Some of the beneficiaries of the programme
Residents of Subri in the Prestea Huni Valley Municipality of the Western Region, numbering about one thousand, benefitted from a medical outreach organised by Gold Fields Ghana Foundation, in partnership with the Rotary Clubs of Tarkwa, Anaji, and Bogoso, all in the region.
The initiative was part of effort to help bring healthcare services to the doorsteps of the residents and raise awareness on certain critical health issues.
Among others, the residents were screened for breast cancer, diabetes and blood pressure. There was also free National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) registration.
Abdel Razak Yakubu, Executive Secretary of the Gold Fields Ghana Foundation, acknowledged that access to healthcare services in the area is a major challenge.
He said, “It’s not just about having health facilities in place, but sometimes ensuring that the requisite resources needed to enable people utilise the facilities, are provided.”
He cited an instance where the cost of accessing the nearest National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) office in Tarkwa, has become a challenge for the residents of Subri.
Mr. Yakubu revealed that the foundation invested over GH¢220,000 in the outreach programme and in the registration of residents onto the NHIS.
The foundation paid the premiums for the first 500 registrants and pledged to support more people in remote communities to register.
Dr. Magdalene Bakari, Unit Manager for Health Services at Gold Fields Ghana, took the residents through self-breast examinations and the need to seek early treatment when any of the symptoms is detected.
“We are empowering people to take charge of their health,” she noted, and encouraged the residents not to neglect regular medical check-ups at nearby health facilities.
An official from the NHIS, Ebenezer Atuahene, highlighted the importance of the outreach programme, particularly the impact of registering some of the community members onto the NHIS.
The Rotary President of Tarkwa, Nathaniel Northa, pointed out that the event underscored the Rotary Club’s long-standing commitment to improving the health of the community members.
He said, “For five years, the Rotary Clubs have partnered with the Gold Fields Foundation to bring healthcare services to people in need in various communities within the company’s catchment areas.”
From Emmanuel Opoku, Takoradi