A number of children from two far flung communities in the North of Ghana got free testing and vaccination of Hepatitis B.
This effort entitled “Know your status: A health advocacy campaign” was made possible by a local non-profit organization called Sahara Advocates of Change with funding from The Pollination Project.
The communities of Kolingo in Wa West District and Nyoli Dosaa in Sawla-Tuna-Kalba District are the beneficiary communities due to the absence of health facility in the area.
According to Lina Beneb, program manager of the organization who is also a health practitioner that the project seeks to address the gap of health inefficiency and inaccessibility in rural Ghana especially in far reaching communities,” we work in communities where there is no health facility because they are more vulnerable. At least with our programs we can assist the government in reaching out to the people in these communities.”
”We focus on Hepatitis because it is the silent killer. So many of our people are dying in the hospitals and in their homes not knowing the cause and when tested, Hepatitis is always the cause but it is too late. We wanted to reach as many people as possible but we need enough funds to run our programs because the testing and vaccines are not cheap. They are not also free so we hope as time goes by there will be more people we can reach out to get tested, vaccinated and referred,” she added.
And Because of the stigma and costs attached to Hepatitis (A,B,C,D,E) people would not try to know their status. Constant sensitization, education coupled with free screening and vaccination will give them the chance to know their status, Ms. Beneb pointed out.
Based on records, all children tested negative of Hepatitis B and got their vaccinations. (PR)
About:
The Pollination Project is a US Based non-profit organization that seeks to unleash Goodness and expand Compassion all over the world.
Sahara Advocates of Change based in Upper West Region and aims in Empowering the women and girls through capacity and enhancement training in gender equality, functional literacy, health care and livelihood diversification in the remote areas of Ghana to contribute in nation-building.
By: Linda Beneb