UNIVERSITY OF GHANA MEDICAL STUDENTTS’ ASSOCIATION A MEMBER OF FGMSA MEMBER OF FAMSA MEMBER OF IFMSA

INTRODUCTION Annual national Health Week is a programme organised by the FGMSA in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, Ghana Health Service and Public Health Departments of the member associations namely; UGMS and KNUST-SMS and UDS- SMS.

It’s inception was based on the fact that, the medical student whiles in school still has a lot to offer the communities they come from and that medical students are critical in confronting emerging health challenges in the country and even beyond.

G OALS AND OBJECTIVES The primary objective of the project was to highlight on the effects of malaria both on the child and the pregnant or nursing mother and also to educate the general populace on the importance of preventive measures such as….

1. Sleeping under ITNs 2. Intermittent Preventive Treatment for pregnant women and also 3.The importance of prompt recognition and management of malarial illnesses and thus the need for adherence to antenatal care.

These were the key thematic areas around which our campaign centred.

F URTHER MORE … We had the objective of collaborating with the District Health Management Teams and the District Assemblies in disseminating information on the devastating effects of malaria especially in children and also in pregnant women.

Students were also tasked with educating the folk on treatment options, prevention methods and especially on the importance of Intermittent preventive treatment.

METHODOLOGY Prior to the highlight of the programme (during which we were resident in the local communities for a period of one week), we were in correspondence with the various district assemblies across Ghana and also the District Healt Management Teams A Local Organising committee was formed to undertake such a task.

W HILES IN THE DISTRICTS … *By means of visual aids and other relevant materials, we educated and reinforced the knowledge the general public had about malaria, its symptoms and signs especially in children and mothers (pregnant and nursing). * Made known the treatment options for malaria available and recommended by the Ghana health Service as well as Ministry of Health. *A major focus of the project was on Intermittent Preventive Treatment and the need to attend ante-natal clinic.

Almost every home in Ghana either owns a radio set or even a television set. Hence the use of the media was an integral part of our campaign.

Television stations used included Metro TV, Ghana Television and SKY TV. Local radio stations in the districts were also used extensively in our campaign. Using the local dialect as the mode of communication.

I MPORTANCE In Ghana, government statistics show that malaria is the leading cause of death in children under age five. It is estimated that up to about 50% of in-patient admission and up to 44% of all outpatient hospital visits are malaria-related. Credit: Ghana Health Service, 2008.

C ONT ’ D Among pregnant women, malaria accounts for 14% of outpatient hospital visits, 11% of admissions and 9% of deaths.

One in five (20%) of all childhood deaths in Africa are due to malaria. It is estimated that an African child has on average between 1.6 and 5.4 episodes of malaria fever each year. Credit: WHO

Pregnant women are at high risk not only of dying from the complications of severe malaria, but also spontaneous abortion, premature delivery or stillbirth. Malaria is also a cause of severe maternal anaemia and is responsible for about one third of preventable low birth weight babies.

It contributes to the deaths of an estimated 10, 000 pregnant women and up to 200, 000 infants each year in Africa alone.

T HE FOLLOWING WERE SOME MILESTONES MADE DURING H EALTH W EEK 2009… Distributed Insecticide treated bed nets to rural folk especially pregnant women and nursing mothers. About 1,300 in all with the support of Nestle Ghana Limited. Demonstrated how to re-treat Mosquito nets and also freely distributed about 10, 000 of these retreatment kits to the general public. These were acquired from NetMark Ghana. Embarked on Health Outreaches to various Junior and Senior High Schools around the country.

C ONT ’ D Gave Health Talks on our selected theme at various maternity homes and child welfare clinics across the ten regions of Ghana. Opportunity for students to have first hand information on the modus operandi of The various District Health Management Teams in the various communities they will be working in as future medical officers.

A DDITIONALLY … Findings from our direct interaction with the local folk and recommendations were made to the various District Health Management Teams that we visited. Regarded as the second best project within the IFMSA for the year 2009.

P ARTICIPATION OF EXCHANGE STUDENTS Students from the IFMSA community on their Professional exchange and also elective studentswere not left out. In all, about twenty exchange students participated, joining teams from both Kumasi and Accra.

MANAGEMENT OF RESOURCES Posters and brochures were acquired from the National Malaria Control Programme and the National Health Resource and Communication Centre. Some were also designed and produced by the LOC.

Insecticide Treated Nets were acquired with the assistance of Nestle Ghana Limited and also by the assistance of Miss Malaika Ghana About 10, 000 Net Retreatment Kits were also acquired with the assistance of NetMark Ghana limited. All these items were distributed free of charge.

Funding Funding was a major challenge Regardless, by sending out proposals, the local organising committee was able to raise some funds. Some logistics like megaphones, Motor cycles and vehicles were provided by the various district assemblies/ health management teams but in some cases were inadequate.

C ONT ’ D The most important of these was that of human resource. This was not a problem at all. Students were willing to offer their service willingly. We also had some exchange students willing to join us to have an experience of rural Ghana. In all, a total of 154 UGMSA members participated in the district tours.

A training seminar was organised on the 16 th and 17 th September, 2009 to equip volunteers with the necessary knowledge. The resource persons were from the National Malaria Control Programme and Lecturers within the individual medical schools.

S TILL ON MANAGING RESOURCES … Volunteers were also given some per diems and contingency monies. Transportation was also paid for by the monies generated by the organising committee..

M ANAGEMENT OF TIME ( AN IMPORTANT RESOURCE WE HAD ! ) The project timing was respected and went on as scheduled. All medical schools in Ghana (members of FGMSA) were given one week off lectures and ward sessions to allow us embark on this all important assignment

A CTIVITIES … On the 12 th September, 2009, an awareness walk was embarked upon to sensitise the general public in Kumasi and Accra. A training seminar was organised for the volunteers on the 16 th and 17 th September, A grand durbar was organised to launch the whole programme on the 19 th September, Students left for the various districts on the 20 th September, ie District Tours 21 st – 26 th September, 2009 – Period of Health education and interaction in the various districts. 26 th and 27 th September, 2009 – return of students from the various districts of volunteering.

O VERALL IMPRESSION FGMSA Annual Health Week was a tremendous success despite the challenges. It is our firm belief that through the celebration of Annual National Health Week, we have made our contribution to helping Ghana achieve her Millennium Development Goals especially Goals 4 and 5 (i.e Reducing Maternal and Child Mortality).

The FGMSA and for that matter UGMSA hopes to build more partnerships in the future with other organisations and agencies to make Health Week more meaningful and effective.

P ICTURES FROM H EALTH W EEK ‘09

Who doesn’t have fond memories of those days?

Thank you