The Medical Students Association (MSA) of the University of Health and Allied Sciences launched its third (3rd) Health Week celebration under the theme: “Sickle Cell Awareness, Break the Cycle; Check Now! Act Right!”
The Launch which took place at the Main Auditorium, North (Trafalgar) Campus had an objective to create awareness about the sickle cell disease which according to Master Samuel Ahadomey, President of the association has become necessary due to the alarming Ghana Health Service’ statistics which states that about 15,000 babies are born annually with the condition.
The President in his welcome address indicated that, the sickle cell disease is common in areas where malaria is prevalent like Ghana and other parts of Africa.
Dr. Kwesi Dzokoto, the Municipal Director of Ghana Health Service who was the Guest of Honor for the launch, stated in his speech that, the sickle cell disease is very real and the public must be educated and informed. He also mentioned that, the greatest Public Health achievement or Medical intervention chalked by the Health Service in Ghana is the eradication of the small pox disease by researchers who discovered a vaccine for the condition. He said the “vaccine was found by young researchers who were not tied or linked to the failures of the past in discovering a cure for the disease”. Dr. Dzokoto said, the Health Service will look up to the young medical professionals from UHAS to help do further research on sickle cell and possibly find a vaccine that will eradicate the disease in Ghana”. He ended his speech by entreating students to accept postings to places termed “too far from civilization” in order to make the difference they seek in the Health Service.
Present at the launch of the week celebration were; Dr. John Tampori, Medical Director of the Ho Teaching Hospital, who was the Chairman of the programme, Dr. Selorm Tsrakasu, a Medical Officer at the Ho Teaching Hospital, Mr. Kennedy Ngaaso, the President of the Federation of Ghana Medical Students Association (FGMSA), Professor Martin Tarmatey from the Pediatrics Department of the School of Medicine, who represented the Dean and other Senior Administrators of UHAS.
On a related event, the students of the MSA-UHAS organized a Health Outreach at the forecourt of Bestlab in Ho on Thursday February 21, 2018. About 104 participants of the general public were screened for sickle cell. According to the President of MSA, about 85% of the participants tested negative. The remaining 25% who tested positive were further referred to the Bestlab to run the Hb Electrophoresis test. The public was taken through diet checks, sugar level test, BMI and other educative exercises.
Other activities organized to mark the Health Week celebration included a float on the principal streets of Ho; a movie night; a debate; a sports festival; clean up exercise; dinner night and a thanksgiving service which crowned the celebration.