Earlier on Monday 26th July, this year’s free reconstructive plastic surgeries launched through a joint collaboration between AngloGold Ashanti Obuasi Mine, AngloGold Ashanti Health Foundation (A.G.A.H.F) and Greater Works Restoration Foundation (GWRF), came to its climax as a post-review exercise was organized for beneficiaries of the initiative.
Over 80 individuals who were administered free surgical operations jolted to the premises of AngloGold Ashanti Health Foundation for a post-review exercise. The free reconstructive plastic surgeries project was exercised to administer surgical operations to residents of the Obuasi community who suffer injured, lost, diseased, defective, or deformities of the body. The surgical repair involves the grafting of tissues of the skin from one part of the body to another. The recent operation marks the second edition of the initiative, exercised at an estimated cost of GHc70,000.
Funding for the project was solely footed for by AngloGold Ashanti Obuasi Mine, with AngloGold Ashanti Health Foundation supporting with all requisite facilities and equipment for the operations, as well as Greater Works Restoration Foundation who supported with the resource personnel and expertise.
The post-review exercise was done to finally monitor all patients who were admitted for the surgery, hence climaxing the 2018 edition of the project.
Dr. Paa Ekow Hoyte-Williams, Plastic Surgeon and President of Greater Works Restoration Foundation, stated that more than half of the patients who benefited from the free surgery were children with preeminent cases being cleft lip and palettes. He elucidated that the post-review exercise reports positive restoration in the lives of the beneficiaries. Cases which prevailed paramount amongst the adult group were acquired traumatic events like post-burns deformities. He reiterated that over 20 personnel from Greater Works Restoration Foundation volunteered; out of which 8 were surgeons, others included anesthetists, as well as pre-operative nurses. Financial support and the need for other specialized experts were some of the major requisite essentialities that could help mitigate challenges confronting the project, according to Dr. Hoyte -Williams. He also observed that a keener financial support towards the project would help expand the operations module in order to efficiently serve a larger number of beneficiaries.
Dr. Emmanuel Adu, a leading member of Greater Works Restoration Foundation made a clarion call for support from the Ministry of Health to support the project as it hopes to help beneficiaries at no cost. He stated that free reconstructive plastic surgery is a need in many Ghanaian local communities hence, it is necessary for the government to support the project through the National Health Insurance Scheme.
The Sustainability Manager of AngloGold Ashanti Obuasi Mine, Nana Ampofo Bekoe mentioned that the free surgery is one of the many cooperate social responsibility initiatives championed by the mine to promote sustainable growth in the lives of people who reside in the company’s jurisdiction. He stated that despite the temporal shutdown of the mine, the company continues to remain concerned in positively impacting the lives of the communities where the mine is located. He continued that the free reconstructive plastic surgery was initiated out of a needs assessment done to recognize the healthcare needs of the community. He expressed his optimism towards the project by assuring a more improved approach in keeping up with the sustenance of the initiative.
Beneficiaries of the project solemnly expressed their gratitude to facilitators of the initiative.