In the rural community of Sefwi Bekwai, where healthcare once felt like a distant privilege, a single day marked a turning point for hundreds. Kyei, a local farmer from Bakokurom, had long grappled with the fear of illness striking his three children.
For years, even Ghana’s National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) seemed unattainable-until February 19, 2024, when Telecel Ghana Foundation’s Healthfest brought free medical care and NHIS enrollment to his doorstep.
The outreach, a collaboration between Telecel Ghana Foundation, Ghana Health Service, and the Divine Mother & Child Foundation (DMAC), provided critical services to over 500 residents, including free screenings for hypertension, diabetes, malaria, typhoid, and hepatitis B. For Kyei, the event meant securing NHIS coverage for his family without cost. “Now, when my children cough at night, I won’t panic,” he said, holding his new registration card. His relief echoed among 358 others who gained insurance access that day.
The initiative exposed systemic gaps in rural healthcare, where cost, distance, and distrust often deter treatment. Margaret Yankey, a mother who endured months of untreated malaria, typified the struggle. “I kept telling myself, ‘It’ll pass,” she admitted. At Healthfest, she received diagnosis and medication-a lifeline she’d lacked.
Healthcare workers underscored the urgency. Rebecca Nkrumah, a physician assistant, identified undiagnosed hypertension and diabetes cases, noting how rural residents often normalize symptoms until crises strike. Midwife Amanda Owusu Serwaa highlighted maternal care challenges: “When women are turned away by costs after walking miles, it’s a failure. This event bridges that gap.”
Since 2014, Telecel Ghana Foundation has leveraged Healthfest to tackle rural healthcare “blind spots,” blending immediate treatment with long-term solutions like NHIS enrollment. Rita Agyeiwaa Rockson, Head of Sustainability & External Communications at Telecel Ghana Foundation, emphasized partnerships as key: “By combining DMAC’s grassroots reach with our resources, we’re making healthcare a right, not a privilege.”
The program’s success lies in its dual approach: addressing emergencies while dismantling systemic barriers. For Kyei, it meant security; for Margaret, renewed health. As Ghana’s rural communities grapple with access, Healthfest offers a blueprint for transforming care-one village at a time.
Source: News Ghana
