By Joyce Kantam Kolamong
Cuban Trained Ghanaian Graduate Association in the Northern Region, in partnership with Ginapharma Limited, has provided free medical health services to the people of Pong-Tamale in the Savelugu Municipality of the Northern Region.
With over 60,000 cedis worth of medical suppliers from Ginapharma Ltd., the group of medical Doctors and other paramedics treated patients suffering from hypertension, worm infestation, malaria, diabetes, and pregnancy complications.
They also screened the people for hepatitis B and C, HIV, breast cancer, and sugar levels, among others. This brings to two the number of medical exercises organised this year and four in the previous years.
For the team of doctors, there is nothing more important than providing humanitarian support to the less privileged in society.
The team sees the gesture as giving back to society for the lifelong training they had in Cuba, and they hope to continue to offer such services to vulnerable people and communities in the region.
More than 1000 people visited the outreach site, and 506 went through screening, consultation, and treatment. More than 500 other people were dewormed on site, including children. Twenty patients were referred to the Tamale Teaching Hospital for further diagnosis.
The people were educated on preventive health, healthy life, and the need to desist from self-medication. The most common non-infectious disease observed was hypertension among patients aged 30 and older.
About 20 specialist doctors took part in the exercise, giving their best in their various endeavours. One remarkable thing that stood out in the exercise was how the children who thronged to the grounds were taken care of with love. Mothers and guardians looked satisfied with smiles as their children went through dedicated and professional hands.
Some of the people who went through the process expressed gratitude to the group for the gesture.
“I am suffering from piles, and I rushed here as soon as I heard of the exercise. I have been given free medicine, and the doctor advised me to take the medicine per the instructions,” one beneficiary said.
Chairman of the Group, Baba Musah, expressed satisfaction with the turnout of the exercise. He said the association will continue to extend its selfless hand of support to the vulnerable in society.
“We brought enough medical suppliers and doctors, and we set up a number of stations to cater for the growing numbers. We also screened their livestock of diseases.”
Chief Executive Officer of Ginapharma Limited, Dr. Charles Nimoh, who is a native of Pong-Tamale, handed over assorted medical supplies for the exercise. He acknowledged the efforts of the group in bringing healthcare to the doorsteps of the people.
Doctor of Pharmacy and Lecturer at the School of Pharmacy, UDS, Tamale, Dr. Martin Mumuni Ganaah Malick, in an interaction with the people, sensitized them to healthy living. He said the best way to keep oneself healthy is to practice preventive medicine.
“All that I was trying to tell them is that we are not here just to treat them, we are here to promote preventive medicine so that they will eat healthy. As a pharmacist, my experience is clear: even at times, medicines alone cannot solve the problem, so I think preventive medicine is the way to go.”
Dr. Malick, however, was worried that vulnerable communities and people see healthy living as an expensive venture, thereby relying on a non-healthy diet.
A Consultant, Obstetric and Gynaecologist at TTH, Dr. Ana Maria Simono, expressed concern about the number of pregnancies among teenage girls in the community. She called for public education and sensitization for young people in the area.
The Cuban Trained Ghanaian Graduate Association in the Northern Region, also known as Cubanito Nortenos, is a combination of medical doctors, veterinary doctors, agriculturists, and other professionals. It is a non-profit humanitarian services association that regularly caters to the health needs of people in deprived communities in the region.
