Anwiankwanta (Ash), – The Lions Clubs International (LCI) District 418 – Ghana, has unveiled a twenty-four month project to expand and improve diabetes diagnostic and management services in the Ashanti region.
The project, “Hope for Diabetic Foot”, aims to conduct medical and surgical outreach programme and ensure that patients living with the disease do not develop the unpleasant complications of the foot.
The US$60,700 project is expected to benefit at least 300, 000 persons living with diabetes in the Ashanti, Ahafo and the Northern Regions.
Madam Helen Maku Obeng, District 418 Governor, at the launch of the project at Abenkyiman Hospital at Anwiankwanta in the Bekwai Municipality of the Ashanti Region, said the project was also catering for diabetic complications, including 168 surgeries.
She mentioned that the LCI District 418 was supporting the Hospital due to its strategic location but the poor road network, and the lack of health education had impacted negatively on healthcare delivery in the community.
She said once health professionals were provided with the capacity to examine patients for early detection of diabetic foot, the patients stood a great chance of limb salvage, preservation of limb function, reduction in morbidity and mortalities associated with the disease.
Madam Obeng said some activities under the project included the training of Lions’ members and area teachers, unemployed school leavers and community health workers to conduct diabetes paper risk assessment and awareness creation.
She said they will also organize screening events and educate individuals with diabetes on treatment routines, self-management and healthy lifestyles.
Madam Obeng said the LCI was committed to investing in communities and improving quality of life.
She said all this efforts was to contribute towards the reduction in the prevalence of diabetes, which had been on the rise in low and middle-income countries.
She said the LCI District 418 had submitted an application to Lions Clubs International Fund to secure a US$160,000 grant for a childhood cancer project in Agogo.
Dr. Kwame Antwi, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Abenkyiman Hospital, said diabetes was running amok in the country, and estimated that about 25 per cent of the adult population in Ghana were living with diabetes.
He said out of this number, some have been diagnosed while others do not know their status which often results in eyes and kidney problems and in worse cases amputation of the legs.
Dr. Antwi called for a collaborative effort of stakeholders to create awareness on the disease.
Source: Ghana News Agency
Add Comment