According to the Executive Director of the Foundation, Gabriel Adams, the revelation comes from a research conducted by his outfit in conjunction with health facilities based in the Central region.
Speaking at a free medical screening at Elmina in the Central Region, he stressed that the situation is a result of the unwillingness of many of the people to access medical care but rather resort to self-medication any time they are sick.
“This health screening was organized based on the research we have been conducting. This is part of our sensitization activities in the third quarter. Our research findings show that residents in coastal communities have relatively poor health conditions.”
"The outcome indicates that coastal communities are prone to viral diseases; it takes a short period for a person living along the coast to catch a viral disease compared to that of the urban dwellers,” a worried Mr Adams revealed.
The Executive Director of the New Vision Foundation International said one of the major objectives of the NGO for initiating such programs is to help sensitize people on the need to desist from indulging in self-medication since it poses a great threat to their lives.
“Since many ailments have similar symptoms, resorting to self-medication would first of all not help heal the actual ailment and could also lead to harming a person if a wrong medication is administered,” he said.
The NGO is thus appealing to people to seek medical care from the appropriate health facilities and avoid going to quacks and adopting self-medication.
It said many health challenges have similar symptoms which need proper screening and testing to get the right diagnosis for such conditions.
The free screening exercise was organized in partnership with the Edina Traditional Council, the KEEA Municipal Assembly, the Municipal Health Directorate (KEEA) and the KEEA Municipal Department of Social Welfare.
With a medical team led by Dr. Isaac Newman Arthur from the Premium Clinic in Cape Coast and over 20 nurses, the residents of Elmina were screened of Diabetes, Hypertension, blood pressure, Hepatitis B, breast screening and other ailments. Read Full Story
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