Ayishetu Mohammed
The Gold Fields Ghana Foundation has invested over $5 million in various health initiatives to improve healthcare access and community well-being in its host mining communities.
The Foundation has rolled out major health interventions, including quarterly medical outreaches, adolescent reproductive health programmes, and the construction of health facilities in host communities.
It also has partnered with Project C.U.R.E. to donate over $793,000 worth of essential medical supplies to public health facilities across the Tarkwa-Nsuaem and Prestea Huni-Valley municipalities.
They include intensive care unit (ICU) beds, incubators, surgical instruments, neonatal care equipment, nebulisers, sphygmomanometers, centrifuges and otoscopes among others.
To improve long-term accessibility, the Foundation has helped hundreds of community members register and renew their National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) cards.
The Project Coordinator of Gold Fields Ghana Foundation, Ayishetu Mohammed, revealed this when she made a presentation at the Annual General and Scientific Meeting (AGSM) hosted by the Society of Family Physicians of Ghana (SOFPOG) in Takoradi.
She mentioned that the Foundation was poised to improve primary healthcare delivery, enhance overall health and well-being of communities, and support the access to essential health services.
She told the gathering that the key focus of the foundation has been preventive healthcare, infrastructure development, reducing disease prevalence, and promoting health awareness.
Ms. Mohammed disclosed that the Foundation has upgraded the Huni Valley and Aboso Health centres, the Damang, New Atuabo and Bompieso clinics as well as the Maternity block of the Tarkwa Government Hospital.
She also mentioned the construction of Doctor’s and Nurse’s quarters at Huni Valley and Tarkwa Government Hospitals.
She added, “National Health Insurance registration is facilitated during each outreach programme to ensure long term health access for the community members.”
She disclosed that about 60 per cent of the medical volunteers during the outreach programmes are past or current beneficiaries of the Foundation’s scholarship programme.
She added that the Gold Fields Ghana Foundation is planning to construct an Accident and Emergency Centre at Apinto Hospital and provide critical equipment to some health facilities.
“The Foundation will also support the training and capacity building of health staff across the various facilities,” she pointed out.
President of the Society of Family Physicians of Ghana, Dr. Baaba Nnina Damoah, commended Gold Fields highly for it numerous support for initiatives geared towards improving healthcare delivery.
From Emmanuel Opoku, Takoradi