By
Godfred A. Polkuu, GNA
Navrongo (U/E), Jan.
8, GNA – The Upper East Regional branch of the Ghana Medical Association (GMA)
has partnered the Aide à la Vulnèrabillitè, a charity-based health organization
to screen inmates of the Navrongo Central prison in the Kassena Nankana
Municipality.
The charity-based
organization, which operates in the Upper East Region, has over the years
organized medical screening services and donated gift items to the less
privileged in the Region including the Mother of Mercy Babies Home at Sirigu
and the Gbeogo School for the Deaf in the Talensi District.
Dr. Patrick Ansah,
the Upper East Regional Chairman of the GMA in an interview with the Ghana News
Agency (GNA) after the exercise, said the initiative to partner the
organization was in line with the GMA’s annual national theme which seeks to
help prisoners and other vulnerable groups.
He said the GMA
medically consulted the inmates and added that “fortunately, the charity group
put together some monies and were able to procure drugs, and by the grace of
God we were able to treat everybody and even left some surplus drugs for their
infirmary.”
Dr Ansah said skin
diseases, general body aches and nutritional deficiencies were common among
their findings after the exercise, and said “we dewormed most of them and gave
antimalarial drugs as well.”
The GMA Chairman
called for building of modern prisons, reduction of custodian sentences to free
the prisons of congestion, and urged Non-Governmental Organizations to support
prisoners, because the conditions at the prison were not good.
Mr Charles Lwanga
Moandiyiem Tabase, the Chairman of the charity-based group told the GNA that
about 172 inmates were examined for infections in their ears, noses and
throats, Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDT) for malaria and Random Blood Sugar (RBS)
were done.
He said officials of
the group who were health professional drawn from various health facilities
across the region, further assessed the body temperatures, pulse rates, weight
and Blood Pressures of the inmates.
Mr Tabase said it
was a great collaboration with the Regional GMA to have the inmates screened,
“what is more important to us is the love we showed. To us, it is the greatest
of all, and we are hoping that in our future collaborations with other
organizations and groups, they margin between the higher class and the
vulnerable will be narrowed.”
Mr James Tobiga
Naabil, the Builsa South District Director of Health Services and Lead member
of Aide à la Vulnèrabillitè, prior to the exercise stressed that the group was
made up of “selfless professionals who want to share with you their
professional skills and knowledge free of charge,” and entreated the inmates to
freely discuss their help needs with the team.
On the sidelines of
the medical screening, the charity-based group with support from generous
donors presented three bags of maize, assorted soft drinks, fruits, sanitary
items, lunch packs and medicines to the inmates, and also took time to engage
them in games including valley ball.
The Public Relations
Officer (PRO) of the Navrongo Central Prison, Deputy Superintendent of Prison
(DSP), Nyankpani Alhassan said the gesture by the group was helpful to the
service and inmates.
He said the
screening would significantly minimize the rate at which Officers of the
service transported inmates to health facilities for treatment of minor medical
conditions, and called on other organizations to come to the aid of the
inmates.
GNA
