The Rotary Club of Obuasi, in partnership with Doctors and Engineers Without Borders, and the Brown University Club, has embarked on a medical outreach project to provide free medical services to the inmates of the Obuasi local Prisons.
The partners also presented drugs to the infirmary of the prisons and a table top fridge to store the drugs at a high temperature.
The goal of the free medical screening for the inmates, was to create awareness on prison hygiene and supply the infirmary with drugs in line with Rotary International area of focus; Disease Prevention and Treatment and sanitation.
The exercise brought together doctors and other health practitioners, who screened over 300 inmates and officers of the Obuasi local prisons.
The inmates were screened for hypertension, tuberculosis, diabetes, malaria, hepatitis B, and other ailments.
The doctors provided consultation services and dispensed medications for common ailments, while provisions were made for those who will need prolong treatment.
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m Delphine Gbogblorvor, President- elect of the Rotary Club of Obuasi during her interaction with the media, stated that the exercise had become necessary because the Club recognised prison health as an area which needed support in view of the poor living conditions in the prisons.
The inmates were at risk of contracting and spreading various ailments if the needed support and logistics were not available.
She emphasized the need to prioritize the health needs of inmates at the prisons since they were being prepared to be integrated into the larger society.
‘We need to recognize that these inmates are not outcasts, they will definitely be integrated into society at a point, so health screening like this is important in making sure they are in good condition before they come out’, she stressed.
Ms Gborgblovor further assured the prison of the Club’s continued support towards improving the living conditions of inmates as the three-year partnership which started in 2023 was expected to be rolled out in the n
ext two years with support from the Doctors and Engineers Without Borders, Brown University.
To additionally support the water and sanitation needs of the inmates, a new mechanized borehole had been constructed for the inmates to ensure continuous supply of clean water for drinking and domestic use.
She said the Club would continue to create hope for the world by implementing the ‘ magic of rotary’ initiative, where some of the activities would be based on promoting peace ahead of the 2024 elections.
Ms Esther Ako-Nunoo, Officer in-charge of the Obuasi Local Prisons, thanked the Club and its partners for their timely support.
She called for more support towards improving the conditions at the prisons and charged the officers to continue the discharge of their duties as mandated by their ethics to support the prisons service.
Source: Ghana News Agency