Accra, June 19, GNA – A major community health outreach has been held at the Mallam Atta Market in Accra New Town to provide free health screening and medical support to hundreds of market women and their families.
The initiative, spearheaded by Social Enterprise Ghana in partnership with New York University (NYU), University of Ghana School of Nursing and Midwifery, Ghana Health Service, Divine Group International, and Health Factor, forms part of ongoing efforts to promote inclusive access to healthcare in underserved communities.
Over 300 women benefited from the screening exercise, which covered breast cancer screening, blood pressure checks, hepatitis B tests, malaria screening, and Body Mass Index (BMI) assessments for obesity, among other conditions.
The programme was aimed at providing individualised reports on participants’ health status and connecting them to appropriate medical facilities for urgent treatment and continued care.
Speaking at the event, Mr Edwin Zu-Cudjoe, Executive Director of Social Enterprise Ghana, said that the outreach was designed with the specific needs of market women in mind.
“These women work tirelessly and hardly find time to seek medical attention. By bringing healthcare directly to their place of business, we aim to bridge that gap. We are not just doing a one-off event. This is part of a larger plan to provide quarterly screening and health support to women in this community,” he said.
He added that the data gathered from the exercise would be used to follow up with beneficiaries and refer them to health institutions for further care.
Prof. Robin Toft Klar, Clinical Professor at NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing, explained that the initiative was also an educational opportunity for nursing students from the university, who are currently in Ghana as part of an international practicum programme.
“We have been coming to Ghana for three years now, working closely with partners including the Ghana Health Service. This is part of a broader collaboration that not only provides healthcare services to underserved populations but also allows our students to engage meaningfully with global health systems and contribute to real-world community health improvement,” she said.
Prof. Klar emphasised that NYU’s global health initiative in Ghana is deeply rooted in long-standing partnerships and aims to support both community-based health interventions and professional capacity building.
“Our goal is not just to bring care but also to deepen our students’ understanding of global health equity, especially for populations like the Ghanaian diaspora back in New York, many of whom come from communities like this,” she added.
Dr Mariam Idris of the University of Ghana School of Nursing and Midwifery praised the collaboration, stating that initiatives like this help build strong academic-community linkages that benefit both students and the public.
“These partnerships are important in promoting community health, exposing students to service-based learning, and ensuring that vulnerable groups, like market women, are not left behind in health access,” she remarked.
The event was widely commended by market leaders and community members, many of whom expressed gratitude for the opportunity to access vital health services free of charge and without leaving their trading posts.
GNA
Edited by Kenneth Odeng Adade