Health workers in the Obuasi Municipality of the Ashanti Region have undergone training in Sickle cell and Asthma management. Sickle cell disease is one of the most common genetic diseases affecting millions of people worldwide, while Asthma on the other hand is the most common non-communicable disease in children and remains one of the most common throughout life course.
The Healthcare professionals play an important role in providing support and care for patients and families with Sickle cell disease, yet there is a gap in the availability of open-access education for healthcare professionals.
There is a reported challenge of inadequate human resource with the capacity to manage Asthma.
Dr. John Gyasi Banin, an Emergency Physician Specialist at AngloGold Ashanti Health Foundation explained that the capacity building programme, which was sponsored by AngloGold Ashanti Ghana, Obuasi Mine, aimed to equip the health professionals with the skills and knowledge to provide care and support for patients.
The Emergency Physician Specialist disclosed that, in other to bridge the gap, it was important to organise the capacity building for health professionals in both the Obuasi East and the Obuasi Municipality.
According to him, the training forms part of efforts by AngloGold Ashanti to improve the health care needs of the people in its operational area, as contained in the 10-year Socio-Economic Development Plan of the mining company.
He stressed that, they are conscious of the technicalities involved in managing Sickle cell and Asthma and, therefore, decided to join forces with AGA and the Health Directorates of the two districts to roll out the capacity building, which they believe will bridge the existing knowledge gap within the health sector.
He stressed the need to promote peer review as one of the key factors needed to improve performance in the health sector.
Masam Elizabeth Boateng of the Environmental Department of AngloGold Ashanti said the exercise was intended to create the platform for health workers to learn from one another, in terms of different approaches in solving problems. She indicated that AngloGold Ashanti has since 2019 rolled out plethora of capacity building programmes for healthcare workers in Obuasi.
She stated that, the intention is to ensure that the people within their operational areas have access to quality healthcare, new methods and approaches to deal with Sickle cell and Asthma
Mad. Linda Mensah, of Sanso Health Centre and other participants at the workshop, lauded AngloGold Ashanti for the training programme.
She said the programme has broadened their knowledge on new methods and approaches to manage the two conditions, saying it is an upgrade of what they were taught in school.
Nurses at the AGA Health Foundation confirmed that Asthma and Sickle cell form part of the common diseases reported at the Hospital and said the programme has given them an on the field training on how to deal and manage patients with the diseases.
