WR medical association gives free medical care
The Western Regional branch of the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) has provided free medical care for residents in the Assakai community in the Sekondi/Takoradi metropolis. According to the association, the exercise was in pursuance of its social responsibility to the people of the region.
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Doctors, nurses and other medical staff took turns to educate members of the community on various health topics. They were taught to ensure to stay in good health, avoid self-medication, seek early medical care, adopt healthy lifestyle and live in a clean environment.
After several hours of medical screening, a number of the people were diagnosed as having the malaria parasite and others were said to be hypertensive.
The medical team also treated people with poor eye conditions, dental problems and skin diseases such as ringworm. There were cases that were referred to the hospital for further medical attention.
A physician specialist and Regional Chairman of the GMA, Dr Richard Anthony, in an interview with the Daily Graphic commended the people for the huge turnout and praised the elderly especially for their enthusiasm. Dr Anthony is also the Clinical Coordinator at the Effia-Nkwanta Regional Referral Hospital.
“Some of the people had serious cases of hypertension and had not sought medical care, which was frightening and so we treated them and advised that they seek medical care regularly,” he said.
He advised the public to ensure good health at all times and to keep their environment clean.
The chief of Assakai, Nana Kweku Manso IV, commended the medical team for the exercise which he described as timely considering the number of ailments that were diagnosed.
“One of our biggest challenges is the lack of a proper health care facility. Even though the community has a CHPS compound, it is not adequate to meet the health needs of the people,” he said.
He said it had become necessary that a bigger health facility was constructed since the population of Assakai was increasing at a fast pace.
Members of the community were full of praise for the GMA. According to a number of them who spoke to the Daily Graphic, although they had health insurance cards, the distance to the regional hospital was long and this discouraged them from going there to seek medical care.