Award-winning hiplife artiste, Okyeame Kwame has promised to help eliminate Hepatitis from the country by 2030 with the very last drop of his blood.
This, he believes would be achieved with his music and personality coupled with partnership from the media and all relevant stakeholders.
“I believe that rap music gives the youth so much power, like me, I have so much power to organise free screening for over 1000 people…as far as my influence can go, I am willing to go the extra mile at the expense of my finances, with other stakeholders getting involved, I am optimistic we will achieve this objective,” he said.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Ghana is among the high-risk countries with a prevalence rate between 10 and 15 percent of Hepatitis B.
In this vein, Okyeame Kwame in 2009 instituted a foundation to create awareness on Hepatitis B and also help reduce the prevalence rate of the disease in Ghana.
With seven years of providing education campaign and a free screening of Hepatitis B to the Ghanaian populace, Okyeame Kwame Foundation took it’s free screening exercise to the Volta region.
Hundreds of residents in Ho benefitted from the free screening exercise where beneficiaries who tested negative were given the first dose of the Hepatitis B vaccine and referred to the Volta Regional Hospital for the rest two doses for free.
Others who tested positive were counselled and advised to seek medical attention and treatment.
Speaking to Joy News’ Fred Quame Asare in Ho, Okyeame Kwame explained that his foundation decided to give free vaccination to 85% of beneficiaries who tested negative so they do not drift back to the risk zone unprotected.
He, however, promised to ensure his foundation achieves its target of completely eliminating Hepatitis B in Ghana by 2030.
“By the year 2030, hepatitis should be a thing of the past…we are going to fight it with every ounce of blood and energy that we have to make sure that hepatitis will stop to kill people in Ghana,” he said.
He, however, urged both the young and old to get tested for hepatitis so they know their status and next line of action.
Beneficiaries of the screening exercise in Ho were grateful to the Okyeame Kwame Foundation and other sponsors.
-myjoyonline