Gold Fields Ghana Foundation (GFGF) has extended its free medical outreach programme to Brahabebom, a community within the Mines operational area in the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipality of the Western Region. The exercise, initiated by the Foundation, is held annually, but it has been made quarterly to improve the well-being of residents living in the mine's host communities. A team of health personnel who have benefited from the Gold Fields scholarship programme volunteered and screened the residents, including children, adults and the aged, after which they were given free medication. Those identified with complications were also counselled and referred to appropriate health facilities for further diagnoses and treatment. Dr Antoinette Atta Hashford, a medical officer at the Gold Fields Tarkwa Mine Hospital, who led the team, said among the children they recorded malaria cases, while the adults had respiratory infection, hypertension, and diabetes. She explained that most of the people who were aged they sc reened had high blood pressure and high sugar levels because they may have stopped taking their drugs. 'I'm advising those taking care of these people with such chronic diseases to ensure they take their medications and visit the hospitals for their reviews to avoid complications,' she said. Mr Abdel Razak Yakubu, the Executive Secretary of GFGF, noted that: 'The Foundation has invested over GHS130,000 in procuring medicines and paying stipends to the volunteers supporting the programme. The interesting thing about today's event is that over 90 per cent of the personnel we are using are our own scholarship beneficiaries.' 'These past and present beneficiaries who are pharmacists, laboratory technicians, medical doctors, and optometrists among others have all volunteered to help take care of the residents of Brahabebom.' 'The kind of interventions the Foundation has in our host communities are not just bits and pieces, everything is linked such that in giving scholarship, we have a vision that one day thes e beneficiaries will complete school and also give back to the community.' Nana Adjoa Baawa I, Queen Mother of Brahabebom and Mr Ibrahim Iddrisu, the Unit Committee Chairman of Brahabebom, commended the Foundation and prayed they continued to support their operational area. A beneficiary of the scholarship, Ms Margaret Adu Bofuo, a final-year student at the Tarkwa Nursing and Midwifery Training School, commended the Foundation for supporting her to fulfil her dream of becoming a nurse. Source: Ghana News Agency