Discover how Dr Naa Asheley Ashietey is revolutionising wellness in Ghana through innovative chiropractic care, aiming to establish a medical tourism hub that prioritises holistic health for all Africans.
Image: File
The World Health Organisation defines wellness as the optimal state of health for individuals and a positive approach to living, but wellness is more than just physical health.
“It’s a holistic and multidimensional approach that helps you achieve harmony in the body, mind and lifestyle,” according to Ghana’s fastest rising wellpreneur, Dr Naa Asheley Ashietey.
Ashietey established the Nova Chiropractic Health Center in 2013. At the time, her vision was to bring an innovative approach to managing pain through natural, preventative and personalised care.
That vision has evolved over the years into the Nova Wellness Center (NWC), now the most technologically advanced and innovative spine and general wellness centre in Ghana and West Africa.
According to market research firm Mordor Intelligence, the growing Africa wellness and tourism market is worth about $94bn—and forecast to hit $120bn by 2030. Ashietey is gearing up to make West Africa an attractive destination for wellness care, a journey she believes begins with spinal care.
“Regular spinal realignment can drastically improve functional life years. I am a testament to this; I first learned about chiropractic care after experiencing a severe bout of lower back pain during my pre-med degree in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
“The school physiotherapist—having treated me without success—referred me to a chiropractor. To my surprise, my lower back pain disappeared within a week. That was the beginning of my journey with chiropractic care,” recalls Ashietey.
With her medical background, she was fascinated by how you could alleviate pain by making a few spinal adjustments. She discovered that chiropractic went beyond musculoskeletal pain—it could also benefit individuals with asthma, hypertension and insomnia.
“Knowing that my brother had severe asthma, I saw chiropractic as a means to help him and many others who were struggling with conditions that traditional medicine couldn’t fully address,” she says.
After conducting extensive research to understand this complementary medicine, Ashietey decided she wanted to treat her fellow Ghanaians and other Africans. In 2007, after obtaining a BSc, she enrolled at Palmer College of Chiropractic in Davenport, Iowa, US, where she also graduated as a Doctor of Chiropractic.
Almost a decade later, NWC is at the heart of chiropractic therapy in Ghana, boasting two state-of-the-art centres—in Accra and Kumasi—and sporting several awards, including the Ghana Business Excellence Award for health and wellness (2022), a Forty Under 40 honourary award for contribution to chiropractic in Ghana (2018), and the Small and Medium Enterprises Ghana Award, health category (2017).
Along the way, there have also been several firsts. In 2022, NWC became the first facility in Ghana to import and use the non-surgical spinal decompression DRX 9000 machine to treat neck and back pain, as well as sciatica.
In 2023, the centre introduced platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy, a form of regenerative medicine.
“This innovation has been a game-changer, allowing us to treat conditions such as arthritis, erectile dysfunction in men and low libido in women—all using a patient’s blood platelets,” says Ashietey.
She sees a world of opportunities for wellness centres across Africa—and believes Ghana is just the beginning.
Ashietey established the Nova Chiropractic Health Center in 2013. At the time, her vision was to bring an innovative approach to managing pain through natural, preventative and personalised care.
Image: File
Ashietey talks to Fast Company editor Wesley Diphoko about her fast-rising wellness empire.
FC: When did your entrepreneurial journey start?
After graduation, I worked at Chiro One Wellness Center in Chicago, Illinois, for about a year. However, after spending a decade abroad, I decided it was time to return home to Ghana. On my return, I worked at the Spinal Clinic (in Accra) for about a year before founding Nova Chiropractic Health Center in 2013. Over time, it evolved into the Nova Wellness Center (NWC).
FC: What is the vision for the Nova Wellness Center?
Our vision is for everyone to live happier, healthier and more fulfilling lives—physically, mentally and spiritually. At NWC, we believe true wellness comes from within. Through technology and innovation, we aim to inspire a shift from the “sick-care” model to a wellness-focused lifestyle. We believe that Africans deserve world-class health and wellness care. Our goal is to establish a medical tourism hub for wellness by Africans, for Africans, and to reduce the need for expensive overseas treatments.
FC: What challenges have you had to overcome to reach this stage?
One of my biggest challenges has been human resource limitations. There are very few chiropractors in Ghana. In the early years of my practice, when I was the sole chiropractor at my clinic, I sometimes had to close my facility because there was no one to cover for me. After each of my two birth-related leaves, I lost patients to other chiropractors and had to rebuild my practice from scratch. Another major challenge has been accessing capital to scale up the business.
FC: What is Nova’s growth strategy?
Has there been any private capital investment, or has growth been organic? Our growth strategies include: Leveraging advanced technology and innovative therapies to expand our treatment of a range of conditions; Using strategic, paid advertising to build a strong online presence. Implementing corporate wellness programmes at organisations. Prioritising patient education and community awareness campaigns. Combining organic expansion and private capital investment.
FC: What is your perspective on the African wellness industry?
The African wellness industry is still in its infancy—it is a virgin market, with enormous untapped potential. Historically, Africans relied on natural medicine and holistic healing practices, but the dominance of Western medicine has led to them abandoning these approaches. However, I believe that by integrating technology with our indigenous healing practices, we can create innovative wellness trends that significantly improve African health outcomes.
FC: Where do you see untapped opportunities in this sector?
There are significant untapped opportunities in the following areas: The natural treatment of musculoskeletal conditions, such as neck and back pain the treatment of sexual and reproductive health issues, such as erectile dysfunction and low libido.
The lack of alternative healthcare services in African countries. For example, Nigeria—with a population of 223 million— has about 10 registered chiropractors, while Ghana— population of 33 million—has a similar number. The lack of alternative health fields—such as osteopathy, naturopathy and homeopathy—across the continent.
FC: What are Nova’s long-term plans for the African wellness sector?
Our goal is to collaborate with other healthcare professionals to expand chiropractic care across Africa. We also want to train and mentor new chiropractors and alternative health practitioners to replicate the NWC model in different countries. And establish an anti-aging clinic within the Nova Wellness Center. Given the rising demand for longevity and vitality, we plan to introduce natural therapies to slow aging, while enhancing physical and mental well-being.
FC: What advice do you have for other health entrepreneurs looking to enter the wellness sector?
I encourage young people interested in healthcare to think beyond traditional medicine. While allopathic doctors are essential, we also need more alternative medicine practitioners to complement their work. Our profession is deeply rewarding because it has minimal to no side effects, and we can transform lives using non-invasive methods. I am grateful that I took the bold step towards doing something different for my community. More than 18 years ago, I dreamed of building the biggest spine and wellness hub in Africa; today, we have achieved that vision. With resilience, courage and perseverance, we will continue to inspire people to move towards wellness. When you dream, dream big—as big as the ocean blue!
