Chief Executive Officer of the University of Ghana Medical Centre (UGMC), Dr Darius Osei, has advised persons with acute stomach aches to report immediately to health facilities with accredited endoscopy services for proper diagnosis.
He advised such persons against taking any form of medication without being properly diagnosed, to prevent further complications.
Dr Osei gave the advice at the opening of an Endoscopy Training for nurses in Accra on Monday, to equip them with the requisite knowledge, skills and expertise to ensure the provision of safe and quality endoscopy services to the people.
He described endoscopy as a thorough medical examination of the stomach, especially, that helped in the diagnoses of ulcers, cancers and other gastrointestinal illnesses and expressed regret that most people with persistent acute stomach aches resorted to abusing pain killers rather than seeking proper medical care.
Most cases of acute stomach aches turn out to be symptoms of ulcers, cancers and other serious gastrointestinal illnesses that could easily be prevented with early diagnoses and treatment, yet most people reported very late with several complications, he said.
Dr Osei said the two-week collaborative programme between Society for Nurses in Endoscopy and Minimally Invasive Surgery (SNEMIS), the UGMC, and Euracare Ghana, a private healthcare service provider, had 12 participating nurses, who would undergo intensive theory and practical training to enhance their skills for improved services.
He commended SNEMIS for the initiative, which would enhance safety measures, minimise complications associated with the procedure to ensure patient safety.
He, however, said the UGMC would soon issue a public announcement on what the Centre was doing and provide further information on how patients could access their services.
Mr Joel Mawuli Kpodo, the Founder and Chairman of the Society for Nurses in Endoscopy and Minimally Invasive Surgery, said the success of an endoscopy procedure required teamwork by highly qualified doctors and nurses, hence the need for proper and specialised training to prevent infections or serious complications.
He said it was based on that consideration that SNEMIS had set out to train nurses, using a UK-based standard course, to equip them with the requisite knowledge, skills and expertise to ensure safe and quality endoscopy services to the Ghanaian population.
Mr Kpodo cautioned the public to be careful about where they went for endoscopy services because “you have to be sure of your safety, and your safety comes not only because of the hospital or the equipment but the level of training that the healthcare providers and the endoscopy staff have, to ensure safe services.”
He said SNEMIS was committed to sustaining the programme and would notify the public, hospitals and health institutions of the dates of subsequent sessions via its social media handles “snemisghana,” so they could apply.
GNA