More than 500 residents of Osu in the Korle Klottey District in Accra have benefited from free health screening and medical care.
The health screening organised by the Seventh Day Adventist Church, Osu District, commemorating its global youth day celebration over the weekend was on the theme “Love is a verb.”
Beneficiaries of the exercise were screened for malaria, diabetes, vision, blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), cholesterol, hepatitis B and other vitals by medical professionals drawn from the National Ambulance Service from the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital who are Adventists, Dr Agarwal Medical Centre and other medical centres in the capital
The Osu District Youth Leader of the SDA, Mr Kwaku Acheampong Aning, told journalists that the exercise was a form of reaching out to the members of the community to help improve their lives.
He stated that before the exercise, the children in the church went on a health walk through some principal streets of Osu to distribute dental products and invite the rest of the community to the health screening.
Mr Aning revealed that the global youth day celebration was an annual event marked by SDA churches globally and each church did something unique in their community for the residents.
He explained that this year was the second time the health screening had been organised, hence the decision to do something different in the community next year.
“This year we chose medical screening, next year it could be something else. We look at what is urgently required in the community and we provide that,” Mr Aning explained.
The Medical Team leader, Mr James Mckeown Amoah, expressed his excitement over the turnout for the health screening, saying that it was a clear indication that the residents cared about their health.
“These people are very receptive, they are out in their numbers and they are going through the screening and hopefully we should be able to impact positively in their lives,” he explained.
He added that medical doctors provided free consultations to the patrons; however, persons who needed further medical attention were referred to the nearest hospital for treatment.
“At the end of the day, we want the people who patronise this outreach to have a feel of what it means to obtain medical care from Godly people. Also in the course of the screening patrons are given tips from the bible that would help them stay healthy,” Mr Amoah explained.
BY JESSEL LARTEY THERSON-COFIE
