Paving the Path: The Fight for Rehabilitation in Ghana

About this episode

Dr. Abena Tannor discusses her journey and the challenges of building rehabilitation care in Ghana.

In this episode, we welcome Dr. Abena Tannor —a leading physiatrist, sports and exercise rehabilitation physician and global health expert. Dr. Tannor shares her powerful journey as Ghana’s first PM&R and sports, exercise and rehabilitation medicine physician . She’s a dedicated trailblazer who’s shaping the future of rehabilitation care in her country every day. As a World Health Organization rehabilitation consultant and member of the Ghana Olympic Committee , Dr. Tannor offers a look at the realities of building a PM&R Residency Program in Ghana from the ground up. She candidly discusses the challenges of grassroots program development and navigating socioeconomic barriers within the health care system. Dr. Tannor paints a vivid picture of Ghana’s medical landscape—addressing stigma surrounding individuals with disabilities, the current state of access to rehabilitation services and the critical need for sustainable rehab infrastructure. She shares what keeps her motivated on the hardest days and her hopeful vision for the future of physiatry and rehabilitation in Ghana. This inspiring conversation highlights resilience, leadership and the power of rehabilitation to…

People in this episode

Hosts: Dr. Yunna Sinskey, Dr. Doug Henry

Guest: Dr. Abena Tannor

Topics covered

• rehabilitation
• global health
• physiatry
• program development
• socioeconomic barriers
• disability stigma

Keywords

• rehabilitation
• Ghana
• physiatrist
• health care
• disabilities
• socioeconomic barriers
• program development

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: World Health Organization, Ghana Olympic Committee

Places: Ghana

More episodes of The SumMARY

• Kidney Disease: Living Beyond Dialysis · April 9, 2026 · 52 min
• Evolving Neurosurgical Management of Spasticity · March 4, 2026 · 58 min
• "How's Ed?" - Advocacy & Accuracy in Disorders of Consciousness · December 5, 2025 · 54 min
• From Consult to Comeback: Building the “Easy Button” for Inpatient Rehab · November 4, 2025 · 49 min
• Behind the Scenes: Lessons from the PM&R Program Director’s Chair · September 23, 2025 · 1h 5m
• A Physicians Perspective: Inching Back to "Normalcy" After Cancer · August 7, 2025 · 44 min