CARDIAC physiologist Julius Donkor spends his days treating patients with heart disease at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.
But he is also helping to save lives more than 5000 miles away in Ghana.
And the 43-year-old has now been nominated for the Global Citizenship Award at this year’s Scottish Health Awards.
Julius, who was born in Ghana, was on holiday in the African country when his grandmother took ill.
When he saw first-hand the scant medical resources available, he vowed to do what he could to help when he got back home. Since then, he has collected and donated about 200 used defibrillators to hospitals all across Ghana.
Julius said: “My grandmother was treated well but the resources were very lacking. It made me realise how fortunate we are here.
“I made a vow that when I got back to Aberdeen, I would do all I could to help.”
Julius, who has lived in the UK for 30 years, started collecting old and expired medical equipment that was no longer needed by NHS Grampian.
Donations from his church, the Church of Christ, meant he was also able to purchase defibrillator accessories and fund a trip to Ghana to train local medical staff on the use of the donated equipment.
He said: “There were very few hospitals in Ghana that had defibrillators.
“Now, about 200 defibrillators that were going to the skip are being put to really good use in a poor country.
“Heart disease is a significant problem in Ghana and for people to go into cardiac arrest is quite common.
“Now they have this equipment, it’s made a big difference.”
Julius was thrilled to be nominated by a colleague for the Global Citizenship Award – a new category in the Scottish Health Awards.
He added: “I wasn’t expecting it at all.
“But it’s not just down to me – the project has been a team effort. The real kudos is due to the hospital and the church for making this all possible.”
