Cultural and Linguistic Barriers in Healthcare: A Study of Communication Challenges between Ghanaian Health Workers and Francophone Patients
Mavis Antiri Kodua 
, Bernard Ampong , Lebene Adzo Tettey & Joann Thompson
Issue: Vol.6 No.7 Article 20 pp.1210 – 1234
DOI: https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.20256720 | Published online 23rd June, 2025
© 2025 The Author(s). This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
As Ghana strengthens its ties with Francophone Africa and the broader international community, French language proficiency among healthcare professionals has become increasingly vital. The country hosts a growing number of migrants from Francophone nations, driven by educational, professional, economic, and socio-political factors. Ghana’s strategic location in West Africa further encourages cross-border migration, with many migrants seeking access to essential services, particularly healthcare. Indicated by literature, Ghanaian health professionals, especially at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, are witnessing a steady rise in patients from neighboring Francophone countries. Effective communication between healthcare professionals and Francophone patients is essential for delivering quality healthcare services. The study examines the communication challenges between health workers and francophone patients in Ghana and evaluates the role of cultural differences in the health worker-patient relationship. This study adopts a mixed-method approach. A questionnaire survey was conducted among 106 healthcare professionals and students from Kumasi Nursing and Midwifery Training College and Valley View University, Techiman campus. Additionally, eight responses were collected from Francophone patients residing in the Kumasi Metropolis. The findings highlight the need for continuous, context-based capacity building in French language skills tailored specifically for healthcare professionals. Such training could improve communication and, consequently, patient outcomes. The study advocates for the enhancement of French language education in healthcare institutions through relevant pedagogical approaches, thereby promoting regional healthcare collaboration.
Keywords: French Language Education, Healthcare Institutions, Ghana, Healthcare Professionals, Francophone Patients.
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Mavis Antiri Kodua is an Assistant Lecturer in the Department of Language and Communication Sciences of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST). She is currently enrolled on a PhD programme in her department. Mavis is a product of KNUST and holds an M.Phil. French, specializing in the Teaching of French as a Foreign Language (Français Langue Étrangère) and in French for Specific Purposes (Français sur Objectifs Spécifiques). Her research interests cover the field of Sociolinguistics, Language and Culture, Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) and Preservation of Minority Languages as a result of Climate Change. Her published papers are; Climate change and preservation of minority languages in the upper regions of Ghana: A systematic review, Placing languages and culture in interventions for sustainable national development in Ghana and An Ethnographic Study of the Akan One Week Funeral Observation in Ghana: Making a Case for Its Stepwise Documentation
Dr. Bernard Ampong is a Ghanaian born linguist specialising in pragmatics. Paramount among his works are the pragmatic analysis of the famous Ex-President Rawlings’ story of “Atta Mortuary-man” and the unsaid in titles of francophone african novels. He is currently a lecturer at the Department of Language and Communication Sciences, KNUST. His areas of research interest however include Onomastics (the scientific study of names), Translation and the Teaching and Learning of French. His published works include; The Unsaid in Titles: A Critical Look at Bernard Nanga’s “Les Chauves-Souris”[Bats], Linguistic Exploitations in T&C/T and S Apply: A Matter in the Digital Age, Analysing presupposition: A study on president Akufo-Addo’s state of the nation address (sona), 2022, Aspects des activités funèbres Akan influences par la modernité, La Préservation du riche Patrimoine Culturel Akan à travers les Proverbes ancestraux, Court Metalanguage: Ethno-semantic Analysis in Akan, An Ethnographic Study of the Akan One Week Funeral Observation in Ghana: Making a Case for Its Stepwise Documentation.
Dr. (Mrs.) Lebene Adzo Tettey is a Lecturer in the Department of Language and Communication Sciences, KNUST. A gifted teacher with wide experience in education and teaching, she holds a PhD French in Language Science from the Université de Franche-Comté, Besançon, France. She was Head of the Department of Modern Languages from August, 2010 – July, 2012, Coordinator for the French Programme at the Department from August, 2012 – July, 2013. Dr. Mrs. Lebene Tettey, at the 2011/2012 CASS awards, received the Most Responsive Head of Department award in the College of Arts and Social Sciences now College of Humanities and Social Sciences. She was also one of the recipients of the “Obaa Mo” award of the Faculty of Social Sciences in 2014. She is a member of several Associations and has served on a number of Committees and Councils. She is co-founder and co-director of the Pathfinders Educational Trust, a career guidance and counseling Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) that seeks to help young people discover their personalities, their gifts and talents and also provides educational and career guidance for them. She is also a Bible teacher, counselor and motivational speaker.
Mrs. Joann Thompson is a researcher at the Centre for Cultural and African Studies, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) with a strong focus on cultural sustainability, cultural policy, education and Ghanaian traditional dance. Her work explores the intersections between policy frameworks and the preservation of intangible cultural heritage (ICH), particularly how ICH informs sustainable cultural development. With a commitment to integrating indigenous knowledge systems into educational and policy structures, Joann contributes to research and initiatives that support community empowerment and long-term cultural vitality. She continues to engage with interdisciplinary approaches that bridge the arts, policy, and pedagogy in fostering inclusive cultural ecosystems. She is currently pursuing a PhD in African Art and Culture.
Kodua, Mavis Antiri, Bernard Ampong, Lebene Adzo Tettey and Joann Thompson. “Cultural and Linguistic Barriers in Healthcare: A Study of Communication Challenges between Ghanaian Health Workers and Francophone Patients,” E-Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences 6, no.7 (2025): 1210 – 1234. https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.20256720
© 2025 The Author(s). Published and Maintained by Noyam Journals. This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
