Kukuom residents receive free medical screening
The people of Kukuom in the Asunafo South District in the Brong Ahafo Region heaved a sigh of relief when a team of medical doctors and other health personnel took part in a health screening exercise in the town to identify and treat their hidden diseases.
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For two days, more than 600 people (the young and the aged) turned out in their numbers to take advantage of the exercise to check their health status.
There is not a single medical doctor in the Asunafo South District; hence, people with complicated health conditions have to travel to Goaso in the Asunafo North Municipality to get the services of a doctor.
Assembly member
It was for this reason that the Assembly Member for the Kukuom Abromam Electoral Area, Mr Kobby Amoa-Mensah, mobilised six medical doctors, two nurses, two health administrators and one laboratory technician for the exercise.
The medical team was led by the Resident Medical Officer of the Graphic Communications Group Limited, Dr Jacqui Barnes, and Dr Ayisi Boateng of the KNUST Hospital.
Other members of the medical team were Dr George Andrew Koppoe, Dr Narkwor Narteh, Dr Aaron Wongkyezeng and Dr Samuel Asiedu Koranteng, all from the Regional Hospital, Sunyani.
Speaking to the Daily Graphic, Engineer Amoa-Mensah said he embarked on the exercise in memory of his brother, Kofi Gyamfi, who died two years ago.
According to him, he was able to mobilise the team through a network of friends.
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“I am hoping to organise the exercise every year to provide medical services for people in the district,” he said and added that “this gesture is to give back to the people”.
Mr Amoa-Mensah, who single-handedly financed the cost of the exercise, thanked Dannex Pharmaceuticals and Dan Adams Pharmaceuticals for supporting the programme with pharmaceutical products.
Dr Jacqui Barnes
Dr Barnes explained that diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, muscle and joint pains, as well as anaemia were diagnosed during the exercise.
She said it was unfortunate that there were no dental and eye medical personnel among the team to treat the eye and dental complications that were detected.
Dr Barnes appealed to the Asunafo South District Assembly to liaise with the Ministry of Health to ensure that a medical doctor was posted to the district to help treat some of the diseases that were diagnosed during the screening.
“I am very pleased to have been offered the opportunity to render medical services to people in the Asunafo South District and I hope to come back another time for another exercise,” she said.
She advised Ghanaians to regularly check their health status and not wait for their conditions to worsen before rushing to seek medical attention.
Writer’s email: emmanuel.gyamerah@graphic.com.gh