Health professionals attending to one of the beneficiaries
The Executive Secretary of Gold Fields Ghana Foundation, Abdel-Razak Yakubu, has reaffirmed the Foundation’s commitment to improving healthcare access within its host communities.
He stated this when the Foundation organised its Quarter Three (Q3) Health Engagement Access Link (HEAL) Programme in partnership with Unilever Ghana and Diagnostic Centre Limited.
The programme, which was organised at the Awudua Community Centre near Tarkwa, was to commemorate this year’s World Hepatitis Day.
It was under the global theme, “Elimination for Everyone, Everywhere, Right Now,” and was delivered at a total cost of GH¢452,231.
The outreach programme brought quality healthcare services closer to the residents of Awudua and neighbouring communities through a comprehensive package of free medical services.
Services provided included general medical consultation and counselling, Hepatitis B, HIV, tuberculosis, typhoid, haemoglobin, blood glucose, blood pressure and malaria screening.
The rest were vision screening and eye care services, Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) consultation, dental screening, spirometry, X-ray services, ultrasound scanning, free medication dispensing and National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) registration, renewal and replacement.
Mr. Yakubu stated, “Our aim was to bring hospital to the doorstep of the community folks. That was our focus—preventive healthcare.”
He revealed that the Diagnostic Centre Limited, fully sponsored all laboratory and diagnostic investigations, including Hepatitis B, HIV, haemoglobin, blood glucose and typhoid testing, as well as X-ray examinations, ultrasound scans and spirometry.
“This partnership expanded access to specialised diagnostic services at no cost to beneficiaries,” he stressed.
He added, “Unilever Ghana also supported the programme by donating a range of hygiene and personal care products, including Pepsodent toothpaste, bathing soap, laundry soap and other household hygiene items for distribution to beneficiaries.”
“So we were poised to improve access to preventive healthcare and our host communities’ well-being,” he pointed out.
Mr. Yakubu noted that the successful implementation of the ‘Q3 HEAL Programme’ demonstrated the value of strategic partnerships in expanding access to healthcare and promoting preventive health practices as well as contributing to healthier and more resilient host communities.
From Emmanuel Opoku, Takoradi