Samuel Nana-Bekai Djirackor, the 2024 JoyNews Impact Makers Award winner for Health and Social Welfare, led a six-day health outreach that provided free healthcare services to residents in the Nabdam District. The initiative, which was sponsored by the Member of Parliament for Nabdam, Dr. Mark Kurt Nawaane, took healthcare services to five communities: Sakote, Nangodi, Logre, Gundoug/Woredaa, and Pelungu.
The outreach provided various healthcare services, including eye screening, blood pressure and diabetes checks, general medical consultations, and NHIS registration and renewal. A total of 1,447 people underwent eye screening, while 1,504 had their blood pressure checked. Additionally, 985 people received general medical consultations, and 628 were screened for diabetes.
The exercise also provided support to 88 Persons with Disabilities and booked 199 clients for eye and cataract surgery. For residents like Patience Dunpau B, the outreach offered an opportunity to receive medical attention without financial burden. She underwent an eye screening, consulted a doctor, and received medication, expressing gratitude to the organizers for the free services.
Health professionals, including Optometrist Daniel Mensah, identified eye problems during the outreach. He observed that some residents had little knowledge about their eye conditions and had come to regard the problems as normal. The healthcare team educated residents on measures to protect their eyes and maintain good eye health, and identified cataract cases among the elderly.
Some residents with cataracts had resulted in partial blindness, but were booked for surgery to improve their sight. The outreach was part of the Haven of Love Children’s Foundation’s efforts to bring healthcare closer to communities that may face challenges accessing medical services. The foundation, led by Samuel Nana-Bekai Djirackor, remains open to partnerships with individuals and organizations committed to improving access to healthcare.
The impact of the outreach goes beyond the statistics, as it brought healthcare services closer to home for 1,447 residents of Nabdam. For Patience and others, it means that eye problems that might have been ignored were examined, and patients were booked for surgery. The initiative demonstrated the importance of community-based healthcare initiatives in addressing healthcare needs.
The Haven of Love Children’s Foundation's initiative is a notable example of community-based healthcare initiatives in Ghana. By partnering with local organizations and healthcare professionals, the foundation was able to provide essential healthcare services to residents in need. The success of this initiative highlights the potential for similar programs to make a positive impact on healthcare outcomes in Ghana.
Key points
- 2024 JoyNews Impact Makers Award winner provides free healthcare services to 1,447 Nabdam residents.
- The outreach provided various healthcare services, including eye screening, blood pressure and diabetes checks, and general medical consultations.
- The initiative was part of the Haven of Love Children’s Foundation’s efforts to bring healthcare closer to communities that may face challenges accessing medical services.
