Life- saving assorted medications valued at $4.3 Million have been distributed to more than twenty health Institutions across the country, the fourth successive act of charity since January 2017, by leading anti breast cancer campaigner, Breast Care International (BCI) and their US- based Partner, Direct Relief.
The latest donation done at the premises of the Peace and Love Hospital, Oduom, Kumasi, in the Ashanti regional capital, according to the Founder and President of BCI, Dr. (Mrs) Beatrice Wiafe Addai, bolsters the enduring relationship with “our U. S. based, not for profit charity, Direct Relief, in our shared mission statement to distribute free life- saving medicines, and other medical consumables, among others, to health care delivery facilities operating in predominantly poor communities in Ghana.”
She explained that “Our partnership is underpinned by proven integrity, honesty, accountability and the sheer desire to reach out to those on the fringes of society.”
Dr. Wiafe Addai urged authorities of recipient institutions not to sell to their patients who would need the drug since they (drugs) were given to them for free.
She pleaded with the government of Ghana to help ease the process of clearing the drugs at the port and scrap the fat import duties on the drugs which are coming in to support its (government’s) effort to ensure quality health delivery in the country.
The first wave of donations, witnessed by the Ashanti Regional Minister, Simon Osei Mensah, his Deputy, Elizabeth Agyemang and representatives drawn from the beneficiary community, saw the distribution of infusions, lung cancer drugs, antibiotics, drugs for allergies, anti- hypertensive, anti-diabetes, and depressants to some tertiary hospitals, polyclinics, clinics and chip compounds.
The two associated themselves with calls for a concerted effort to fight off cancers and praised the leadership of BCI for the sustained campaign against the spread of breast cancer and other non- communicable diseases.
Also present at the ceremony was Mr. Tom Roane, Director of Strategic Initiatives of Direct Relief, who thanked BCI and the Ashanti Regional Health Ministry for their collaboration in distributing the Direct Relief donated medical goods to benefit Ghanaian underserved patients.
He mentioned that BCI has been a strong partner of Direct Relief for the past 4 years and has enabled tens of thousands of patients to gain access to specialized medicines to properly treat their medical conditions.
Roane also praised BCI’s Dr. Beatrice Wiafe Addai and the National Ministry of Health of Ghana for their vision and commitment to tackle non-communicable diseases and pledged Direct Relief’s continued support to help fulfill gaps in access to medicines for the underserved of Ghana, where possible.
Representing the beneficiary institutions, Mr. Paul Obeng, who heads the Pharmacy unit of the Pediatric Oncology of KATH, promised to put same to optimum use, and commended the donor Organization, notably Direct Relief, for remaining consistent to the welfare of the vulnerable and marginalized in society; he also thanked Breast Care International for their concern for the needy in the society.
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(Via: CitiFM Online Ghana)
