Lions Club holds health screening for Eid-ul-Fitr celebrants

The Ghana Lions Club has organised a free health screening exercise for Muslims in Accra as part of activities to mark the Eid-ul-Fitr celebration.

The exercise was held after yesterday’s prayer and thanksgiving service at the Black Star Square where Muslims gathered for the climax of the Ramadan.

It provided the opportunity for them to check their HIV status and to screen for Hepatitis B, blood pressure, sugar level and other health conditions.

The organisers said they targeted at least 350 persons to benefit from the exercise but the early signs of mass patronage meant the target could be exceeded.

Gratitude

Some of the persons who came to access the health screening exercise expressed delight in the opportunity and said usually they were very busy which always prevented them from going for regular check-ups.

Others also said although they were willing to go for medical check-ups, financial challenges had proven an impediment since they could not afford the cost of such medical tests.

One of the Eid-ul-Fitr celebrants at the Independence Square and a beneficiary of the free health screening exercise, who only gave his name as Musah, said, “it has been ages since I went for a check-up.

 My work has taken all my time and I am not even getting enough time for my health. I am so grateful to the organisers of this exercise”.

Mr Smaila Adnan, another beneficiary, also stated that “sometimes I wish I could go for regular check-ups, but I am not financially stable.

I am happy to be getting this screening for free. May Allah bless the organisers of this exercise because through them, many of us who cannot afford it are going to get it for free”.

Reason for the exercise

The Chairman in charge of the club’s Eid-ul-Fitr activities, Mrs Sheilla Gyamfi-Yeboah, stated that for the past four years, they had engaged in such activities to ensure good health for people in the country.

She said many people in the country did not undergo regular check-ups, making them prone to avoidable diseases.

Mrs Gyamfi-Yeboah said due to that, the club had taken it upon itself to embark on such activities to make people aware of their health conditions.

She added that after the screening, they were going to refer those with any health risk to relevant health professionals for further attention, adding that “when we realise the condition is very critical, we will refer them to the hospital for the needed treatment”.

Other activities

Mrs Gyamfi-Yeboah further disclosed that the club had many activities in the pipeline to help the vulnerable in the society.

“Lionism is all about service to the underprivileged in the society, so we are going to make sure such people benefit from us in all our endeavours,” she said.

“Already, we have embarked on many projects, and we will continue to do more,” she added.