By Yussif Ibrahim
Obuasi (Ash), June 22, GNA – AngloGold Ashanti, Obuasi Mine has organised a capacity building training for selected health professionals in Obuasi Municipal and Obuasi East on management of Asthma and Sickle Cell.
The training, which was to equip the participants with skills and knowledge to provide care and support for patients, was put together by the AngloGold Ashanti Health Foundation.
Sickle Cell is one of the most common genetic diseases affecting millions of people worldwide and requires healthcare professionals with the requisite knowledge to manage and provide care for patients.
Asthma on the other hand is the most common non-communicable disease in children and remains one of the most common throughout the life course, but there is a reported challenge of inadequate human resources with the capacity to manage the condition.
It is against this background that AngloGold Ashanti organised the training for health professionals to update their knowledge on management of the two conditions.
Dr. John Gyasi Banin, an Emergency Physician Specialist at AngloGold Ashanti Health Foundation, said the training was important to enable the beneficiaries to properly manage patients with those conditions.
He said the training formed part of efforts by AngloGold Ashanti to improve the health needs of the people in its operational area as contained in the 10-year Socio-Economic Development Plan of the mining company.
“We are conscious of the technicalities involved in managing Sickle Cell and Asthma hence we decided to join forces with AGA and the Health Directorates of the two districts to roll out this capacity building which we believe will bridge the existing knowledge gap within the health sector,” he noted.
Ms. Elizabeth Boateng of the Environmental Department of AngloGold Ashanti said the workshop also sought to create the platform for health workers to learn from one another in terms of different approaches in solving problems.
She indicated that AngloGold Ashanti had since 2019 rolled out numerous capacity building programmes for healthcare workers in Obuasi.
“The intention is to ensure that the people within our operational area have access to quality healthcare,” she stated.
The participants lauded AngloGold Ashanti for broadening their knowledge on new methods and approaches in managing the two conditions.
GNA