Mission

Welcome to the St. Joseph's Polyclinic Mission page. 

Care and Share has been honored to support St. Joseph’s Polyclinic in Abira, Ghana since 2024, united with the Holy Family Sisters in a shared commitment to bringing quality healthcare closer to those who need it most. Through the leadership of Sister Maria and the generosity of many donors, this partnership has grown into a story of perseverance, collaboration, and community strength.  Our goal has been to transform St. Joseph's Polyclinic in Abira, Ghana, into a comprehensive, multi-specialty hospital.

Since 1978, St. Joseph’s Polyclinic has served the community with essential medical care: emergency services, surgery, recovery, general and maternity wards, and outpatient treatment for conditions such as malaria, sickle cell anemia, typhoid, diabetes, and hypertension. Yet as the population grew and needs multiplied, the existing facilities could no longer fully meet the demand. In response, and with trust in God’s guidance, the vision emerged to expand into a more complete, multi-specialty hospital offering surgical and maternity units, mental health services, reproductive and child health, 24-hour emergency and pharmacy services, as well as radiology, ophthalmology, ENT, and dental care.

With this vision in mind, plans were made for a new two-story multipurpose building—a place where more lives could be touched and more families could find healing and hope.  By June 2025, the new OPD building was completed.  This allowed outpatient services to grow and reach more patients. Additionally, they were able to acquire a much-needed ultrasound machine which has further strengthened diagnostic care.

Remarkably, two-thirds of the funds from the completion came from local sources—revenue generated right at the hospital through patient care fees and from the support of local leaders. This self-sustaining model demonstrates the community's commitment.  It underscores how strategic partnerships can amplify resources where they're needed most.  

As the project has evolved, so has the understanding of the community’s most urgent needs. While the original Phase II plan envisioned turning the multipurpose building into a fully equipped multi-specialty hospital, current priorities now focus on expanding the maternity unit, developing a Neonatal ICU to care for vulnerable newborns, and creating a conference room and accommodations for visiting doctors. These next steps will directly improve care for mothers, infants, and families, and help attract and support healthcare professionals who come to serve.

We invite you to consider supporting this important work. Your contribution—of any size—will go directly toward saving lives and strengthening the healthcare foundation of Abira for generations to come.

Update - June 20th 2025

The OPD building in Ghana has been completed, featuring facilities such as one storeroom and one scan room. It will serve a variety of medical specialties including ENT, Ophthalmology, Mental Health, Public Health, and more.

Every contribution, no matter the size, is a valuable step towards providing quality healthcare to those who need it most.

We greatly appreciate your support and generosity. Together, we can create lasting positive change in the healthcare system for the community.

About Sister Maria Mathew

Sister Maria Mathew, born into a family with a pharmacist father and a social worker mother in Kerala, India, has devoted her career to healthcare and community service. With a background in nursing and hospital administration, she is passionate about improving healthcare access for underserved populations. In 2024, she took on the role of Administrator of St. Joseph's Polyclinic.