GNFS personnel undergo health screening
The Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) has began a health screening exercise in Accra for its personnel.
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The firefighters are undergoing physical, blood pressure, hypertension and blood sugar level examinations and are also being sensitised to preventive health care.
Dr Albert Brown Gaisie, the Chief Fire Officer (CFO), explained that the exercise was meant to know the health status of firefighters.
He added that the week-long exercise was aimed at evaluating and addressing potential health risks associated with work activities of firefighters.
Health status
At the beginning of the exercise yesterday, the CFO said the GNFS deemed it important to organise the programme for its personnel because by the nature of their job, they were constantly exposed to toxic chemicals and hazardous materials.
Dr Gaisie stated that the act of fighting fire was an energy-sapping exercise and, therefore, it was important for firefighters to be physically fit to be able to serve the institution and the country efficiently and effectively.
He added that the exercise would be extended to the regions to provide the opportunity to firefighters there to also evaluate and assess their medical conditions.
Laudable initiative
A physical consultant who led the medical team from the GNFS, Dr Zackaria Adams, lauded the initiative of the GNFS management to organise the health screening exercise for its personnel.
He stated that usually, fire personnel were screened before their admission into the service but over the years, they did not undergo in-service health screening.