National Service Personnel Association of Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NSPA NMIMR) as part of their end of service celebration, undertook an outreach project at Obom in the Ga South Municipality from July 21-23.
The project was to educate and screen four Buruli Ulcer (BU) endemic communities; Ashalaja, Danchira, Domiabra and Balagonno.
A statement issued in Accra on Thursday and signed by Mr Charles Akugbey Narh, President of NSPA-NMIMR, said focus of the project was on
children below 15 years in the basic schools.
Prior to the screening exercises, NSPA showed videos on BU as a way of educating and dispelling some myths about the disease.
Over 2,200 pupils took part in the screening exercise in the form of a health fair, blood group tests, BMI, blood pressure tests and body temperature for all and in some communities; the youth and elderly participated.
Possible cases ranging from nodules, plagues, oedema and ulcers of the disease on various parts of the body especially the lower and upper extremities were examined by experienced and trained BU staff from NMIMR and
by the Obom Health Centre staff.
A total of 38 new cases were identified and referred.
The statement said NSPA received a donation of GH�5,000 from the management of SG-Social Security Bank and donations from PZ Cussons,
Fueltrade Oil Ltd, Voltic Ghana Ltd, Tasty Treats and staff of NMIMR.
It said NSPA donated items worth GH�6,500 to the Obom Health Centre and the four schools that participated.
These included; medical supplies such as gauze, Vaseline gauze, gloves, dettol, soaps, cotton wool and methylated spirit.
Others were bags of rice and sugar, oats, milo, biscuits and drinks, bottled and sachet water, used clothes and a desktop computer.
NSPA also gave a Sintex polytank to each of the four schools and the Health Centre.
Mr Narh appealed to civic-minded individuals, organisations and business firms to support such BU control efforts by contacting
organisations involved.
These are National Buruli Ulcer Control Programme, Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital and other stakeholders.
Receiving the items on behalf of the staff of the Health Centre Mr Isaac O. Lamptey, Physician Assistant and Caretaker, thanked NSPA for the
donation..