Dr. Baaba Nnina Damoah
Cases of opioids abuse among residents in the mining communities of Tarkwa-Nsuaem in the Western Region have been increasing.
Opioids are a powerful class of drugs primarily used to relieve moderate to severe pain.
This was revealed at a medical outreach initiative organised in Tarkwa under the ‘HEAL Programme’ of the Gold Fields Ghana Foundation.
It was organised in collaboration with the Society of Family Physicians of Ghana and the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA).
The event saw residents being offered free health screening, treatment, medication, counselling as well as free registration and renewal of National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) cards for about 1,000 people.
President of the Society of Family Physicians of Ghana, Dr. Baaba Nnina Damoah, confirmed that chronic diseases such as hypertension and diabetes dominated cases recorded during the screening exercise.
She said the screening also covered acute illnesses including malaria, respiratory infections and skin diseases among children.
“This exercise was very important because we are bringing healthcare to the doorstep of the people and identifying conditions early before they become severe,” she said.
She urged residents to adopt healthier lifestyles by reducing stress, engaging in regular exercise, eating balanced diets, avoiding excessive alcohol intake and smoking.
Abdel Razak Yakubu, the Executive Secretary of Gold Fields Ghana Foundation, explained that the outreach programme had become a quarterly exercise because of worrying health conditions being recorded in host communities.
According to him, previous screenings have shown increasing cases of hypertension, diabetes, joint-related diseases and drug abuse, particularly opioid use among the youth.
“What we are identifying is high rates of drug abuse, especially opioids and related substances.
“We do not know whether it is linked to illegal mining and the physical demands of the work, but it is something that requires serious attention,” he indicated.
He explained that the outreach programme goes beyond screenings, as patients diagnosed with serious conditions are referred for further treatment and monitored to ensure they receive adequate care.
He disclosed that the Gold Fields Ghana Foundation spends about GH¢600,000 on each outreach programme, although this year’s exercise cost slightly above GH¢500,000 due to support from partner organisations.
The Tarkwa-Nsuaem Manager of the National Health Insurance Authority, Stephen Ayonbisa, encouraged residents to use the NHIS mobile application to renew their memberships conveniently.
From Emmanuel Opoku, Takoradi