Medical Emergency Relief Services Offers Free Medicare At PANAFEST

Cape Coast, Sept 3, A newly established non-profit making health organization, Medical Emergency Relief Services, Ghana (MEDRELIEF), is offering free medical services to participants and guests at the on-going Pan African Historical Theatre Festival (PANAFEST '97) at Cape Coast and Elmina. MEDRELIEF, a consortium of benevolent Ghanaian health workers based in Accra, has set up a service clinic at the Cape Coast Cultural Centre where the bulk of festival activities are being held and has since Sunday, August 31, treated about 0 minor cases. Dr Koma Jehu-Appiah, executive director of MEDRELIEF and medical officer in charge of the PANAFEST Service Clinic, told the Ghana News Agency in an interview that the organization is providing free medical services to people as a contribution towards the success of the festival which reached its sixth day today. MEDRELIEF's broader objective, however, is to help mitigate the plight of persons disadvantaged during emergencies like civil conflicts, natural disasters, road and rail traffic accidents, Dr Jehu-Appiah said. Dr Jehu-Appiah said the organization also aims at reducing the suffering of sick persons and communities by working towards the eradication of common communicable diseases. The executive director said the service would help identify, collate and disseminate information on the spread and prevention of communicable diseases. This is to be done through the creation of awareness among the people and organizing specialized educational forums periodically for its members and the public. He called on the public to avoid self-medication and drug abuse since both are harmful to health. MEDRELIEF receives its medical supplies through individual donations, pharmaceutical associations and the Ministry of Health.