The Ghana Association for the study of Liver and Digestive Diseases (GASLIDD) has held its 6th annual conference with a focus on fostering progress on the prevention and treatment of digestive diseases in the country.
The two-day conference which was on the theme: Achieving Gastrointestinal Health in the Era of COVID-19 sought to provide a forum for the exchange of professional ideas, knowledge and experiences among gastroenterologists locally and abroad.
Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the program, the president of GASLIDD, Professor Yaw Asante Awuku indicated that it has become very necessary for health practitioners to educate themselves and share their experiences particularly at a time the world is still battling with COVID-19 and its implications.
“This is a new disease so most people do not know some of the presentations especially gastrointestinal and liver diseases and covid-19. So, it is an opportunity to educate ourselves, educate the community and plan research in terms of covid-19 and gastrointestinal diseases” Prof. Awuku reiterated.
On his part, the Central Regional Chairperson for the association, Central Regional chairperson for the association, Dr. Ansumana Bockarie expressed optimism that the forum will consolidate services of gastroenterology going forward.
He added that, “because of covid, a lot of services were minimized and a lot of patients were suffering; so you find patients who might have found early to have cancers of the intestinal system or the liver went undiagnosed. Patients who would have benefited from the intervention of gastroenterologists did not benefit from that. But as experience with covid which has built overtime and with confidence come back wear slowly reintroducing service and this forum is meant to consolidate that”
Pro Vice Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast, Prof Francisca Dora Edu-Buandoh in an address called on the health professionals to intensify education on the implications of illicit drug consumption on the gastrointestinal health of individuals.
She admonished them to especially educate the public on the many traditional health alternatives people use in keeping themselves safe within the covid era.
Source: Vera Siripi/ATLFMNEWS
