Lions Club, Tema General Hospital holds health screening exercise

By Benjamin Xornam Glover, SAKUMONO

Following an outbreak of cholera that has hit the Greater Accra Region; the Tema General Hospital has intensified public education about cholera to avoid spreading. So far, the hospital has recorded 160 suspected cholera cases most of the patients treated and discharged. The Principal Nursing Officer, Public Health at the Tema General Hospital, Mrs. Monica Owusua Afoakwah, who led a team of health workers to conduct public education and screening exercise for residents of the coastal town of Sakumono near Tema disclosed this to the Daily Graphic. The Cholera outbreak in the Greater Accra Region has claimed over 50 lives with over 6,150 cases recorded as at August, 2014. Mrs. Afoakwah who also sensitized the residents on the Ebola outbreak, educated the residents on personal hygiene practices and entreated them to keep their surroundings clean. She said cholera can be prevented by maintain strict personal hygiene such washing of hands with soap and water frequently, especially after using the toilet and before handling food. The public education and health screening exercise was initiated the Tema Lions Club and the Accra Ultimate Lions Club, in collaboration with the Tema General Hospital to help improve the general sanitation and health of the people and to prevent cholera outbreak. There was also free health screening exercise including physical, dental, and hearing and eye examinations while toddlers were also immunized. Over 200 residents benefitted from the exercise. Mrs. Afoakwah said the issue of cleanliness should be the concern of everybody in the communities, since cholera could affect anybody. The President, Tema Lions Club Mr Charles Ninsing explained that the free health fair is part of activities of the club’s youth wing, the Leo club, which affords the young members the opportunity to interact with other young people in the community. According to him, such social projects will help promote volunteerism and an opportunity to help young people develop skills while emphasizing the role of the youth in community development as they identify needs within the community and work together to find solutions. The President of the Accra Ultimate Lions Club, Dr. Sebastian Nafrah said the club is privileged to be partnering this year’s annual health fair as a way of identifying with the less fortunate and those who cannot afford have access seeking medical care.