By News Editor: Fuvi Kloku, Bolingbrook, Illinois: September 28, 2025
The atmosphere within the Asanteman Association general meeting on September 28, 2025, was electric, not solely with the energy of a major cultural assembly, but with the quiet determination of a community prioritizing its own longevity. This collaboration between the Ghanaian Community Health Clinic (GCHC) and Asanteman Association of the Midwest, an affiliate of the Ghana National Council of Metropolitan Chicago, GNC, resulted in a landmark attendance, establishing a new record. Approximately 50 people received critical health services in a single day. This turnout is not just a logistical success; it is powerful evidence of the deep trust and demand Dr. Eunice Cromwell, DNP, MSN, FNP-C, and others has cultivated over years of tireless service.
The specific focus of the day was meticulously planned, addressing the most critical, yet often unseen, threats to the diaspora’s health. As Dr. Prince Hodogbey, the Medical Director, explained to the assembly, preventative medicine is paramount because high blood pressure is a silent killer. The services rendered, cholesterol, A1C, and blood pressure screenings are precise, evidence-based measures aimed at detecting and mitigating the onset of chronic diseases. The seamless operation was further bolstered by key partnerships, including Mr. Appiah of Pharmacy Home Rx, whose commitment to medication delivery services directly overcomes critical logistical barriers such as transportation or time-off concerns that frequently prevent immigrant community members from accessing necessary follow-up care.
The need for the GCHC’s dedicated intervention is rooted in the harsh realities of public health data. Analysis of health outcomes in Chicago reveals persistent and widening disparities for the Non-Hispanic Black community, with significant mortality rates tied to conditions like heart disease, stroke, and diabetes mellitus. The existence of the GCHC, therefore, should not be viewed as a supplementary charity project, but rather as a localized, essential public health response system designed to counteract these systemic vulnerabilities.
By zeroing in on high blood pressure and A1C control, Dr. Cromwell and others demonstrate a leadership approach informed by epidemiological data. The strategy successfully targets the primary chronic killers documented to disproportionately affect this demographic. The record participation confirms that community members recognize the value of this culturally competent intervention, bridging the fatal gap between institutional failures and accessible, preventative clinical care. Dr. Cromwell’s work thus shifts from simple community service to becoming a pivotal force for health equity.
At the heart of this operational triumph stands Dr. Eunice Cromwell, introduced as the Chief Operations Director of the Clinic and, critically, the current Vice President of the GNC. Dr. Cromwell articulated the pride of the GNC in setting up the service, but the true measure of her leadership lies in the comprehensive institution she helped to construct. Her record of establishing and sustaining a life-saving clinical framework establishes her as the proven figure who not only recognizes the community’s pain points but also possesses the strategic vision and administrative resilience necessary to solve them.
The Ghanaian Community Health Clinic’s impressive current capacity is the culmination of an eight-year, meticulously managed organizational evolution. The initiative began modestly in 2017 as a simple health fair, organized during the Independence Day celebration week, under the initial leadership of Eunice Cromwell in her capacity as the GNC Business Manager. Starting the project within the structure of a major cultural event was an act of political and logistical foresight, ensuring high visibility and initial community engagement.
From its inception in 2017, the health fair was not a one-off event, but a scalable blueprint. It first expanded into a yearly Health and Wellness Expo, then transformed into a twice-a-year business expo, demonstrating adaptive leadership focused on providing diverse forms of community support. Crucially, this iterative success eventually led to the development of the program into a monthly service and finally the fully operational Ghanaian Community Health Clinic.
This methodical progression is critical. Most volunteer community initiatives fail due to lack of sustainment and inability to scale. The GCHC’s successful journey demonstrates that Dr. Cromwell possesses the rare capacity for effective, long-term operational planning and resource mobilization, a quality that is essential for leading the vast and diverse structure of the Ghana National Council.
The GCHC’s transition to providing full clinic services involved establishing a multidisciplinary network. Dr. Cromwell, as the Chief Operations Director, collaborated with Dr. Chris for laboratory services, and successfully called upon specialists and providers to assist, resulting in a robust clinical team including Medical Director Dr. Prince Hodogbey, Assistant Medical Director Dr. Jamilah Okoe, Dr. Victoria Kyerematen ,Dr. Habiba Fuseini, nurses and many other providers and volunteers. The establishment of this extensive medical structure shows exceptional strength in interprofessional team assembly and leadership.
Furthermore, the clinic has secured crucial external validation, a testament to its operational integrity. The GCHC attracted significant philanthropic investment, completing a three-year commitment totaling $30,000 from a Chicago-based business magnate. The financial endorsement, along with early media recognition from WGN News and Sankofaonline.com, underscores GCHC’s mission to provide free, life-saving preventative care. These validations confirm its reputation as a professionally sound and highly reliable institution, one capable of attracting and managing critical external resources, a non-negotiable requirement for the next GNC President.
Dr. Eunice Cromwell’s Proven Record of Building a Lifeline and other critical initiatives, Makes Her the Inevitable Next Leader of Chicago’s Ghanaian Diaspora community.
