Health professional launches NGO with free medical screening

A non-governmental organisation (NGO), “Health For All Foundation,” has been launched with its first activity, a free medical screening at Klikor, a town in the Ketu South Municipality in the Volta Region.

The foundation aimed at improving healthcare access in underserved communities across the country.

The launch brought together volunteers, chiefs and a team of medical practitioners from Tema (TM Medics) in Greater Accra.

With the Klikor community as the starting point, the NGO aimed to address the immediate health needs of residents and the pressing healthcare challenges in underserved communities.

It also aimed to offer health education workshops, community awareness campaigns, mobile testing clinics, medical supply distribution and capacity-building workshops.

Screening

About 450 residents made up of children, adults and the aged were screened for various ailments and conditions such as high blood pressure, malaria, hepatitis B, diabetes, hypertension, breast cancer, among others.

After the screening and depending on what they were diagnosed with, the beneficiaries were given free medication, while those identified with complications were referred to the appropriate health facility for further diagnoses and care.

The founder, a doctor of nursing practice (DNP), Dr Princess Kukua Ahedor, said the purpose of the screening was to help bring quality healthcare delivery to the doorstep of the residents living in Klikor and its environs.

“This free screening is just the first step in our mission to bridge that gap, empower individuals with knowledge, and provide the support they need to lead healthier lives,” she said.

She expressed the hope that the initiative would help address specific health needs in communities where there was a notable lack of healthcare facilities and where residents often forgo medical check-ups due to various barriers.

“Health screening and encouraging people to take their medical check-ups seriously means disease prevention or early detection, which also means early treatment and good prognosis,” she said. 

Vision

Dr Ahedor said central to the initiative was the START concept, which stands for ‘Screening, Testing, Advocacy, Response and Training.’

“This framework would guide the efforts of foundation as it strives to enhance the health and well-being of people in underserved communities,” she added.

“In the short term, we aimed to provide free medical checks and health education, while the long-term goal is to build Community Health Planning and Services (CHPS) clinics in every community served,” she said.

Dr Ahedor said, “When our people are healthy, they can pursue education, work productively and contribute positively to society”.

She thus thanked all volunteers for their dedication, adding that “taking responsibility for our health cannot rest solely on the government, it requires a collective effort from all of us. So let us all take ownership of our health and support our community health centres”.

Prioritise

The President for Tema Medics, Ebenezer Ayikuma Ayitey, advised the community to prioritise scientifically backed treatments over herbal remedies, which are often used without proper medical guidance.

He said unregulated use of herbal medications could strain vital organs, such as the liver and kidneys, and encouraged the community to embrace scientific methods for better health outcomes.

Mr Ayitey said, “During the screening, we identified numerous cases of diabetes, hypertension and malaria, with several patients testing positive for these conditions”.

He said there was the need for people to go for regular medical check-ups in order to know their health status.

Appreciation

The Secretary of the Paramount Chief, Klikor Traditional Area, Abraham Domi, on behalf of the chief and the community, thanked the team for bringing healthcare delivery to the doorstep of residents.

He lauded the team’s efforts and pledged the community’s support for the Health for All Foundation, saying: “Dr Ahedor has shown us that the health and well-being of our people are her priority. We are grateful for this and will do everything we can to support her vision.”