Help others and give something back. I guarantee you will discover that while public service improves the lives and the world around you, its greatest reward is the enrichment and new meaning it will bring your own life. - Arnold Schwarzeneger

I am the kind of person who always seek to acquire knowledge and apply the expertise gained innovatively and efficiently towards the development of the society. This kindled my desire to opt for, and study General Science at the Senior High School and subsequently studying Doctor of Medical Laboratory Science at the university. Though I believe that there are many ways we can help others wherever we find ourselves, I think I can do so most passionately and efficiently in the health sector.

On 11th of January 2018, I together with six of my friends organized a free health screening as a form of our voluntary service towards the development of our dear nation. One interesting thing is that we are all students reading health programs at the various universities across the country with a common aim of making a difference in the lives of others.

It was organized in Effiakuma in the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly in the Western Region of Ghana. We decided to organize it at a place near the Effiakuma market so that the market folks will mostly benefit from it.

This was because we thought that most of the market women are very busy with their work and so do not get time to go for check-ups at the hospital. Also, some of our market folks are the breadwinners of their families and hence will never think of sacrificing their work for medical check-ups because there will be no alternative source of income to cater for their family. Thus, it will give them the opportunity to know the condition of their health status.

Because this is our first ever health screening, and which we will continue to do, we did not get enough funds to undertake other tests we had wanted to. Thus, with the sponsorship we had from some individuals, we were able to test for the blood sugar level, check the blood pressure and also checked the body mass index of people who came for the screening.

Moreover, with the help of a pharmaceutical shop called A.A Mensah who donated two boxes of Albendazole tablets, we were able to give out free de-wormers after the screening.

Bishop (reading Doctor of Pharmacy at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology) and I registered and checked the blood pressure and pulse rate. Prince Acquah (also a Doctor of Pharmacy student at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology) checked the blood sugar level.

Bishop registering someone

Myself checking someone’s blood pressure

Prince Acquah checking the guy’s blood sugar level

After screening them, two of my colleagues, Alira Basepwa (a medical student at the University for Development Studies) and Charles Ainoo (a Physician Assistant student at Central University College) offered free advice as to what they should do, the foods they should eat and the lifestyles that will help to improve upon their health and to live a good and healthy life. Edmund Ainoo (a Doctor of Pharmacy student at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology) gave a talk about diabetes during the exercise using a public address system.

Charles Ainoo giving advice to the woman

Alira advising the woman

We started at 8 am and ended at 5pm. By the close of the day, we were able to screen a total of 352 people for free.

During the exercise, one woman whom we had already screened came to ask me if I knew her or she knew me from somewhere. Not recognizing her from anywhere, I answered in the negative. She then asked me if I knew anyone called Guff Mc Baker. I answered in the affirmative and continued to tell her that he was my class mate in the Junior High School I attended. She then introduced herself as Guff’s mother and said that my face looked familiar because I once went with her son to her work place. She expressed her appreciation and commended us for such a selfless service. I felt very happy deep down within me that if for nothing at all, I have been able to offer a service for the mother of my friend for free.

We have decided to form an alliance to continue this selfless volunteering service of organizing free health screening in different communities across the country every time we come on vacation. We hope to make it mega the next time.

I did not take leave of them without using the opportunity to introduce this awesome platform to them. I explained steemit and how it works to my friends. They were excited about steemit and said they would sign up ASAP.

A group picture of us

If I could borrow Christiano Ronaldo’s words, “many people look at me and they think they know me but they don’t at all. This is the real me. I am a humble person, a feeling person. A person who cares about others, who wants to help others”. There is one thing I believe about helping others. That is, sacrificing your time and self for the good of others is a blessing in disguise. Moreover, no act of kindness, no matter how small is ever wasted.

Before we started

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This is @sircharles from #teamGhana. Follow me @sircharles.

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