Volunteer medical team performs hernia surgeries in New Abirem
A five-member medical team from the United States of America (USA) is performing free hernia surgeries for 86 patients at the New Abirem Government Hospital in the Eastern Region.
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The team is made up of specialist doctors, nurse anaesthetists and an information and communications technology (ICT) specialist.
As of last Wednesday when the Daily Graphic visited the health facility, the team had operated on 40 patients.
It is the second time the team is performing free surgical operations at the hospital.
In November, 2016, the team treated more than 60 patients at the same health facility.
Assist poor, needy
Ghana Hope Foundation, an America-based non-governmental organisation (NGO), in collaboration with Ntiamoah Foundation, organised the programme.
A Founder Board Member of the foundation, Mr Jacqualine Eriksen, told the Daily Graphic that members of the medical team bore their own expenses, including air tickets to Ghana to undertake the humanitarian exercise.
She said members of the team were also imparting knowledge to the Ghanaian doctors and nurses at the hospital so they could offer similar treatments efficiently after the team had left the scene.
The leader of the medical team, Ms Deman Rageh, who is also the Executive Director of Ghana Hope Foundation, said they decided to undertake the exercise to assist the poor and needy in the Birim North District who could not afford the cost of surgical operation for their hernia.
Free treatment
She said Ghana Hope Foundation, Ntiamoah Foundation and Newmont Golden Ridge Limited (Newmont Akyem) were also working tirelessly towards the upgrading of the New Abirem Health Centre into a hospital.
She said the organisations provided about 90 per cent of the structures, equipment and medical supplies in the hospital.
The Project Coordinator of Ntiamoah Foundation, Mr Godwin Atidiga, said the free exercise had saved patients about GH¢7,000, in operation and medication.
According to Mr Atidiga, Ghana Hope Foundation had also donated medical supplies worth GH¢2,000 to the Okaikrom CHIPS compound near New Abirem.