By Nicholas Osei-Wusu
In the last three years, more than 33,000 residents within the Adansi traditional area also constituting AngloGold Ashanti Obuasi mine’s catchment area have benefitted from 15 quarterly free mini clinics rotated among the towns and villages.
The mini clinics are part of the health interventions of the corporate social responsibility of the mine.
The company does this in partnership with other organizations including the Otumfuo Osei Tutu II Foundation, GIZ, and the Ghana Health Services.
The mini clinics bring to the doorstep of health seekers general and specialist services ranging from Records through OPD, laboratory, pharmaceutical, counseling, and testing to the distribution of treated insecticide nets.
The latest community to host the mini clinics is Odumase in the Obuasi East District.
More than three thousand members of the community and surrounding towns received free healthcare and medication.
Among the care received were eye, dental, voluntary counseling and testing for HIV and AIDS with eye care seekers receiving free spectacles to correct their diagnosed defects.
Graving the event was a delegation from the local traditional council, the District Health directorate, District Assembly and the Member of Parliament.
The Community Relations Manager of AngloGold Ashanti Obuasi Mine, Edmund Oduro Kyei, explained that the Mine considers the well-being of inhabitants of its catchment communities paramount and a priority and therefore investing in various healthcare interventions.
Mr. Kyei noted that AngloGold Ashanti is constructing Health Centres and expanding existing ones.
Additionally, the professional skills and competencies of some of the health personnel have been upgraded through sponsorship for them to attend further training programmes.
The Obuasi East District Director of Health, Dr. Enyonam Kwawukume, advised the people to prioritize their treatment and adhere to the medical advice from their caregivers.
She asked them to take their medications as prescribed by the health officials and do medical check ups for review of their conditions periodically as required to manage their ailments, especially those with chronic diseases.
Maame Ama and Kwasi Daniel, two of the health seekers who spoke to GBC expressed gratitude to AngloGold Ashanti and its collaborators for making healthcare accessible and affordable to them.
They appealed for sustenance of the initiative for the benefit of many more others.
