Akosombo Lions Club takes health screening to Somanya

The Akosombo Lions Club has organised a community health outreach at Gberkormanya, a suburb of Somanya in the Eastern Region, to provide eye screening, breast cancer awareness and mental health education to residents.

The initiative, held in October to promote preventive healthcare, sought to encourage early detection of health conditions, improve access to health information and address stigma surrounding mental illness.

President of the club, Lion Edel Amoako Yeboah, said the outreach reflected its service-year theme, “Service, Fellowship and Friendship,” which emphasises compassion, unity and collective action in improving lives.

Speaking in an interview, she said the club had extended its community service activities beyond Akosombo to Somanya, beginning with Gberkormanya, with plans to reach other communities within the Somanya vicinity.

She explained that the initiative was part of efforts to bring essential health information, screening and support closer to residents, particularly those who might not otherwise prioritise preventive healthcare.



Promoting early detection

Lion Yeboah stressed the importance of breast cancer awareness, noting that the disease affected both women and men.

She said the outreach was intended to correct misconceptions about the condition and encourage residents to pay attention to their health status and seek timely medical attention.

She also urged the public to replace fear and stigma with knowledge and compassion, emphasising the importance of supporting people affected by breast cancer.

On eye health, she encouraged residents to take advantage of screening opportunities to identify potential problems early and seek appropriate treatment.

She said the club's broader objective was to promote a culture of preventive healthcare rather than waiting until illnesses became severe before seeking medical assistance.

Lion Yeboah called on government institutions, private organisations and other stakeholders to make eye health, breast cancer awareness and mental health education integral parts of their community programmes.

She expressed appreciation to the health professionals, volunteers and partners who supported the outreach, urging residents to continue practising what they had learnt beyond the exercise.

Follow-up care for beneficiaries

Another member of the club, Lion Noah Tetteh, expressed satisfaction with the turnout, saying residents had arrived early to benefit from the screening services.

He explained that the club made arrangements for beneficiaries requiring specialised attention to be referred to appropriate health facilities for further assessment and treatment.

According to him, specialists sometimes collected beneficiaries' contact details and arranged follow-up appointments to ensure they received the necessary care.

He cited previous cases in which people with eye conditions were referred for further treatment, including eye surgery at the Akosombo area hospital. Other beneficiaries with dental problems had also received assistance at the Akosombo Dental Clinic.

He said the club sought to make further treatment more accessible through arrangements that could reduce the financial burden on beneficiaries.

Lion Noah Tetteh encouraged residents to undergo regular medical examinations, including blood pressure checks, even when they felt healthy, noting that some conditions could remain undetected without routine screening.

Mental health awareness

A mental health professional at the Somanya Health Centre, Saah Kwasi, called for greater understanding and support for people living with mental health conditions.

He said mental illness could affect anyone and urged the public to treat affected persons with dignity, love and compassion rather than discrimination.

Kwasi identified genetic and biological factors, bereavement, unemployment, marital problems and other stressful life experiences as factors that could contribute to mental health challenges.

He also cautioned against substance use, including cannabis and cocaine, noting that such substances could contribute to mental health problems.

He emphasised that treatment alone was not always sufficient for recovery, explaining that families and communities had important roles to play in supporting affected persons after they returned home from health facilities.

He urged relatives to help patients adhere to prescribed medication, provide emotional support and avoid stigmatising them, warning that inadequate support could undermine recovery and increase the risk of relapse.

A shared responsibility

Lion Yeboah urged residents to turn health awareness into action by participating in screening exercises, sharing reliable health information and encouraging relatives to seek medical attention when necessary.

She stressed that building a healthier community required sustained commitment from individuals, families, institutions and other stakeholders.

The club expressed its commitment to extending community service activities to other areas within the Somanya vicinity, with the aim of improving health awareness and encouraging residents to take greater responsibility for their wellbeing.