Ghanaians urged to budget for personal health care

Accra, Aug. 16, GNA - Dr Peter Pupulampu of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital has observed that poverty or inadequate financial preparation for one's health was a major bane on efficient health service delivery with negative repercussions for Ghanaians.

He explained that a number of Ghanaians were not able to pay for or follow through with their treatments because they lacked the capacity to immediately pay for health care resulting in a relapse of many ailments.

Speaking to reporters at the weekend after leading a team of medical professionals to undertake a six-hour free medical care and counselling for residents of Tesano, Abeka, North Kaneshie in Accra, he urged Ghanaians to prepare and make individual budgetary allocations for their health.

The medical care was organised by Harvest Chapel International as part of the Church's social responsibility.

Dr Pupulampu, who is also a Deacon at Harvest Chapel, said over 300 residents reported with varied medical problems including malaria, diarrhoea, skin diseases, anaemia, gynaecological disorders, intestinal worms, joint pains, cough and hypertension.

Apart from Kaneshie and the Mamobi Polyclinics, there is no public health service facility within the communities that were given the free medical care.

Dr Pupulampu urged the public to use treated mosquito nets to reduce the incidence of malaria. The residents should also adhere to sound and clean environmental practices.

The Rev Fitzgerald Odonkor, Head Pastor of Harvest Chapel, in an interview with Ghana News Agency, urged religious organisations to educate members on sound environmental practices and join the crusade for preventing environmental degradation.

He expressed concern about poor sanitary conditions as well as land and environmental degradation and urged religious institutions to join environmental crusaders to remedy the situation.

Rev Odonkor called on Churches and environmental NGOs to work with the Ministry of Environment and Science in the national programme to promote good environmental stewardship.

He urged other religious organisations to initiate programmes and activities to meet both the physical and spiritual needs of people.

"We must show the world the love of God by meeting our social as well as spiritual responsibilities."

Used clothing and footwear donated by members of Harvest Chapel International were distributed to some of the people.

Harvest Chapel spent over 15 million cedis on dugs with additional support from Samah Chemist, Vito Rica Limited, Aryton Drugs and Sharp Pharmaceuticals.