Hundreds of residents of Osu in Accra last Sunday benefitted from free health screening organised by the Bethel Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) church.
Dubbed "Know your numbers," the screening was held in collaboration with Wartborg Eye services and Breastcare International.
The exercise formed part of the church's effort in ensuring that members and residents of Osu were healthy and knew their health status.
Services offered included blood sugar tests, blood pressure tests, breast screening, dental checks as well as the provision of free medications for persons who needed them. Beneficiaries were also educated on general healthcare issues.
The Operational Head of the exercise, who is an Ophthalmologist and a Medical Director, Dr Boateng Wiafe, said the screening was vital for people to know their health status.
He noted that the eye screening, particularly, was necessary because people who were 40 years and above needed a pair of reading glasses.
Dr Wiafe said various trends had been discovered among the people for which they were referred to see specialists at various hospitals.
"The BP is quite high in the community and glaucoma is quite common. There is cataracts among the elderly and a number of people need reading glasses," he added.
Mr Benjamin Aryee, First Elder, Bethel SDA, said such exercises were in line with the church's doctrine of ensuring that people were fit all round.
"We believe that if you are a Christian then Christ said he was going to give life and give it abundantly, that is to say you don't live and be sick, you have to be healthy," he added.
A beneficiary of the exercise who gave his name as Albert Lutterodt expressed his profound gratitude to the church and its partners for bringing healthcare close to the community.
"I came here because of my eye, it was blurry. They said I have cataract on the left eye so I have been referred." he said.
Mr Lutterodt, therefore, urged the organisers to conduct such exercises often to assist the less privileged in society to access medical care.
"We thank them for what they have done and we hope they keep doing it for those of us who don't have money to look after our healthcare,"
