ASA Savings and Loans Limited has organised a free medical screening for residents of Ashaiman at the St. Augustine Catholic Church.
Some health workers from Firdalh’s Diagnostic Centre were contracted to screen inhabitants and traders of ailments, including eye problem, malaria, typhoid, blood pressure and also check their blood sugar.
Out of the 167 adults screened, two tested positive for hepatitis B and were referred for further management, 10 also tested positive for malaria and were placed on medication and counselled to sleep under mosquito treated nets.
Again, those diagnosed with eye ailments were referred to see an ophthalmologist for further management. 59.8 percent of them had high blood pressure and were placed on anti-hypertensive drugs, with 37.7 percent of the total number having high glucose.
The head of the medical team, Alhassan Haruna, commended ASA Savings and Loans for organising the free exercise and admonished management to conduct similar exercises across the country.
The beneficiaries who received free drugs for various ailments heaped praises on management and staff of the company, and requested for similar exercises in the future.
Salamatu Abubakar, a trader who benefitted from the exercise, said she and her colleagues who attended have been given medications and advised on healthy living. “We hardly get time to go for regular check-ups due to the nature of our trading activities,” she added.
The exercise was supervised by the Ashaiman Area Manager of the company, Mr. Richmond Afari-Hayford, and was joined by the Branch Manager, Isaac Amoah, who disclosed that this forms part of the company’s corporate social responsibility (CSR).
Also present at the event was the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) /Sustainability Manager of ASA, Richard Nartey.
In a related development, ASA Savings and Loans organised health screening for its Teshie clients and distributed treated mosquito nets
Over 130 women living in Teshie went home grateful to ASA Savings and Loans after benefitting from a free health screening exercise.
The free health screening was spearheaded by the Teshie Business Centre of the Savings and Loans Company, with the motive of improving the health of clients and residents.
The exercise, carried out by Modern Care Clinic, had a total of 133 people getting screened for malaria, RBS and hepatitis B.
One hundred people were screen for malaria, seven out of them tested positive. 90 were screened for Hepatitis B infection and none tested positive.
100 people were screened for RBS, with 20 being diabetic; while 125 people were screened for blood pressure, out of which 52 had high blood pressure.
Besides the free health check, ASA Savings and Loans paid for medication to be prescribed to the beneficiaries.
In addition, mosquito nets were distributed to the residents at Teshie, mostly to clients of ASA Savings and Loans.
Speaking on the decision to put together the free health screening, ASA Savings and Loans Teshie Business Centre Branch Manager, Sabina Kumfu, explained that it is part of the company’s corporate social responsibility (CSR).
She said for a company that works with a lot of women, it is important to not only support them financially to scale up their businesses, but also to help them stay healthy.
Sabina Kumfu further noted that ASA Savings and Loans will continue to engage in regular CSR activities to give back to communities in which they operate.
Engaging the media on the sidelines of the exercise, Comfort Afi Boryor, one of the beneficiaries at Teshie expressed appreciation to ASA Savings and Loans for the kind gesture.
“I have an ulcer and it has been worrying me. The doctor advised me on good living practices and also gave me medicine. This has been very good, I say a big thank you to ASA Savings and Loans.
“This has really helped me and I’m sure it is also helping the other people here. To receive medical care without paying anything is very huge and we are grateful,” Comfort Afi Boryor said.
On his part, Dr. Abdul Rahman from Modern Care Clinic advised the beneficiaries to take their health seriously.
He urged those who are yet to test for hepatitis B to get tested and ensure they are vaccinated.
“Don’t worry if you are diagnosed with anything. The doctors are there to provide medication for you free of charge. Let’s take hepatitis seriously. I encourage you all to get checked. If you have not been vaccinated, please go to any hospital and get yourself vaccinated,” Dr. Abdul Rahman admonished.
Dr. Abdul-Rahman further recommended that the screening exercise should be done on a regular basis to help save lives.
The Area Manager of ASA Savings and Loans at Teshie, Madam Zalia Alhassan, was present to ensure smooth running of the exercise.
