HUCAM CELEBRATES WORLD IMMUNIZATION WEEK AT BECHEM

As part of activities to mark World Immunization Week in the Tano South District of the Brong Ahafo Region, a Bechem based non-governmental organization (Human Care and Maintenance Foundation) in collaboration with the Brong Ahafo Chapter of  Coalition of NGO’s in Health has held a Child Welfare Clinic (CWC) at the Bechem Government Hospital to mark the celebration.

Pictures of dignitaries and nursing mothers at the clinic

In a welcome address at the clinic, the Chief Executive Director of HUCAM, Miss Evelyn Bema Darkwa said, though HUCAM has its headquarters at Bechem, it operates in all parts of the Brong Ahafo Region. She said, the main aim of HUCAM is  to promote convenient health services and environmentally rigorous practices in our catchment areas, thereby refining the quality of life of the target beneficiaries especially women and children .

Miss Bema said, HUCAM in its operations have undertaking a number of activities including deworming and provision of food supplement and drugs to over two hundred and fifty (250) school children in the Tano South District, the distribution of two hundred and sixteen (216) treated mosquitoe’s bed nets, the operation of a poultry farm and supporting of pregnant women with prenatal vitamin k2 and vitamin capsules free of charge.

                           

                          Miss Evelyn Bema, the Chief Executive Director of HUCAM delivering her welcome address

Miss Bema said, the World Immunization Week has for its theme ‘’ Close the Immunization Gap’’ and raises awareness about the great success and challenges of vaccinating children worldwide and therefore called on vaccinators to reach more children missed out by the routine delivery system especially those living in hard to reach areas, communities or areas where less than eighty percent (80% ) of them are receiving vaccines and also called on government to create a fund to enable them sustain the immunization in our country when time comes where it becomes the full responsibility of government to purchase the immunization drugs without the support from GAVI or any donor.

She said whilst government bodies and civil societies are making every effort to see the provision of good health for all through Immunization, it behoves on all and sundry to play their part to make it a success  and on behalf of HUCAM and  GCNH welcomed all to the function.

Speaking at the function, Mr. Emmanuel Fugah, who stood in for the Brong Ahafo Regional Chairman of the Coalition of NGOs in Health said, as the world is celebrating the immunization week, there is the need for nursing mothers to visit the Health Facilities to immunize their babies. He said,NGOs in Health are using the week to educate the public on the importance of immunization and also urged parents to send their children to hospital regularly so as to make the children receive Health Care Delivery.

                  

Mr. Emmanuel Fugah, in a speech at the function

Mr. Fugah said, many people in the Tano South District have benefitted from the activities of HUCAM and hinted that HUCAM has extended its activities to other part of the Brong Ahfo Region with Kintampo being the latest.

In a presentation on the Distrrict status of immunization, Mr. Michael Tawiah of the Tano South District Health Directorate said, Ghana started immunization exercise in 1978 and said, HUCAM on its part since its establishment, has been able to carry out Adolescent Reproductive Health Campaign exercise in the Tano South District and stressed that parents should visit the Health Facilities for their babies to receive Vitamin Vaccines to build their immune system.

                            

Mr. Micheal Tawiah in a presentation at the clinic

Explaining the importance of weighing, he said it helps mothers to acquire family planning knowledge and malaria prevention and hinted that since 2013 the Tano South District has not recorded any malaria related death and urged all present to advice their household to make good use of the treated Mosquito bed nets supplied to them by sleeping in the nets and appealed to all to eschew from socio-cultural practices which prevents them from visiting the Health Facilities.

Touching on the role of our traditional leadership in support of immunization, Nana Adwoa-Po Dwamena Serwaa, the Queen mother of Bechem said, over the years, the traditional Council in collaboration with many NGOs have embarked on various campaign drives to educate the public on the causes and effects of teenage pregnancy, breast and prostate cancer and many more and stressed that women should visit health facilities regularly especially when they become pregnant. She said, since government is committed to ensuring that we all get access to health care delivery, it has ensured that all communities are provided with health facilities especially CHIPS Compounds and urged all and sundry to patronise the facilities.

Nana finally called for the need by the Bechem Traditional Council to register all NGOs operating in the Tano South District so that they could partner with them to promote health education in the District.

Dr. Emmanuel Adjei-Darko who chaired the function in his closing remark said there was the need for us to develop our talent since industry is growing. He said mothers should breastfeed their babies rather than feeding them with canned foods since breastfeeding would help them to build their immune system and also let them become more talented.

Dr. Adjei – Darko Emmanuel delivering his closing remark

Dr. Adjei-Darko advised mothers not to feed their children in contaminated bottles and entreated those who involve in such practices to avoid it and called on mothers to always visit the hospitals for medication rather than going to the chemical stores to buy drugs on their own.