Residents of Chiok in the Builsa North Municipality of the Upper East Region have benefited from a free medical outreach organised by the Biyalsis Guritaaba Social Club, a group of professionals whose humble beginnings date back to their youthful days growing up in the government bungalows in Bolgatanga.
The outreach brought together medical doctors and health practitioners who screened residents for various medical conditions, provided free medication, and conducted surgeries for ailments including inguinal hernias, umbilical hernias, and goiters. All services were rendered free of charge.
President of the club, Mr. John Asaana, said the initiative was part of the group’s commitment to give back to society after benefiting from the same communities that once nurtured them.
“This is a group of friends and brothers who, at some point in time, were just an association. But by 2021, we decided that we are full of a lot of intellectuals, so it was good to form a registered club to give back to society, as society has helped us in so many ways,” he explained.
Mr. Asaana recounted the background of the club, noting that the name Biyalsis Guritaaba was inspired by how members were perceived while growing up.
“Biyalsis in Frafra simply means bad boys. Growing up, we were seen as boys who were always seated under a tree, conversing and drinking pito. People around us thought we were boys without a future,” he said.
He added that, contrary to those perceptions, members of the group have grown into responsible men now serving in various capacities across the country.
“We are actually responsible. Every member is working in various fields, including medicine, engineering, lecturing, and even politics. So the name reflects where we came from, but also shows that we have turned that perception around,” Mr. Asaana stressed.
According to him, the club now has about 57 members, with a structured committee that vets and admits new members.
“People want to join us every day, but we have a committee that vets new members before admission,” he noted.
Mr. Asaana explained that the venue for the annual medical outreach is usually selected during the club’s Annual General Meeting, based on deprived communities where members originate.
“We are here in Chiok because two of our members come from this community. So we decided to give back to them in terms of health support,” he said.
He added that although the club did not organise an outreach last year due to members’ involvement in election-related activities, they instead donated to the paediatric ward of the Upper East Regional Hospital.
As part of the Chiok outreach, leftover medications were donated to St. Lucas Hospital to continue serving the community.
Dr. Lawrence Banbinbu Kankpeyeng, a surgeon at the Upper East Regional Hospital and a member of the club, described the outreach as highly successful.
“This outreach has been very successful. We encountered both medical and surgical cases, including inguinal hernias, umbilical hernias, and goiters. We also saw many skin lumps and bumps,” he said.
Dr. Kankpeyeng disclosed that some surgeries were carried out during the outreach, while others had been conducted earlier in January.
He advised residents, particularly men with hernias, to seek early medical attention.
“Most of the hernias we have seen are quite huge, and that makes repair more time-consuming. I advise that once you detect any swelling around your groin, scrotum, or stomach, you should report early to the hospital,” he urged.
He also encouraged community members to take advantage of similar outreach programmes whenever they are organised.
Assembly Member for the Chiok Electoral Area, Ateng-Bisa Emmanuel, expressed gratitude to the club, describing the intervention as timely.
“The people here are mostly peasant farmers, and getting money for medical care has always been a challenge. This medical outreach has come at the right time,” he said.
He thanked members of the Biyalsis Guritaaba Social Club for their generosity and appealed to them to continue supporting deprived communities across the region.
The initiative once again highlighted how a group once dismissed as “bad boys” has transformed into a force for social good, using their professional expertise to improve lives and strengthen community health in the Upper East Region.
A1Radioonline.com|101.1Mhz|Joshua Asaah
