Our History

History of the Church of Christ Mission Health Center (COCMHC), Yendi.

(As told by those who have been part of the facility since inception)

The history of the Church of Christ Mission Health Centre (COCMHC), Yendi as is now called is linked to a long history of missionary efforts and the establishment of Churches of Christ in the Northern part of Ghana, including Yendi, which was established in 1982.

American and Ghanaian missionaries doing mission work in the North were confronted with a problem in the communities – the Guinea worm pandemic, contracted mainly from drinking contaminated water. To address this problem, sister organization, the Rural Water Develop Program (RWDP) was established in 1989 to provide portable and clean drinking water to the affected communities and subsequently, the clinic to address the health needs of the people.

The Yendi clinic was officially commissioned on June 19, 1996, with a staff strength of eight (8) and one building structure, which now serves as the maternity block. Prior to its establishment, the Bomso Church, through the Church of Christ mission clinic in Kumasi embarked on medical outreaches to Yendi and adjourning communities sometime in 1995.  Some of the missionaries who were instrumental in the Northern mission work included Glenn Boyed, Dan L. McVey, Ted Wheeler, Josiah Tilton, Mrs. Cinderella Rynolds (Mama Cyndy), and Christian Nsoah, whose special working relationship with Glenn initiated the Yendi clinic.

Christian and other missionaries working in the north continued talking with Glenn Boyd to help Yendi with a clinic. They went further and invited him to come along with them to the north so that he would see the needs of the area with his naked eyes. They did this to motivate the coming of the Yendi clinic.  Glenn first made a donation of medical supplies to be used to help the people of Wanjuga, a community east of Cheriponi near the Ghana-Togo border. This marked the beginning of the mobile clinic, which eventually resulted in the establishment of the Clinic.

The clinic was made possible through the philanthropy of the International Healthcare Foundation (IHCF)/African Christian Hospitals based in Searcy USA, who have since its inception provided enormous financial, logistical, human, and other forms of resource support to the health facility.  All IHCF/African Christian Hospital directors beginning from Glyn Boyd, Frank Black, Tom D. Carr, and currently, Kevin Linderman have been very instrumental in the growth and development of the health facility.

Other individuals who have been instrumental in the history of the health facility include Gyan Kesse of Bomso Church, and Alhassan Abdulai Andrews (current minister of Yendi Church), among others.

The following are the men and women who have headed the facility since its establishment;

1. 1. 1. Gladys Okrah – Matron (June 1996 to December 1996)
   1. 1. Peter K. Bombande – Public Healthcare Nurse (part of 1997; 2002 – 2003; 2004 – 2016)
   1. 1. Cinderella Reynolds (Mama Cyndi) – Matron ( part of 1997 – 2002)
   1. 1. Linda Benskin –  (2003-2004)
   1. 1. Bernard Ndeogo – Physician Assistant (2017 – 2021)
   1. Dr. Isaac Obeng Odei – Medical Doctor – (2022- date)

The facility has since its establishment served over a million patients within the Yendi municipality and surrounding communities. Currently, the health facility serves more than 70 communities with a monthly average patient attendance of about 1,171.

From a humble beginning with eight (8) staff and no beds in 1996, the facility now has a total staff strength of about 108 and boasts of 42-bed capacity. Presently, the facility sits on an 11.5-acre land, with vast opportunity for expansion.

The COCMHC is under the oversight of the leadership of the Yendi Church of Christ, who appoints the board. The first board members were:

1. 1. 1. Emmanuel Syme
   1. 1. Peter Bombande
   1. 1. Abdulai Adam
   1. 1. Musah Dauda
   1. Alhassan Andrews Abudulai

The board has since transitioned with the following as the current board members:

1. 1. 1. George Dassah, Board Chairman and Minister in Charge of Tamale Central Church of Christ.
   1. 1. Alhassan Abdulai Andrews, Vice Chairman and Minister in charge of Yendi Church of Christ.
   1. 1. Benjamin Opoku, Board member, Administrator at Ghana Education Service, Yendi, and an entrepreneur.
   1. 1. Madam Nancy Yaa Sanda, Board member, Educationalist, and head of the Yendi Church of Christ School.
   1. Yusif Sualesu, Board Member, HR/Health Administrator.

Currently, the COCMHC, Yendi is part of the four (4) health facilities under the Church of Christ Mission Health Services (COCMHS) in Ghana. The others are the Bomso Church of Christ Hospital, The Hope Christian Hospital, and the Dodze Church of Christ Mission Clinic.  It is also a member of the Christian Health Association of Ghana (CHAG).

The facility has a bright future, it has a policy of financially supporting healthcare students within the Church of Christ who are willing to come back to work at the center. In addition, the board and management are working with its international partners (IHCF/African Christian Hospitals) to get the facility expanded and upgraded into a Primary Hospital to be able to serve the community better.

The Center will continue to provide quality, affordable, and accessible healthcare to complement the efforts of the Church in promoting the love of Christ and ministering to the needs of humanity as was the dream of the founding missionaries to the glory of God!