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NLA organises free health screening for Korle Worko residents

At least 1000 people received free health screening at a health fair organised by the Good Causes Foundation under the National Lottery Authority (NLA) in Accra last Monday.

Estimated to cost GH¢200, 000, the fair afforded residents in and around Korle Worko in the capital the opportunity to renew or get new National Health Insurance cards, check their blood pressure (BP), sugar levels, eyes, and have radiological session for pregnant women and other persons with abdominal issues.

Director-General of the NLA, SammyAwuku, addressing the media said the exercise formed part of the Authority’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) with a focus on assisting Ghanaians who were less or under privileged.

Indicating that Korle Worko was the authority’s immediate environment, he said it was the beginning of a series of such exercises that the NLA would embark on across the country.

He expressed his amazement at the turnout, stressing that the foundation had budgeted for 500 but over 1,000 had been screened as at around noon“with many more people in the queue waiting to be screened and given the needed medication.”

Speaking on the misconceptions surrounding the staking of lotteries, he said the formalised world perceived it to be in support of economic policies.

Mr Awuku stated that on assuming office, he instituted the foundation to help make people better appreciate the concepts of the game and the fact that their monies were being channelled into other relevant areas.

He described his term of office so far as a “mixture of challenges, success stories, tragedies and trials.”

The NLA’s Director-General stressed that the authority had “arrested” its revenue decline, tied some leakages it used to face and was working on continually improving.

He further hinted that the authority was working on being exempted from public holidays and had presented a petition to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo so as to contribute more to the consolidated fund, nation building and “good causes.”

He used the opportunity to appeal to the entire populace to be cautious so as not to fall to scammers.

Dr Byrite Asamoah, a Specialist Radiologist and the head of the healthcare professionals at the fair stated that anticipating a large number, the team went with 11 doctors, 10 nurses and three eye specialists.

“We also brought our ultrasound machine to scan the pregnant women and those with complaints of abdominal pain or pelvic issues to give us much comprehensive medical outreach for the community,” he added.

Dr Asamoah said the team diagnosed more cases of diabetes, hypertension and eye diseases and attributed them to the sedentary lifestyle of most of the people.

Emphasising that the foundation’s initiative was a good cause, he called on all pharmaceutical companies to get on board and assist the authority.

Some beneficiaries in an interview with the Ghanaian Times said they were excited and grateful for the exercise.

They said they were convinced that the monies received by the NLA were indeed used for the right things.

BY ABIGAIL ARTHUR

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