By Juliet Aguiar DUGBARTEY, Tarkwa
The Gold Fields Ghana Foundation (GFGF) has joined the world to commemorate this year’s International Childhood Cancer Day (ICCD) at Mehuntem- Mile 10 in the Prestea Huni Valley Municipality of the Western Region.
It was on the theme “Demonstrating Impact: From Challenge to Change,” and formed part of the foundation’s sustained investment in healthcare delivery within its host communities.
The occasion also coincided with a medical outreach, awareness creation as well as free registration of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
As part of the initiative, the foundation partnered with the Municipal Health Directorate and Prestea Huni Valley Municipal Assembly (PHMA) to educate residents on early warning signs of childhood cancers, prevention measures and available treatment options. The outreach aimed to equip parents and caregivers with practical knowledge to support early diagnosis.
Beyond awareness creation, the foundation facilitated free registration and renewal of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) for residents to remove financial barriers to healthcare access.
“We are not just teaching them; we are also registering them on the NHIS so they can seek care when they need it. It is about bringing the message and also providing the means to act on it,” Lead Specialist for Health Services at Gold Fields Ghana, Dr. Magdalene Bakari, stated.
Explaining the selection of Mehuntem for this year’s commemoration, she said the foundation rotates its programmes across its catchment communities, having previously organised similar engagements in Subri, Pepesa and Huniso.
She noted that Mehuntem was prioritised due to its high poverty levels, youthful population and high fertility rate.
“We observed that this community has a large number of young children. We felt it was important to bring this message here and also support them with what they need to seek healthcare,” she said.
According to her, the commemoration reflected the foundation’s commitment to protecting the health and future of children in its operational areas.
“Childhood cancers occur in our young ones; and as we always say, they are the future of the nation. We want to reiterate the education so that people can identify the signs and symptoms early and seek treatment early, so that outcomes will improve for our children,” she said.
She emphasised that early detection and prompt medical intervention remain critical to improving survival rates and ensuring affected children can grow into productive adults.
Abdel Razak Yakubu, Executive Secretary of the Gold Fields Ghana Foundation, explained that since the establishment of the foundation in 2004, it has invested more than US$4.8million in health-related interventions, including adolescent sexual and reproductive health programmes, quarterly medical outreach exercises and the construction of medical support facilities.
Also, he said the foundation has also consistently marked global health awareness campaigns such as World Malaria Day, Menstrual Hygiene Day and Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Post Views: 13
Discover more from The Business & Financial Times
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
