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| Members of the Medical outreach team in action |
02-01-13
A well composed 35 medical outreach
team has successfully conducted 286 surgeries in various health facilities of
the Upper East Region. The team comprising ophthalmologists, surgeons, nurses, pharmacists,
anesthetics, bio-statisticians and one nutritionist also embarked on general
and surgical consultative services including public health education on breast
cancer screening and nutrition among other health issues. Briefing Radio Ghana
in Bolgatanga, the leader of the team, Prof. Francis Abantanga, a consultant Pediatric surgeon at the Komfo Anokye teaching Hospital said the decision to
embarked on the outreach programme was
to offer free humanitarian services to the poor and less privileged by bringing
health care delivery to their doorstep. Their activity also forms part of
efforts aimed at alleviating the deplorable medical situation in deprived
communities of the country, particularly northern Ghana where
majority are entangled with diseases of all kinds. In summary, it is to reach
out to the poor and the aged who are most often denied medical attention due to
their plight and vulnerability. According to Prof. Abantanga, who is also a lecturer at the
School of Medical Sciences, he said the outreach programme which began in
December, 21 2012, took care of cases such as hernia, hydrosol, lumps, among
other complicated health problems. These, he hinted, were done with the
assistance of some oncology nurses and selected medical students. In all, 542
breast cancer screening was conducted whilst 1,313 people were educated on good
health, good diet and how one can manage cancer when affected. Prof Abantanga mentioned
the Nangodi and Tongo health centres, Zebilla hospital, Afrikids medical centre and the Bolgatanga Regional
Hospital as some of the health facilities that benefited from the outreach
programme in the region. Similar facilities in Nadowli and Jirapa in the Upper West
Region had benefited from the package. Mr. Abantanga on behalf of the team acknowledged
the partnership of some institutions in the country for their support, though
the team is faced with inadequate funding to assist them carry out more
surgeries in other deprived health facilities in the country. He was optimistic
that with the needed financial support, the team would be able to intensify its
outreach programme to benefit more institutions and called on NGOs and other
corporate bodies to lend their support. Mr. Martin Ananga whose 9 month old
baby underwent a successful surgical operation at the Bolgatanga Regional
Hospital expressed deep gratitude to the team for their divine intervention. Mr
Ananga described the team as God sent since all hope was lost leaving the life
of the innocent child in jeopardy.
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