Residents within the Cape Coast Metropolis focusing on persons with disabilities and children have benefitted from a health screening exercise organized by the We Care Burna Foundation in partnership with Cape Coast Teaching Hospital.
The health screening held over the weekend covered areas such as Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) services and Eye, Dental, and general OPD services.
At the end of the screening exercise about 117 people were screened for Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) services, 113 individuals benefited from eye screening, while 100 were also screened for Dental services.
Speaking to ATLFMNEWS after the screening exercise, a public health officer at the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital, Evans Agamlor said the screening saw a trend in health issues such as wax impaction, refractive error, cataracts, Glaucoma suspect, Gingivitis among others.
He mentioned that out of the 113 eye screenings done, only 34 had normal eye conditions with the majority suffering conjunctivitis, refractive error, cataracts, and glaucoma suspects.
“Meaning they will need a medicated spectacle for them to be able to see very well,” he continued.
Additionally, he said “We realized foreign bodies in some of the children through their ears and also, we have people suffering from otitis media (an infection of the middle ear).
Mr. Agamlor hinted that as part of its corporate social responsibilities, the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital has taken steps to help address the health issues identified.
He said individuals having one complication or the other have been referred to the appropriate health facilities for assistance.
“So, our hospital has taken it upon itself to help people suffering from cataracts who cannot afford the surgery. We can book them and the hospital will take care of the operation and everything for them.
Dental has also seen about 100 people with only 24 people having normal oral health. The rest are suffering from gingivitis. Those who are suffering from those conditions have been prescribed medications to go and buy while those who need special treatments, we have referred them and we are going to follow up and make sure that they come to the hospital for us to give that treatment,” he continued.
He used the opportunity to appeal to the general public to embrace routine general medical check-ups to help improve their health.
On his part, the Founder of the We Care Foundation, Enoch Ato Nyamson said his objective for the health screening aimed at impacting significantly on the overall well-being and quality of life of the marginalized groups in the metropolis.
He expressed satisfaction over the high turnout for the screening saying the intended objectives of the foundation were achieved.
He said the exercise will be done annually but called for partnerships and support to help sustain and extend it to other areas in the region.
He indicated that the foundation has also agreed with the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital to cover/reduce the cost of medical bills where necessary.
“I felt like, after the health screening, you can’t just leave them alone. You have to do a follow-up and then know how things will be and then they also opted to help us with some of the costs like the surgery, especially with the eye, the ear. If maybe the patient is having critical issues, they can take it up, and then the cost of the operation is free”.
Source: Eric Sekyi/ATLFMNEWS
