A leading not for profit health foundation in the Western Region of Ghana, Firm Health Ghana Foundations on 1st December, 2018 organized a free diabetes screening exercise for over two hundred people at Inchaban in the Western Region of Ghana as part of the 2018 World Diabetes Month.
Themed “The Family and Diabetes” was used to raise awareness of the impact that diabetes has on the family and support network of those affected and also to promote the role of the family in the management, care, prevention and education of diabetes.
The screening exercise which commenced at exactly 9:00 am with a 10 member medical team from Firm Health Ghana Foundation was supported by members from Lions Club (Western Region). The team which was made up of 1 Medical Doctor, 1 Physician Assistant, 2 Laboratory Technicians, 3 Nurses, 1 Data Collection Officer and 2 volunteer was led by Dr. Joseph Darko (Head of Medical Services, Firm Health Ghana Foundation). The exercise was preceded with a question and answer session on diabetes led by Dr. Joseph Darko. Participants had the opportunity to ask pertinent questions which bothered on causes, symptoms, treatment and management options for diabetes.
The beneficiaries who were between the age neighborhood of 16 and 78 years were taken through BMI (Blood Pressure, Height, and Weight checks), blood sugar test and Urinalysis test (Urine test). 17 participants were referred to the Effia Nkwanta Regional Hospital for further test as their sugar levels were very high with possibilities of them been diabetic.
23 participants had protein traces in their urine samples and 35 participants had glucose traces. All the participants were advised by the medical doctor’s onsite based on results from the tests.
Photos of the screening below;