By Godfred A. Polkuu, GNA
Bolgatanga, Oct. 18, GNA – Dr Micheal Obeng, a
Ghanaian Plastic Surgeon based in Beverly Hill, a city in Los Angeles, has
called on Ghanaian leaders to pay attention to the healthcare needs of the
populace to boost Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
He said it was sad that leaders in the country
“do not care so much about health care, I do not think our leaders care so much
about health care, they do not realize that a healthy nation is a wealthy
nation. When people are healthy they can contribute, they will work hard and
the GDP will go up.”
Dr Obeng who led a team of surgeons to the
Regional Hospital in Bolgatanga to conduct free surgeries on about 150 clients
in dire need of various plastic and reconstructive surgeries, made the call
when the Ghana News Agency caught up with him at the facility.
Asked if the hospital was well equipped to
serve their purpose, the Surgeon said “for a Regional Hospital, you should have
better facilities than this, the conditions are deplorable to say the least,
but it is what it is, and we have to make use of it. We will be able to use the
facility to do surgery, but is not optimum, is very sub-optimum, and that’s the
truth.”
He described Plastic Surgery in Ghana as
“sub-standard” and expressed worry that Ghana with a population of about 25
million people had about 10 Plastic Surgeons whom he said, were doing their
best under the circumstances, adding that there was the need for more Plastic
Surgeons in Ghana.
The Surgeon said all the Plastic Surgeons in
Ghana were located in the Greater Accra and Ashanti Regions, hence his team
chose to offer its services to people in the Upper East Region, who may not be
able to access such services in the two regions.
Dr Obeng said “the whole country is medically
under represented when it comes to plastic and reconstructive surgery,” and
added that the Northern, Upper East and Upper West Regions were devoid of
Plastic Surgeons.
The Expert in complex reconstructive surgery,
used the opportunity to admonish parents, guardians and caregivers to protect
children from injuries obtained from fires and burns, associated with household
cooking.
He observed that most injuries on children,
were from household cooking, and said parents should “be very careful when
using kerosene, gas, patrol” in the presence of children.
He emphasized that children should never be
left alone in kitchens, especially when cooking, insisting that they should not
be exposed to dangerous areas where they could easily be injured, “we cannot
not stop diseases, but accidents can be prevented,” he noted.
GNA