U.S Embassy organises health fair for local staff

Accra, Oct. 23, GNA - The United States Embassy in Ghana on Tuesday organised the third health fair for its local staff working in the US System in Ghana to ensure their good health.

The health fair, which is organised annually, seeks to promote good health, offer health education, screen and offer preventive measures for diseases affecting the population.

Mr Sue Brown, Charge d' Affairs of the U.S Embassy, said staff and their spouses were entitled to have their blood pressure and cholesterol level checked; screened for diabetes and hepatitis B; undergo dental and vision screening; breast examination for the women; Body Max Index checked; physiotherapy body massaging and many other health checks. He noted that staff could not work effectively if they were ill "and that will affect productivity" and said the U.S Embassy had the health and life of its workers at heart.

He explained that the Embassy had instituted a health insurance scheme for its locally engaged staff and their families and urged staff that had not joined, to do so even though it was not compulsory. About 18 health institutions and pharmaceutical companies worked with the Embassy to offer services, which included HIV Voluntary Counselling and Testing and donation of blood.

Ms Laurie Korum, a Nurse working with the Health Unit of the U.S Embassy, urged other embassies to address the needs of locally engaged staff in their embassies to ensure the good health of their staff. 23 Oct. 07