A total of 23 orphans at the Timataaba Orphanage home at Gbeogo, a community in the Talensi District of the Upper East Region, have been screened for various health conditions to enable them to live healthy lives.
The free screening exercise was conducted by Aide á la vulnèrabillitè, a health and charity-based group in Bolgatanga made of health professionals in various fields, including Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT), Ophthalmic, Paediatric and General Nurses and Physician Assistants, among other professionals.
The professionals screened the orphans for malaria parasites, conditions of the eye, nose and ear, and assessed their general body temperature.
Mr Charles Lwanga Moandiyiem Tabase, Chairman of the Aide á la vulnèrabillitè, who led the team to conduct the screening exercise, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that the group as part of the screening checked the weight of all the children and monitored the Blood Pressures (BPs) of adults among them.
He said some people from the Gbeogo community, who were not orphans, took advantage and got screened during the exercise.
He said the team had medications, including antibiotics and antimalarial, for persons with conditions that could be managed immediately while others were referred to health facilities for further management.
Mr Tabase said 53 per cent of the children tested positive for malaria and were immediately put on malaria treatment, 33 per cent had Respiratory Tract Infections (RTIs) and were also treated.
He said 16 per cent had helminths while 15 per cent had impacted ear wax. “This 2022, we intend to conduct more screening exercises to support other stakeholders to attain the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
“We are particular about SDG three that has to do with general wellbeing and promotion of health of everyone,” the Chairman said.
Madam Janet Tindan Naamyayah, Caretaker of the Home, expressed gratitude to the health and charity-based group for the initiative to screen the children.
She called on other organizations, individuals and philanthropists to support the Home in any form possible to enable the children to live healthy and comfortable lives.
Source: GNA
