Abosso Goldfields Limited (AGL), in collaboration with Rotary Club of Takoradi-Anaji, Accra-Trinity and Tarkwa, have organized a free medical outreach for residents of Damang and Amoanda in the Prestea Huni-Valley Municipality.
More than 1,000 were screened for various diseases and medications, given recommendations from the medical team free of charge.
The screening was done by medical professionals drawn from various medical facilities to include Gold Fields health service provider, AMC and Apinto Government hospital.
A free breast screening exercise was also carried out for women, who were urged to examine their breasts regularly to help in the early detection of the disease.
Speaking at the function, Mr Michiel Van der Merwe, General Manager of AGL, said although the Mine had assistance from Rotary Club in Takoradi-Anaji, Accra-Trinity and Tarkwa, the Gold Fields Ghana Foundation in Damang spent over GHC240,000 on the programme.
He said, “in the last decade, we have been holding health outreach programmes annually in selected host communities to extend quality health care to all persons.”
Mr Merwe noted that “At our last outreach programme in Huni-Valley, 22 per cent people were diagnosed with malaria, 26 per cent with other conditio ns such as headache, cough, chest and body pains.
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The other 30 per cent suffered from chronic diseases like rheumatism and hypertension. We are hopeful that, these statistics will improve positively in the subsequent years.”
“Since the inception of the Gold Fields Ghana Foundation, over GHC4.8 million has been invested in the health sector.
These include construction of health centres, doctors and nurses bungalow, provision of hospital equipment and drugs to health facilities, organizing health outreach programmes and observing international health days on malaria and breast cancer,” he stated.
Mr Merwe said these interventions were expected to help improve upon the health situations in the host communities and ultimately achieve the Sustainable Development Goal 3 (SDG 3), which is to ensure healthy lives and also promote the well-being of all ages.
He explained that “We cannot do everything the communities would need, but we pledge to do our best in an honest and transparent manner.”
The Rotary Club President of Tarkwa, Mr Daniel Buddy Sagoe, said in 2019 the club partnered with Gold Fields Ghana Foundation to organize a breast cancer screening exercise for over 200 women.
He said, “We identified a suspected case and my checks indicate that the patient is responding to treatment. I am calling for more collaborations with Gold Fields Ghana Foundation in the future for positive impact on our communities.”
The Municipal Health Director of Prestea Huni-Valley, Mr Joseph Kwame Sampson, said globally the number of deaths associated with breast cancer had been on the increase and women should try and examine their breast monthly.
He indicated that “The most important step is to be able to carry out the self-examination practice and I think husbands can aid their wives in this process.”
The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Prestea Huni-Valley, Dr Isaac Dasmani, on his part, thanked AGL for the continuous support.
