Some of the residents in a queue awaiting their turn to be screened
The Philipa Baafi Foundation has revealed that hypertension and overweight are the leading illness and sickness among inhabitants along the coastal belt of the Western Region.
Besides the above mentioned, diabetic cases and obesity are also rampant in communities along the coastal areas of the region. The foundation recently toured some communities along the coastal belt of the Western Region with a free health screening campaign dubbed ‘How Well Are You’?, where it was the first time the musician cum occupational therapist and her medical team took the free medical exercise out of Accra since the inception of the campaign eight months ago.
With massive support from the Ghana National Petroleum Commission (GNPC) Foundation and the Ministry of Health, the Philipa Baafi Foundation screened residents in 14 towns in the first and second phase of the campaign tour.
The towns included Takoradi, Sekondi, Kwesimintsim, Abura, Agona Nkwanta and Aiyinase. The rest were Esiama, Half Assini, Tikobo No. 1, Tikobo No. 2, Sowodadzem, Beyin, Jaway Wharf and Elubo. The predominantly fishing communities trooped to the various venues for the screening exercise on various illnesses such as blood pressure (hypertension), body mass index (BMI), sugar/glucose level (diabetes), rapid diagnostic tests (malaria), physiotherapy (body & joint pain),eye test and others.
Dr John Gyenfi of Kremlin Medical & Surgical Centre at Sekondi advised the fisherfolks to embark on regular check-ups to avoid sudden illnesses.
“Health is wealth so it is always good to pass by and have a check-up. You don’t know what is hiding inside your body and what will kill you,” he added.
The General Manager of the GNPC Foundation, Dr Kwame Baah-Nuakoh, said, “The ‘How Well Are You’ campaign is in line with GNPC’s social responsibility to ensure that inhabitants in their operational areas are healthy.”
He mentioned that the GNPC would collaborate with the Philipa Baafi Foundation annually to bring health delivery to the door steps of the inhabitants in the operational areas, in addition to the scholarships that are given to students in those areas.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Philipa Baafi Foundation, Kwame Karikari, called on other corporate bodies to emulate GNPC’s shining example.
Lucky Mensah and Philipa Baafi thrilled the residents with their performances.