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Residents of Prampram have benefited from a free health screening exercise organised as part of this year’s Homowo celebrations, with Asa Savings and Loans Limited supporting the initiative to promote preventive healthcare in the community.
The exercise, organised by the Prampram Traditional Council in partnership with Asa Savings and Loans, offered residents access to a range of health services, including blood pressure and blood glucose checks, Body Mass Index (BMI) assessment, sickle cell screening, breast cancer screening, mental health and non-communicable disease screening, as well as maternal and child health services.
A blood donation exercise was also held, while participants received education on nutrition, hygiene, health-seeking behaviour and general health promotion.
The initiative was aimed at promoting preventive healthcare, improving health-seeking behaviour and encouraging residents to adopt healthier lifestyles.
A Physician Assistant at the Prampram Polyclinic, Cephas Kofi Borklo, said malaria remained a significant public health concern in the community, particularly with the onset of the rainy season.
He said gastroenteritis was also among the common conditions recorded at the facility, with challenges related to water supply and sanitation contributing to its prevalence.
Gastroenteritis is an inflammation of the stomach and intestines, commonly caused by infections from contaminated food or water. It can result in symptoms including diarrhoea, vomiting, abdominal pain and fever.
Mr Borklo explained that the coastal environment of Prampram, coupled with the rainy season, created conditions conducive to the spread of malaria.
On gastroenteritis, he attributed some of the cases to challenges with water supply and stressed the need for residents to maintain good hygiene and ensure the safe handling of food and water.
He said the Prampram Polyclinic regularly organised public health outreaches to educate residents on disease prevention, environmental cleanliness and safe food handling.
Mr Borklo noted that many residents depended on food prepared and sold outside their homes, making proper hygiene practices among food vendors and consumers essential to preventing infections.
He urged residents who experienced symptoms of malaria to seek medical attention promptly instead of waiting until their conditions deteriorated.
“When you come early, then we can help you, but when you come in a deteriorated state, it’s very difficult to revive you,” he said.
He also called for improved potable water supply to the community, saying access to safe water would contribute significantly to better sanitation and improved health outcomes.
The Sustainability Manager of Asa Savings and Loans Limited, Richard Nartey, said the company supported the health screening exercise because healthcare was one of the key areas of its community support initiatives.
He said the company’s community-based business model encouraged it to support interventions that directly addressed the needs of residents.
Mr Nartey explained that Asa Savings and Loans covered the cost of the exercise, including test kits, medicines and other materials required for the screening.
He encouraged residents to take advantage of the free services to know their health status, stressing that early detection could help prevent health conditions from becoming severe.
He said the company was also considering extending its community interventions beyond the Homowo celebrations, particularly in the area of sanitation.
According to him, plans were being considered for community clean-up exercises, including activities along selected beaches in coastal communities.
Mr Nartey added that Asa Savings and Loans had previously supported primary healthcare facilities and polyclinics with donations and would continue to contribute to efforts aimed at improving healthcare delivery.
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