International SOS Donates Lab Equipment and Refurbishes a Health Centre in Ghana
- Written by: iPMI Global
International SOS contributed to the improvement of healthcare services in the town of Yamfo in the Ahafo region of Ghana. The company refurbished the Yamfo Health Centre and donated essential lab equipment worth about GHC 103,000 to the facility.
Over the past few years, patients who sought medical attention from the health centre and who required full blood count and other blood tests, had to commute to the Sunyani Regional Hospital or other medical laboratories situated further away from their town. This required patients to find money for transportation which could be challenging.
According to the health centre’s Medical Superintendent, Dr Solomon Owiredu Boateng, due to the inconvenience the situation posed to pregnant women, monthly arrangements with the Regional Hospital had to be made for required blood tests to be done.
International SOS decided to refurbish the Yamfo Health Centre’s laboratory and to donate essential lab equipment worth about GHC 103,000 to the facility. The International SOS team in Ghana chose to invest in this project as the company provides health services on Newmont’s mining site located in the Ahafo region.
The equipment that was provided included an H-36 Hematology Analyzer, a 12 Bucket Centrifuge, and an N-126 Microscope. 100 insecticide treated mosquito nets were also donated to the health centre. The support, according to Daniel Anokye Mensah, International SOS’ HR Business Partner for West Africa, aims to enhance the lab’s functionality and improve health service delivery at the health centre. The support particularly focuses on diagnosing and treating malaria.
Alhaji Mustapha Ibrahim, Yamfo’s Chief Imam said:
It usually costs a community member from Yamfo about GHC 22 to travel to Sunyani Regional Hospital or a laboratory in Sunyani to take a full blood count and other blood related tests.
I am glad that now we will not have to go outside the community health centre for these tests. We are grateful to International SOS and to Newmont for their support to our community,
Donating the equipment at a ceremony to mark World Malaria Day earlier in April at the Yamfo Health Centre, Abednego Akuteck, International SOS’ Chief Financial Officer for West Africa, mentioned that the donation falls in line with this year's World Malaria Day theme, “Time to deliver zero malaria: invest, innovate, implement", and forms part of International SOS’ commitment to give back to society.
