The Gerald Asamoah Foundation and kinderherzen e.V. have teamed up with Korle Bu Teaching Hospital for a week of free paediatric cardiac operations.

Published 10 Nov 2026, 15:53 GMT

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Gerald Asamoah with a child from his foundation's heart programme — Gerald Asamoah (file photo)

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Ghana-born former Germany international footballer Gerald Asamoah has arrived in Accra with a team of 55 German medical professionals to perform free heart surgeries for children at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital.

The delegation of specialist surgeons, paediatric cardiac anaesthesiologists and nurses landed at Kotoka International Airport on Saturday, November 7 for the week-long *"Gemeinsam für Ghana"* ("Together for Ghana") mission organised by the Gerald Asamoah Foundation for Children with Heart Disease.

Delivered in partnership with the German charity kinderherzen e.V. and Korle Bu's National Cardiothoracic Centre, the mission provides free open-heart and minimally invasive catheterisation procedures for underprivileged children diagnosed with congenital heart defects, commonly known as hole-in-the-heart conditions.

Beneficiaries qualify through clinical screening and referrals at the National Cardiothoracic Centre, prioritising infants and children from low-income households who cannot afford complex cardiac operations, alongside donations of surgical consumables, emergency medications and equipment to the hospital.

Paediatric cardiac anaesthesiologist Kristina Ehleben, a member of the visiting German medical team, told Asaase Radio on Sunday, November 8 that the mission is structured to leave lasting clinical skills in Ghana rather than only clearing immediate surgical cases.

"The initiative goes beyond performing surgeries, with plans to strengthen local expertise through training, orientation and knowledge-sharing with Ghanaian doctors," Ehleben said.

On Sunday, November 8, Asamoah and his delegation also visited the German International School Accra (GISA), which provides educational scholarships to children who have undergone heart surgery through the foundation and whose pupils are helping cater for the medical team this week.

Born in Mampong in the Ashanti Region in 1978 before moving to Germany at age 12, Asamoah won 43 caps for Germany—including at the 2002 and 2006 FIFA World Cups—and founded his charity in 2007 after surviving a career-threatening congenital heart condition diagnosed at age 19.

Araba IncoomAraba Incoom writes on multiple topics with a vast knowledge across different sector. You can almost call me an AI, after all, my initials are Araba Incoom.

Gerald Asamoah brings 55 German medics to Ghana for free child heart surgeries

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