By Mildred Siabi-Mensah
Sekondi, Sept. 6, GNA – The Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana (PSGH) has donated various brands of medications to the Sekondi Central Prison to meet the healthcare needs of inmates.
The PSGH, aside from the medical supplies to the Prisons infirmary, also gave the 602 inmates toiletries, toothpastes, brushes, and sanitary pads for improved personal hygiene.
Reverend Dr. Dennis Sena Awitty, the Executive Secretary of the Society, said the donation among other social responsibility had become a huge event on the calendar of the PSGH annually to meet health needs of the vulnerable groupings in society.
He said, “we are not oblivious of the challenges institutions such as this go through in meeting the daily medical needs of the people they served and we are happy that Adansi Health Tourism has gladly sponsored our outreach today.”
Dr. Anthony Dadzie, Assistant Director of Prisons, who received the boxes of medications gave a sigh of relief saying, “at least we have drugs that could help meet the health needs for some time …… our daily begging for drugs will seize for sometime.”
He stated that some of the inmates presented health challenges, including hypertension, asthma and diabetes and described the drugs as “answered prayers.”
Dr. Dadzie said the Prisons was optimistic of putting up a hospital to fully care for the health needs of inmates and adjoining communities who might need such medical care and called on corporate Ghana to help to achieve that vision.
Similarly, the PSGH and the Balm of Gilead Foundation organised a health screening exercise and free NHIS registration for the Apremdo community.
Over 500 people had been screened at the time the Ghana News Agency visited the screening and registration sector.
There, the Western Regional Chairman of the PSGH, Pharma Edward Kyere Amponsah, said educating communities to appreciate the rightful use of medicines had become a cardinal activity to save lives from drug abuse.
Mrs. Yaa Pokuaa Baiden, a Pharmacist and the Founder of the Balm of Gilead Foundation, said the Foundation would continue to address critical societal needs in health-care and sanitation in underserved communities.
The Foundation, she noted, had already performed eye and health screening in 22 communities and renewed over 4000 NHIS cards free for the people within the Effia Kwesimintsim Municipality.
GNA