Two Kuapa Communities Benefit from Free Screening

Description

A total of eight medical doctors, seven nurses, and one dispensary technician from the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in collaboration with Kuapa Kokoo on Wednesday, May 18th offered free health screening to over 400 cocoa farmers and their families in two Kuapa Kokoo communities. The communities visited were Bibiani and Bayerebon in the Western and Ashanti Regions respectively.

The activity was organized to mark “The International Family Doctor Day” – A day set aside by the United Nations (UN) in recognition of the special role played by the family doctor. This day was set aside to contribute to the promotion of quality and healthy life.

Access to health care delivery in rural communities remains a challenge in Ghana. Most Kuapa Kokoo communities do not have good health care facilities.In places where there are good facilities, farmers are unable to fully make us of them because of financial difficulties. In the light of these challenges, Kuapa Kokoo has made access to health care a key strategy to bring relief to its members through its health projects like Mobile clinics,Telemedicine and mutual health insurance projects.

Mobile Clinic in Kuapa Kokoo means, “taking Health care delivery to the door step of the farmer for free”. True to this strategy,  a team of doctors and nurses visit various Kuapa Kokoo communities across the country to provide health care to farmers. In situations where the condition of the farmer is severe, the team refers the individual to nearby hospitals for treatment. Health educational Programmes are also organized for farmers.

“The International Family Doctor Day” organized this year, provided an opportunity for  Kuapa Kokoo to meet the health needs of farmers and shows the efforts the organization puts in to keep farmers healthy and strong. Farmers and their families who went through the health screening were again supplied with free medication. Among the ailments treated by the doctors on the day included hypertension, malaria, worm infestation, respiratory tract infection, urinary tract infection, and gastritis.

The team of Doctors and nurses again took time to educate the farmers on the health implications of certain lifestyles such as smoking, environmental cleanliness, eating habits etc.

The medical team comprised of Dr. Fred Bedzrah (leader of delegation), Dr. Esther Brafo – Kwakye,       Dr. Emmanuel Alleser, and Dr.Simon Osei-Frimpong, Dr.Benjamin Biney, Dr.Nana Kofi Edu Affare, Dr.Nana Osei Bonsu and Dr.Agnes Amankwa Arthur.

The nurses were; Bernice Nketiah, Josephine Acheampong, Livina Nyanor, Sharon Gifty Asamaning Yeboah, Precious Adade Duodu, Grace Turkson, Amina Awudu with Frank Attipoe as the dispensary technician.

Also present at the event were Mr. Abrampah Mensah – Executive Secretary of KKFU, Mr. Seth Nortey – Bibiani Society Manager, and the executives of Kuapa Kokoo Bibiani Society.

According to Doctor Fred, this is the first time his team of doctors have engaged a community during “The International Family Doctor Day” and together with his team were very pleased to do that with Kuapa Kokoo.