The two-day exercise has since ended at the Abartey Junior High School in the Yendi Municipality in the Northern Region.

The team was made up of medical doctors, surgeons, eye specialists, pharmacists, nurses and midwives. They were supported by health personnel from the Yendi Hospital and the Yendi Municipal Assembly.

More than 1000 people, including children, were screened for anaemia, blood pressure, malaria, eye problems and respiratory diseases.

Those who were diagnosed with diseases were offered the necessary medication while others were referred for further treatment.

Mission

The Ghanaian Team Leader, Major Randy Nii Ofori, said their mission was to treat the people and also sensitise them to the need to take their health issues seriously.

He said the exercise was also part of efforts to deepen military-civilian relations to win the trust of the people to support the military in their duties.

The Leader of the US Team, Captain Nicholas Van Dulder, advised the people to go for regular check-up to know their health status for early treatment.

Appreciation

The Yendi Municipal Chief Executive, Alhaji Hammed Abubakar Yussuf, on behalf of the people, expressed appreciation to their benefactors for the support and intervention.

According to him, more than 600 people in neighbouring Karaga District benefitted from a similar medical screening exercise by the military in June this year.

He also underlined the significance of such exercises and said it would help win the trust of the people, adding that “the work of the military is not only to engage in war situation or peace enforcement duties but also to provide support such as the free medical services”.

Alhaji Yussuf also mentioned the Field Engineering Regiment of the GAF that was involved in construction work such as building bridges.