GEOHealth team delivers National Health Insurance
The GeoHealth West Africa Network executed a single day event on the 22nd December, 2017 at the Agbogbloshie Scrap Yard in Accra Ghana. As a part of fostering good relations between the team and the research community this event was aimed at providing an avenue for improved health in the community. Community members are faced with myriads of diseases and consistently require medical attention. To make it easy for the research participants to acquire medical services this event was organized by the GeoHealth team
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In collaboration with the National Health Authority, research participants and some community members were provided health insurance at no costs. The National Health Authority office at the Korle-bu office provided personnel and equipment to register and print out health insurance cards for the people.
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The event saw the attendance of the participants and their families. These included the chairman and executives of the scrap dealers association, project participants and some Agbogbloshie community members. One hundred research participants and fifty community members were registered successfully under the scheme.
Celebration of Eid-al-Fitr and End of Ramadan
26th June, 2017
June 26, 2017 marked the end of the period of daily fasting for the world's Muslim community. The GeoHealth West Africa Research team celebrated the end of Ramadan with the Agbogbloshie Muslim Community. Team memebers wished the community well and provided food and drinks to participants and other members of the Agbogbloshie scrap yard community.
Community leaders in both Agbogbloshie and Madina Zongo received hampers as thank you present for their help and co-operation in the research.
Community Durbar
15th February, 2017
As part of the community engagement process to commence the {write study name} at Agbogbloshie, the GeoHealth West Africa team organised a community durbar. This event took place on the 15th February, 2017 on the grounds of Sikkens Limited. The purpose of this durbar was to formally launch the study and also to foster a collaborative working relationship between the GeoHealth team and the residents and workers at Agbogbloshie. The Master of Ceremonies was the famous television host and actress Joselyn Dumas. The event was covered by both radio and television media houses.
Both the West African and North American teams were present at the community durbar. Also present were representatives from the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Youth and Sports, National Youth Authority, the Dagomba Chief, the Chairman of the Scrap Dealers Association, e-waste and scrap metal recovery workers, head porters and other workers and residents of Agbogbloshie.
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Some GeoHealth team members (left). Traditional drummers playing during the arrival Chief (right)
The principal investigator for the West African Geohealth team, Professor Julius Fobil took the platform to address the people and inform them of the study and solicit their participation. He reiterated the importance of their participation to the success of the study and its potential beneficial impact on the wider Agbogbloshie community. He received a warm response from the crowd after his address. Professor Tom Robbins, principal investigator for the North American team was also welcomed by the audience. He introduced his team and assured the audience of their commitment to, and involvement in the study. Professor Stuart Btterman was then asked to introduce his custom designed (backpack) personal air sampling monitors. The Professor explained the purpose of the backpacks, the data that they would collect and how they should be worn. The audience was enthused by his presentation and seemed genuinely interested in the project.
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Professor Stuart Batterman demonstrating the use of his custom designed backpacks Some community members asked questions about the study. These questions were answered by Professor Julius Fobil and his team to the satisfaction of the community. Community members expressed their appreciation to the GeoHealth teams, especially their commitment and willingness to engage with the community in the area where they work and live. Community members were informed that as part of the study biological (urine and blood) samples would be collected from consenting participants. The GeoHealth team assured the participants that their biological information would be handled with the utmost of care and their privacy maintained as per the university's ethical guidelines.