Medical Screening Exercise at Kpalkore

Health, it is said, is wealth. People of Kpalkore, a rural community in the Mion district of the Northern Region of Ghana no doubt got wealthier on May 9, 2015 when Tab-bu Foundation, recognizing the key role good health plays in national development, embarked on a medical screening exercise in the community. Malaria being a prevalent disease there, especially among pregnant women and children, was the main focus area. Additional features included dressing of open wounds and recording of Body Mass Indices (BMI) of kids to determine their nutritional status and advice on good nutrition accordingly. About 200 beneficiaries of which 15 were pregnant women and the rest being children under five (5) years went through the screening process with those testing positive having drugs administered to them.

An eighteen (18) member team made up of Executive members of Tab-bu Foundation as well as selfless and dedicated volunteers both from the health and non-health fraternities, joined hands for the exercise. The health professionals included nurses, doctors and a nutritionist.

The team arrived to an elated waiting crowd at a suitable chosen location in the community. This was a rare treat for them. With the help of some community members, the place was set up, a prayer was said by the community Imam (Islamic Religious Leader) and work began. Priority was given to already sick children. They were attended to in the most ready, possible and appropriate manner, and made to get back home for some rest while the main screening started.

As part of the exercise, there was a health talk on nutrition and personal hygiene led by the Dietician.

The people confirmed our fears ; that they did not know that good nutrition was necessary for the mental development of their children hence our dietician educated them on basic foods that they could incorporate in the diets that will ensure that their meals are balanced. She also encouraged them to ensure that the children got the better portion of proteins and vitamins as against carbohydrates and fats and oils.

Mothers were advised on exclusive breastfeeding. Hence they were entreated to eat well to ensure that there was enough breast milk for the children. She also quelled their fears by disputing the stereotype that children who were given meat, fish and eggs at a young age will become thieves in future.

The community was educated on health practices that are efficient in preventing common diseases including malaria. They were tasked to keep their environments clean to ensure that mosquitoes do not get breeding grounds. The talk was climaxed with the distribution of mosquito nets to each household as a measure to curb the disease in the long term.

The kids were also treated to some snacks to crown it all. Community Elders described the day as some sort of feast for them. Everyone in the community was delighted and our team was also fulfilled. The community’s religious leader described the exercise as a timely intervention.” Your intervention was timely because for the past two weeks, the health center we share with the next village has been closed down and there has been no access to health care all this while”. The gesture was very much appreciated as the community members were so delighted, and the Tab-bu Foundation team felt fulfilled.

Much gratitude therefore went to the volunteers for their priceless dedication and also to the disease control department of the Northern Regional Health Directorate for providing the mosquito nets. Reports from the community via the religious leader a few days after the exercise further indicated that the outreach really made a great impact. There were positive changes in people’s lives.