Eghan, 22, donated the money earlier this year and the former Under-20 international’s actions enabled Ernest Opuni to have an operation to repair a hole-in-his heart.

The surgery, which took place at the Cardiothoracic Centre of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Ghana’s capital Accra, has been declared a success.

Benson Owusu, president of Quik Medical Consult, the NGO which led the fundraising, was among those to extend his thanks to Eghan, who moved to the Eredivisie in 2013.

“Shadrach Eghan stepped in to save the life of the child with his donation to our ‘Bail Out The Child’ project,” Owusu said. “The money we raise helps needy children undergo surgeries and pay for hospital bills if their parents cannot afford.

Quik Medical Consult is a non-governmental organisation made up of young Ghanaian medical practitioners from various hospitals in Ghana.