By Patrick Ofoe Nudzi, GNA
Accra, Jan. 28, GNA – Street Academy, a non-governmental organisation, has received essential medicines to support healthcare delivery for children and the surrounding community.
The medicines, valued at about 1,000 dollars, were donated by the Tabernacle Church, USA, as part of its global outreach to support vulnerable and underprivileged communities.
Madam Penninah Osei Poku, an entrepreneur, who presented the items on behalf of the Church, said the donation followed a visit to the Academy during the December festivities, which revealed that the Health Post had run out of medicines.
“It came out that they didn’t have any medications. This is because when people come for health care, they don’t pay; it’s free. The Academy does not have the resources to put back in stock the administered medicines and need philanthropists to come to their aid,” she said.
Madam Osei Poku, former national service personnel at the Academy, said her familiarity with its challenges prompted her to link the institution through a friend to the Heywan family of the Tabernacle Church, who were visiting Ghana.
She said the family donated items to the school, interacted with the children, and identified the urgent needs of the Health Post.
Miss Felicia Owusu, a Nursing Officer at Street Academy, said the donation included antibiotics such as azithromycin and amoxiclav, analgesics including brufen, blood supplements, anti-malarials, sanitary pads for girls and other medications.
She said common illnesses treated at the facility included malaria, infections, typhoid and wound infections, and appealed to individuals, government and pharmaceutical companies to support the Academy with medical supplies, as healthcare services were provided free of charge.
“We are grateful to Madam Osei Poku and the Church. These medications will go a long way in helping us treat illnesses, prevent complications, and then promote health in general. We hope this will not be their last time,” she said.
Mr Ataa Lartey, Founder and Executive Director of Street Academy, commended the gesture, noting that investing in the health and education of underprivileged children was a valuable service to humanity.
“We should prevent diseases and not wait for it to come before we say we are curing it. It’s a waste of money. We would use the drugs Penninah and her team bought to supplement the immunisations that the Rotary Club of Nordenberg are doing for this community,” he said.
GNA
Edited by Kenneth Sackey