The maiden Mini Clinic Durbar and Health Outreach jointly organised by AngloGold Ashanti, the AGA Health Foundation and the Obuasi Municipal and Obuasi East District Health Directorates has taken place at Binsere in Obuasi. The one-day event gave the opportunity for community members to carry out various health tests and receive advice from professional doctors.
Speaking to the media, the Obuasi East District Health Director, Madam Delphine Gborgblorvor revealed that many people were scared to visit the hospitals due to covid-19 hence the decision to send the clinic to the communities.
“The health-seeking behavior of Ghanaians is low. Some people will never visit the hospital for any form of health checkup. This is why we are bringing it closer to them and for free” she said.
“We check their BP, weight, BMI and sugar level. We also provide nutritional counseling and referral. So after the test, if there is a health issue, they can then visit the hospital” she added.
Delphine Gborgblorvor advised people to patronise their free service when it gets to their communities.
The senior manager sustainability at AngloGold Ashanti Obuasi Mine, Emmanuel Baidoo said the Mine believes their “business is people and people is their business.”
“We, therefore, place people first and correspondingly put the highest priority on their health because we strongly believe that a healthy community is a productive and wealthy community,” he said.
AngloGold Ashanti has over the years implemented a number of critical interventions to contribute to improving access to quality health care in Obuasi. In 2015, AngloGold Ashanti took a strategic decision to transition the mine’s hospital into a fully independent entity which is now known as the AGA Health Foundation, providing quality health care not only to mine employees and their dependents but also to the people of Obuasi and surrounding communities.
AngloGold Ashanti Obuasi Community Trust Fund recently completed and handed over a fully furnished 16-bed capacity Maternity Block with operating theatre and related facilities to the Obuasi Government Hospital.
“We have in recent years shown active involvement in Breast and Cervical Cancer Campaigns to help increase awareness and to provide screening opportunities for the people of Obuasi. We have also through our employees’ contribution, raised money to support cancer research” Emmanuel Baidoo added.
The event is expected to be replicated in other communities in Obuasi.