Writer-director Emmanuel Apea Jr’s Accra Medic TV series is an example of a true life event depicted in a movie. The series touches on issues of great concern to health delivery in the country Ghana. It throws light on the obstacles hindering quality health care delivery, the attitudes of health personnel, patient doctor-nurse relationship and also explores the lives of the health workers.
Dr. Acheampong (Osei Kwame Bentil) was brought from abroad to head the hospital – Accra Medic. But through his political and other affiliations Dr. Mohammed (Edward Agyekum Kuffuor) ended up as the head (Superintendent) of the hospital. Fast forward, Dr. Mohammed decides to appoint a different doctor as his assistant causing a face to face confrontation between Dr. Mohammed and Dr. Acheampong. There is no denial that there is a time bomb waiting to explode between these two doctors.
Apea Jr. with is brilliant writing and master directing has created a series that will go a long way to inspire and entertain the viewers. The way he combines the characters, the creative writing of the dialogue, highlights the importance of the story he is telling. The injection of family drama, relationship drama and lifestyle twists makes the series worthy of the time spent to watch.
The on screen chemistry between Dr. Aryana (Kokui Selormey Hansen) and Dr. Sinclair (Elaine Attoh) makes their friendship believable instantly. The ease with which Dr. Aryana and Dr. Sinclair deliver their dialogue makes you fall in love with their performances almost instantly. Another combination that creates a cat and dog relationship, is that of David (Daniel Delong) and Christiana (Ninette Orleans Thompson). David a banker, lost his job due to the financial sector clean-up, and he feels his wife Christiana who is a nurse is looking down on him. Their marriage begins to fall apart as Christiana decides to start spending some nights at her workplace.
The drama keeps unfolding, Dr. Bafour (Aaron Adatsi) does unspeakable things with his sugar mummy (his patient) for money; Dr. Elorm (Kweku Elliot) has to choose between Akua(Desiree Crenstil) and Dr. Debbie (Nubuke Gadzekpo); Mr. Ghansah’s wife is seeking a divorce; Dr. Elorm’s mother is hiding something about his father from him; etc. There are so many plot twists and turns to look out for in the second season of Accra Medic.
It is common knowledge among great filmmakers that you ‘show don’t tell’. Through out the series, some of the problems faced by the hospital are narrated by characters through their dialogue. It would have been more dramatic if those narrations had followed the saying; ‘show, don’t tell’.
The series isn’t without some shortfalls; Betty, a student is rushed to the hospital after she tried committing suicide. It was revealed that she was raped by the headmaster and she got pregnant. That is all, we don’t know what happened to her, or the headmaster. The hospital has the moral right to seek justice for their patients. This and other cases in the series were inconclusive.
The good work done by the cinematographer, Coco Xorlanyo Armstrong coupled with the excellent work from the special effects team, the costume and the whole team has raised the standard of filmmaking in Ghana. Accra Medic brings together, drama and comedy through the outstanding performance by the actors to make the series a classic.
Nurse Efe (Elizabeth Alottey Annan) goes to Dr. Mohammed’s house to tell him she is pregnant and she will not be going for an abortion. Dr. Mohammed didn’t like the idea of no abortion, leading to an argument, Efe falls from the stairs, hits her head against the ground. Is she dead? Will she survive? Let’s find out in the season two of Accra Medic.
Accra Medic is currently streaming on Showmax.
