Afrigather Twifo-Hemang-Decrease-Denkyira District, Ghana – Group engagement and participation play a big function within the well being system supply. Group actors are uniquely positioned to drive demand for well being providers and champion group possession of public well being interventions, particularly on the major stage of well being care.
Within the Twifo-Hemang-Decrease-Denkyira-District (THLDD), actions of Maame Sofo Sarah Pamful, and her faith-based group, New Jerusalem Prayer Backyard have contributed immensely to healthcare supply and the early detection of well being situations or ailments of curiosity.
“As a pacesetter in society, I have to make sure that my followers make the fitting choices that can influence positively on their well being. That’s the reason I’ve been serving to them to know that the answer to well being issues is on the hospitals,” Maame Sofo, the Overseer of the New Jerusalem Prayer Backyard.
Since 2004, she has been a powerful advocate of Major Well being Care providers. This prayer camp, situated alongside the Twifo-Hemang-Nsuntem Street is a superb instance of how faith-based actors can contribute to surveillance and well being care generally. As an advocate, Maame Sofo has been concerned in a number of referral of pregnant ladies to the well being heart for Antenatal Care (ANC) and supply providers.
Moreover, she has helped to alter the well being in search of behaviour of expectant moms to patronize ANC providers on the well being centre as an alternative of Conventional Start Attendants (TBA). This has been achieved this by schooling and immediate referrals. In contrast to different prayer camps, she solely accepts to see expectant moms who’ve initially visited the Antenatal Clinic and sees to it that the shopper completes all her ANC visits.
“Sofo Maame Sarah Pamful’s actions on the new Jerusalem prayer camp has contributed immensely to enhance our ANC protection over time. Many pregnant ladies and OPD instances have been referred to Hemang Well being Middle and Nsuntem Group Well being Planning and Service (CHPS) as a result of her collaboration with us,” says Mary Boadi, the Doctor Assistant of Hemang Well being Middle.
Equally, and to deal with low Baby Welfare Clinic (CWC) attendance by caretakers/moms, the Overseer offered a shed inside the prayer camp for Group Well being Nurses to render CWC providers. The placement of the CWC has promoted visits by Caregivers to CWC, which has improved immunization providers for beneath 5 kids. Her capacity to mobilise the group together with caregivers has been essential to each routine and marketing campaign immunization periods.
Through the years, the New Jerusalem Prayer Backyard has notified Nsuntem CHPS and Hemang Well being Middle of some ailments and well being occasions for immediate motion. Prior to now 5 years, 31 precedence situations have been reported by the prayer camp to the Well being Middle or District Well being Administration for remedy or additional investigations.
The District Well being Administration has acknowledged the Overseer of New Jerusalem Prayer Backyard as very cooperative and really exemplary. “Actions of Sofo Maame have contributed to a rise in Tuberculosis case detection and discount in defaulter price/instances. The camp itself serves as a DOT Middle for remedy and administration of TB instances” says Edmund Bowah the District Illness Management Officer.
It’s price noting, the well being perception mannequin of some group members makes these prayer camps an vital collaborator in well being service supply.
“I got here to the prayer camp with a 3-year-old child with problem in strolling, weight reduction and wasted muscle tissue. Along with prayers, I used to be referred to Hemang Well being Middle to see a Nutritionist for dietary care and now my child can stroll on each legs”, says Cecilia Ofori, a caregiver.
“The actions of this prayer camp align with WHO’s efforts to advertise well being for all. We are going to proceed to work with each stakeholder to advertise the well being and wellbeing of the individuals,” famous Prof Francis Kasolo, WHO Consultant to Ghana.
In lots of communities, visits to prayer camps kind an integral a part of health-seeking behaviour and there’s the necessity to interact faith-based leaders to make sure that prayer camps and different spiritual institutions play their function within the promotion, safety and provision of acceptable well being care to all.
