UCC medical students undertake outreach at Komenda

Elizabeth Mensah is a fishmonger from Komenda in the Komenda-Edina Eguafo Abrem KEEA Municipality in the Central Region.

She says she does not have so much time for health check ups.

So when the University of Cape Coast School of Medical Sciences (UCCSMS) organised a health outreach programme to educate the community on ways to help improve general wellbeing, maternal and under five health at Komenda, she made time to sit in.

"I may not have time to go for check up but when such education and check ups come to me, I will not miss them," she stated.

The outreach by the UCCSMS on the theme, “Decoding maternal and under five morbidity and mortality—The role of the NHIA," formed part of the UCCSMS's community service and engagement.

Hundreds of residents turned out to be screened and to be registered onto the National Health Insurance Scheme free of charge.

Medical attention

Elizabeth said many in the community did not seek medical attention often because they did not have the means or were not on the National Insurance Scheme.

“Two of my children, 16 and 15 are not on the NHIS and I will make sure they use this opportunity to register," she added.

The outreach was organised in collaboration with the municipal directorate of health of the Komenda-Edina Eguafo-Abrem (KEEA) Municipality and the National Insurance Authority.

The Dean of the UCCSMS, Prof. Sebastian Eliason, in his remarks at the outreach, said women and children's health were critical to any nation's development.

Stakeholders

He indicated that reducing maternal and under five mortality required efforts from all stakeholders, saying the outreach was to make the community aware of their role in reducing the high incidence.

Prof. Eliason said healthy communities promoted wealthy communities, adding that the UCCSMS would do its part in promoting healthy living through its community service, as its quota to promote healthy communities.

He advised residents, especially mothers to adhere to directions and instructions that would reduce the disturbing phenomenon of maternal and under five deaths.

Education

The District Director of Health of the KEEA, Catherine Ampah-Brient, said there had not been any case of under five mortality at Komenda in the first half of the year.

She stated that the directorate continued to undertake education across all communities using its 13 mobile CHPS compounds to provide sensitisation and services.

She urged the residents to always keep their environment clean to prevent diseases and help mothers to ensure exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months after birth.

The President of the UCCSMS students’ association, Maame Sarfoa Oppong Darkoh, said the community services of the UCCSMS would include radio talk programmes, debate for schools at Elmina and a donation to an orphanage at Abrem.

Prompt health care

She urged the community to seek healthcare services promptly from health facilities to improve under-five mortality and general maternal health status of the municipality.

A Quality Assurance Manager of the Central Region office of the National Health Insurance Authority, Becky Boakye-Yiadom, urged the community to register with the health insurance scheme to be able to access health care services.

The Member of Parliament for the area, Samuel Atta Mills, also advised the people to eat healthy and to plan families to help improve their leaving conditions.

The Paramount Chief of Komenda, Okatakyie Komeh VIII, advised the people to keep the community clean to prevent diseases, adding that sicknesses negatively impacted the incomes and quality of life of families.