A group of 12 experienced surgeons and medical doctors backed by 22 support staff from various hospitals across the country, in an act of generosity, have conducted free medical screening for about 400 people in Kwatiri, a town near Odumase in the Brong -Ahafo Region.
Out of this number, 44 highly distressed patients underwent corrective surgeries to repair challenges from hernia and fibroid in a period of three days.
Led by Professor Stephen Tabiri, a consultant surgeon at the Tamale Teaching Hospital, the team with support from MTN-Ghana, who as part of its annual month long activations and project launch popularly christened Sun-City-Fest were partnering the medical team to treat 314 out-patient cases,(OPD) and 44 other cases requiring surgery at the Kwatiri health facility.
Starting with this free screening by the medical team, the MTN plans to use this year’s Sun-city Festival to organize several outdoor, educative and social programmes including a business forum to engage and Medium and Small Scale Enterprises to embrace the technology MTN provides to addressing challenges they face at their workplaces.
The 44 people, consisted of children and adults who were suffering from various degrees of hernia and fibroids.
MEDICAL TEAM:
Drawn from various hospitals in the country such as the Tamale Teaching Hospital,(TTH) Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital,(KATH), the Seventh Day Adventist Church Hospital,(SDA) with the lead Doctor Professor Stephen Tabiri ably supported by 11 other core team members including Dr Appiah Kubi, Dr Eric Owusu and Dr Abebrese the team conducted comprehensive screening and surgeries on patients.
22 other support staff, comprising nurses and anesthetics also joined the medical team to attend to the 400 patients who had thronged the government facility to seek assistance.
The team, the paper gathered had chosen the Kwatiri town because of the incidence of fibroid and hernia in and around the community.
Having abandoned the government health facility for almost two years after its completion, the team used the screening to instill confidence in the people that the Kwatiri Polyclinic can help cater for their health needs.
MTN:
Speaking to the Ghanaian Observer Newspaper during the surgery, Mr Peter Bimpeh, Commercial Manager of MTN-Northern Business District expressed delight at the partnership between MTN and the medical team.
This, he noted had given opportunity to Kwatiri residents and neighboring communities to have medical care and also for the treatment of ailments such as fibroid and hernia which cost between GHC 700.00 and GHC 1,200.00 at the Hospital.
The Commercial Manager hinted of plans by MTN to continuously invest in the health of its customers, adding the company believes only healthy people could properly contribute to Nation building.
On sun-city-fest, Mr Bimpeh said the company treasured its celebration since it offered MTN an opportune moment to be close to its subscribers as well as show its appreciation to residents of the Brong Ahafo Region
PATIENTS REACTION:
Kwasi Tawiah, a 16 year old student who had been afflicted for four(4) years with the hernia deformity expressed delight at the opportunity to having his illness treated by the medical team.
He narrated how the deformity had made him uncomfortable going out to play with his friends both in school and at home.
According to him, the constant thought about the illness was affecting his ability to do well in courses offered in school and thanked the team and MTN for the benevolent gesture.
Madam Akua Wusuwaa, a 36 year old farmer at Kwatiri shed tears as she recalled how she had become a laughing stalk because of the fibroid that was afflicting her.
She indicated the ailment had worried her severely, adding she leaped with joy when she heard her favorite network, MTN was partnering Professor Tabiri’s team to give them
