Hundreds of residents of Koforidua- Zongo in the Eastern Region have benefited from a free health screening exercise organized by the Eastern Regional Queen Mother of Zongo Communities Magajiya Hajia Rabiyatu Ahmed Zakaria.
The health screening organized in partnership with “Life Aid ” an NGO saw some Medical Doctors and other clinicians from Ridge Hospital in Accra and Koforidua, deliver quality healthcare to residents of Koforidua- Zongo.
Participants were screened for high blood pressure, Malaria, typhoid, Covid-19, and glucose among others.
The medical team also dispensed medications for some of the patients and referred others with severe to critical conditions to the hospital for further treatment.
Hypertension and diabetes were prevalent among the beneficiaries of the health screening.
Dr. Fati Ahmed, a medical doctor at Ridge Hospital in Accra who led the medical team was worried that some hypertensive and diabetic patients had blatantly defaulted management of their conditions.
“We have a lot of people with hypertension and diabetes. There are a lot of people who are known as diabetic and hypertensive who are none complaint. They are not taking their medications, some people have gone to the hospital before but they’ve been told. Given medication for a month instead of them going for follow-ups and reviews but they did not go. So we have a representative from Ghana Health Service and Nurses who will make sure they do follow-ups. We have provided the first aide for those with very high Bps as well and referred a couple of them to the hospital, and those who had to go immediately because their Bps and Sugars were very high” she said
Dr. John Kofi Appiah, also Medical Officer at Ridge Hospital has advised Zongo communities to eat healthy foods and desist from sedentary lifestyles due to increasing cases of hypertension and diabetes identified among the populace.
He said even though factors such as hereditary and stress could trigger such diseases, largely bad eating habits and lack of exercise is major contributory factors.
Dr. John Kofi Appiah urged diabetic and hypertensive patients to adhere to advice from their medical doctors and refrain from unhealthy eating and drinking, and take their medications seriously.
Hajia Rabiyatu Ahmed Zakaria who is the Eastern Regional Queen Mother of Zongo Communities (Magajiya) said she was motivated to organize the health screening to improve the health of the people in Zongo communities.
She said health is wealth, therefore, believes at this time of economic difficulty the need to provide medical aid for the people to enable them to become healthy to work hard.
She said similar exercises will be held in other Zongo communities in parts of the Eastern region such as Kibi, Asamankese, and the like.
She also said she will register and renew the Health Insurance cards of the people to enable them to access healthcare services in various health facilities.
Source: Mybrytnewsroom.com/Obed Ansah
