NGO DONATES WELLINGTON BOOTS TO VOLUNTEERS (PAGE 23)

AS a measure to assist buruli ulcer patients in the Amansie Central District Assembly, Health Foundation of Ghana (HFG), a non-governmental organisation (NGO), has donated quantities of wellington boots to the assembly for distribution to some health care volunteers in the district.
The donation, which was done in collaboration with Fontiles Lucha Lepra in Spain, is to enhance the monitoring of buruli ulcer infection and early treatment of the disease to reduce the trauma such patients go through.
The Country Director of HFG, Mrs Lynda Arthur, presented the items on behalf of the NGO to the District Co-ordinating Director, Mr Matthew Tay, at a short ceremony at Jacobu.
She gave the assurance that the NGO would offer the needed support for the District Directorate of Health Service and the assembly to create awareness about the dangers of the disease in order to reduce the myth surrounding it.
She stated that a section of the victims of the disease had a wrong perception that the strange disease was a curse, which could never be cured.
“We have trained 200 volunteers in the district, comprising 80 teachers, 80 community volunteers and 40 health personnel to monitor the trend of the diseases to be able to identify its early infection and treatment, thereby reducing its spread,” she said.
Mrs Arthur said apart from the Amansie Central District, her organisation had also presented quantities of wellington boots to the Asunafo District Assembly in the Brong Ahafo Region for distribution to some other volunteers in the district.
She said the donation was to sustain monitoring of the disease which hindered doing business and productivity.
Mrs Arthur gave the assurance that the NGO would soon donate 20 beds and mattresses to the Jacobu Hospital to enhance the treatment of patients suffering from the disease.
She said the NGO had already donated a 21-inch colour television set to the hospital to educate and entertain its patients; it also donated medical supplies to the facility.
Receiving the gift on behalf of the volunteers, Mr Tay commended HFG for its continuous support to the buruli ulcer patients.