Iotrophobia; the fear of seeking medical help, when one is affected with a disease, has over the years been the trait of residents living in and around Bosovilla, in the Akyemasa District in the Eastern Region.Bosovilla, a four-branch community, namely, Sukuran, Koo-Blonya, Kwame Addo and Bosovilla itself is populated with about 1053 residents.
According to oral traditions, residents of the Kwame-Addo community had a strong believe which did not permit them to seek orthodox medical help when even plunged with strange diseases.
Meanwhile, the communities have been deprived of public toilet access, and as a result, open defecation has only been their resort.
Their only source of drinking water is just a bore-hole, serving the four communities.
With the recent outbreak of Cholera and other epidemics, a local cocoa shed, initially used to hoard cocoa beans had been turned into a health facility to assist the situation.
However, Divine Mother and Child Foundation, a non-governmental organization, based in Koforidua, in collaboration with the Joy Herbal Centre, last Saturday thronged the communities, to allay fears and the belief against the seeking of medical help from hospitals and other health facilities.
During the occasion, about 1600 of the residents were screened on Hepatitis B, Malaria, Syphilis, Diabetes, and Hypertension; 350 of them were affected and however, were given medications
Two other affected people, out of about 300 residents screened on breast cancer
Were also given medications.
Medical attention was also given to other STD affected patients during the screening.
To climax the occasion, KISS of the Mentor 7 fame, also thrilled the gathering with numerous songs.
1000 assorted clothes, shoes and sandals worth about 300 were also donated to needy residents.
Nana Semenko II, the Akradehemaa and Odikuro of Bosovilla, expressed gratitude to DMAC Foundation and their co-sponsor, Joy Herbal Centre, and further appealed to government and other corporate organizations to as a matter of urgency attend to their aid.
According to her, she had arranged with her elders a vast land for the construction of a more sophisticated hospital that would be able to serve the four communities, ?and in this regard I call on you all to come help us build Bosovilla.? ?
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Mr Edmund Duodu, the founder of the NGO, speaking to journalists also expressed?gratitude to his medical team, especially one Maxwell Aidoo, a Medical Assistant, 7 other nurses and two midwives, for their support during the occasion.
By Samuel Ansah Boateng
