Baobab Health Centre organizes free health screening exercise

Biriwa (C/R), Dec 7, GNA - Four hundred and fifty people from the Mfantseman Municipality were given a free health screening exercise, conducted by Baobab Health Centre at Biriwa. The Health Centre also gave out free medication to those who were found to be suffering from various ailments. Baobab Health Centre was established by Amicus Onlus, an Italian Non-Governmental Organization in collaboration with the Mfantseman Municipal assembly. Dr Pietro Giocoro Renolfi, an Italian Medical Officer, who led the exercised, urged Ghanaians to be careful with their lifestyles, especially with their diet. Dr Renolfi cautioned against excessive intake of salt, alcohol, fatty foods and smoking.

He said he was in the country to help Amicus Onlus to ascertain the health status of the people in and around Biriwa. The Medical Officer urged the public to go for periodic check-ups to detect ailments earlier for a quick solution, adding that, hypertension, which can kill suddenly could be avoided through regular visits to health facilities. He advised Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies to organize periodic medical check-ups for their people to make them know their health status. The Medical Officer was happy with the number of people who came for the screening exercise, adding that "Knowing your health status was a step towards getting cured". Mr Kweku Anaman, Medical Assistant at the Centre, urged health institutions to embark on a mass education on the kind and type of diet the people need to keep them healthy. Mr Thomas Holdbrook, Administrator of the Health Centre expressed his gratitude to the Mfantseman Community Bank at Biriwa, Save the Nation's Sight Clinic at Medina in Accra and World Vision, Ghana, for their support in making the exercise a big Success. He said it was the desire of the management to upgrade the Centre into a Polyclinic to reduce the pressure on the Municipal Hospital at Saltpond and appealed to the general public for assistance. 07 Dec. 09