Gold Fields Foundation’s Heal Programme Brings Hope To Breast Cancer Screening Beneficiaries

For some women in Samahu and Abekoase in the Tarkwa area, a routine health screening could be the first step towards confronting a potentially life-threatening condition, while for others, access to medical services closer to home offered an opportunity to understand their health and seek timely care.

That was the human story behind the fourth-quarter Health Engagement and Access Link (HEAL) programme organized by the Gold Fields Ghana Foundation, which brought a range of healthcare services to residents of the two communities as part of efforts to promote early detection and improve access to medical care.

The outreach, held on October at Richard Graeme School, Samahu, and Abekoase M/A School Park, coincided with Breast Cancer Awareness Month, an annual campaign that encourages women and men to learn about breast cancer, recognize warning signs and seek medical attention early.

The HEAL programme is one of the many health intervention programmes the Gold Fields Foundation has been very consistent with holding it every quarter. No single quarter has the HEAL programme been skipped by the Foundation.

Under the theme, “Every Story is Unique, Every Journey Matters,” the programme provided an opportunity for residents to undergo screening, receive medical consultations and obtain information to help them make informed decisions about their health.

Organized in partnership with the Rotary Club of Tarkwa, Unilever Ghana and Diagnostic Centre Limited (DCL), the initiative reinforced the importance of bringing healthcare services closer to communities, particularly for people who might otherwise delay routine medical checks.

A total of 735 people accessed medical screening and general health services, while 185 women underwent breast cancer screening. Of those screened, 21 were identified as suspected cases and referred for further medical assessment and management.

Although the referrals did not represent confirmed breast cancer diagnoses, they underscored the importance of screening in identifying potential health concerns and connecting people to the care they may need.

For the women referred, the next stage will be important in determining the nature of the findings and whether further treatment is necessary. The exercise also served as a reminder that early medical assessment can make a difference in managing breast cancer and other health conditions.

Speaking during the programme, Dr Magdalene D. Bakari emphasised the need to take healthcare services closer to communities and intensify education on disease prevention and early detection, particularly breast cancer.

She encouraged women to make regular medical check-ups a priority and seek professional attention whenever they noticed unusual changes in their bodies, noting that early detection significantly improved treatment outcomes.The message was especially relevant in communities where limited awareness, low screening rates and delays in seeking medical attention can stand in the way of early diagnosis.

Beyond breast cancer screening, the HEAL programme provided a range of services designed to address the everyday health needs of residents.These included general medical consultations, health assessments and counselling, blood pressure checks, blood sugar testing and body mass index (BMI) assessments.

Residents also benefited from eye, dental and Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) screening, as well as spirometry tests to assess lung function.X-ray and ultrasound services were also available, while free medication was provided for identified conditions. People who required additional investigations or treatment were referred for further medical care.

The programme also addressed another important barrier to healthcare access by offering National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) registration, renewal and card replacement services.

Through that exercise, 937 community members benefited from health insurance services, helping them to address their NHIS needs alongside the medical screening activities.For residents, the combination of medical services and insurance support offered a practical opportunity to attend to different aspects of their health in one outreach programme.

The exercise, estimated to have cost GH¢606,964, formed part of the Foundation’s continuing commitment to improving the well-being of communities associated with its mining operations.Its significance extended beyond the number of people screened.

By bringing medical professionals and diagnostic services into the communities, the programme sought to encourage residents to take preventive healthcare seriously rather than wait until symptoms became severe before seeking help.

And for the 21 women referred for further assessment, the screening marked an important point in the process of establishing what the findings meant for their health.Through the HEAL programme, the Gold Fields Ghana Foundation continues to bring healthcare closer to its host communities, promoting a culture in which early checks, timely medical attention and informed health decisions become part of everyday life.

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