A Tribute to an Extraordinary Teacher and Mentor
by the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology-KATH/SMD-KNUST
With the passing on of Dr Seth Sengretsi, the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, KNUST/KATH and, indeed, Ghana has lost one of the finest Consultant Obstetrician-Gynaecologists and Medical Educators who had immense knowledge, skills and the attitudinal disposition in promoting his passion for maternal and women’s health.
Dr Sengretsi joined Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in April 1995 as a Specialist Obstetrician-Gynaecologist, and subsequently joined the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology School of Medical Sciences in January 1996 as a Lecturer. In his work as a clinician, he worked in various teams of the Obstetrics and Gynaecology Directorate in KATH and was finally retained in Team A of which he subsequently became the head, a position he held until his retirement from active clinical service.
SS, as he was affectionately called, was versatile as a clinician and leader, brilliant, innovative and creative. As a lecturer and medical educator, he was actively involved in teaching, skill and attitudinal transfer at all levels his specialty, namely midwives, medical students, house officers, medical officers and doctors in postgraduate residency training.
He was very friendly with his house officers, medical officers, residents and all other health care workers, yet he had his brand of fairness and firmness with his supervisory functions towards the development of the next generation of health care providers. He was pleasantly accessible as a consultant, especially when his team needed clinical management direction, even at odd hours.
Even when he had not been called, he would sometimes appear at the Hospital unannounced at about 3am in the labour ward, other wards and surgical theatres just to ensure that the duty workings of his team were going on smoothly. He was devoted to patient care, discipline and team development. He advocated for and indeed ensured regular reviews of all patients who had been operated upon.
At the personal level, his generosity to those under him knew no bounds. He would often sponsor meals and refreshment for his team members after their teaching and grand ward rounds, usually on Wednesdays. He could even surprise his team members with takeaway meal packs on weekend duties. At such times, he actually carried these packs himself from his car right to the eating area in the A1 theatre. SS really made the on-call or emergency duties so light for his team members with his presence and supportive activities.
SS, in your career as consultant obstetrician/gynaecologist, medical educator and mentor you worked with great passion, integrity and vigour. By your death all the people with whom you interacted during your life journey will miss you dearly as a highly intelligent, hardworking, reliable and diligent doctor who is worth emulating by members of the medical fraternity. Your character and the life you lived could be summed up in a few words: you were sincere, you were generous, you were disciplined and above all, selfless!
Your departure to eternity is hard to bear but we take solace from the Scriptures: Revelation 21:4
“He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
May our Good Lord bestow on you a crown worthy of your labour.
Rest in perfect peace, our colleague and brother in the medical profession, Dr. Seth Sengretsi.