart problems; you will have sugar control problems; joint problems; breathing problems; among others. When patients reduce weight, they stand the chance of avoiding these situations and have renewed life,” he said. 

Historic feat

Dr Darkwa said the success of the surgery was good for the UGMC’s quest to advance medical interventions to the general public.

He said it was refreshing that UGMC continue to blaze the trail in modern medical and clinical interventions in the country.

“For UGMC, this is the first time the surgery has been done, and I am not aware that it has been done in any facility in the country,” he added.

He said UGMC was inspired to do that surgery because of the increasing cases of non-communicable diseases, including obesity. He said in Ghana, about 17 to 25 per cent of the population was obsessed, which was why the new dawn was critical. 

Caution 

He cautioned members of the public to watch their diets and avoid sedentary lifestyle to prevent getting overweight or obese.

“The first thing is reducing your caloric intake to make sure that you do not get obese. Cut down the in-between meals, sugary and fatty foods; but if you happen to be obese and you cannot use the conventional way to reduce it, you can come, we will assess you and see whether the surgery is the best way out for you. 

Context

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) overweight and obesity are defined as abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that presents a risk to health. A body mass index (BMI) over 25 is considered overweight, and over 30 is obese. In 2019, an estimated 5 million noncommunicable disease (NCD) deaths were caused by higher-than-optimal BMI.

The global health body adds that from 1990 to 2022, the percentage of children and adolescents aged five to 19 years living with obesity increased four-fold from two per cent to eight per cent globally while the percentage of adults 18 years of age and older living with obesity more than doubled from seven per cent to to 16 per cent.