Patholab holds outreach programme on non-communicable diseases
Patholab Medical Laboratory has held a community outreach programme to raise awareness and prevent non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
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This initiative, part of the organisation’s corporate social responsibility efforts, focuses on screening for critical health indicators such as blood pressure, malaria and fasting blood sugar.
The exercise, which took place at the Kwabenya Tipper Truck Station, had drivers and market women being screened.
NCDs
Patholab’s Director, Elizabeth Irene Baitie in an interview with the Daily Graphic on the sidelines of the exercise, stated that NCDs, which accounted for a substantial percentage of premature deaths worldwide, were increasingly becoming a silent epidemic.
“These diseases, including diabetes and hypertension, are not transmitted between individuals but rather result from lifestyle choices and environmental factors. Despite raising awareness of these conditions, many individuals remain unaware of their health status, leading to avoidable fatalities,” she noted.
Education
Mrs Baitie also added that her outfit was committed to educating communities on the dangers of non-communicable diseases.
“Our goal is not only to provide screenings but also to equip people with knowledge on how to lead healthier lives. We want to emphasise that lifestyle choices have a direct impact on health outcomes,” Mrs Baitie said.
Furthermore, she said, initiatives such as these allowed her organisation to capture attention and encourage proactive health management among many community members.
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Health management
During the health screening, participants received their test results and were also educated on blood pressure management, signs of hypertension and the lurking dangers of malaria.
“Many individuals are unaware of how severe malaria can be, and how it can intersect with other health conditions such as hypertension. By providing this information, we empower individuals to take charge of their health,” Corporate Wellness Officer, Caleb Klomegah also added.
“We want people to be curious about their health and to understand the preventive measures they can take,” said a Patholab representative. “We hope that with concerted effort, we can significantly reduce the burden of non-communicable diseases in our communities.”
Good initiative
A driver, Divine Amenyo, lauded Patholab’s initiative, describing it as a good one and said he was pleased to have had his vitals checked.
“The job I do takes me away and most often, I don’t have time for check-ups, all I think of is to put food on the table, so having them bring this to my doorstep is good and I’m glad I know my health status,” he said.
Some of the market women who also benefited from the exercise commended the organisers for the initiative and described the education on the basic dos and don’ts of preventing NCDs as ‘very beneficial.’