Iran Clinic, Red Cross offer free health screening to Teiman community

Teiman Chief, Nii Dzahaa being attended to by medical officer of Iran Clinic

The Iran Clinic in Accra and the Ghana Red Cross Society (GRCS) on Wednesday organised a free health screening for the Teiman community, a suburb of Accra, to commemorate the World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day.

It was also to pay tribute to the founder of the Red Cross, Henry Dunant, a Swiss who initiated the society on May 8, 1859, after he undertook a humanitarian work to help wounded soldiers in the battle of Solferino. Consequently, the two entities who share common values of service to humanity decided to conduct the health screening in the community in memory of Dunant.

Officials of Red Cross and Iran clinic

The community members who turned out in their numbers were offered free screening; checking on their blood pressure, sugar level, eye tests, among others, and given free medication.

Dr Seyeed Salahatpour, the Medical Director of the Iran Clinic and the Iran Red Crescent (IRC) representative to Ghana, told the Ghanaian Times that the health screening and other humanitarian activities of the Iranian Red Crescent was in line with the principles of the Red Cross and the Red Crescent to respond and intervene in times of disasters, deprivation and address issues affecting vulnerable communities.

He said IRC operated in 23 countries and had been partnering with host countries to deliver humanitarian reliefs in times of emergency, adding that the Iran Clinic in Accra had been operating in Ghana for 36 years delivering quality healthcare.

Speaking on the theme of the celebration and health screening, “I give with joy and the joy I give is a reward,” the President of the GRCS, Edward Donkoh, said, adding, “Let us all celebrate in our share responsibilities to realise the dreams of the forbearers of the movement, everyone has a role to play in service to humanity, I therefore urge you all to register with the Red Cross and get trained in life-saving emergency and be ready to provide service to humanity.”

He said the GRCS, established to give reliefs to the suffering people while respecting the fundamental principle of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, provided services to enhance good standard of living with special focus on health and disaster, and had over the years responded swiftly to disaster situations across the country and contributed significantly in bringing reliefs to affected areas and victims.

The chief of Teiman, Nii Mamle Dzahaa, expressed gratitude to the two organisations for organising the health screening for the community, saying that it was relief to some of them who did not have money to pay for health services.

Present were Mr Mahmoud Khorshidi, Head, Iran Cultural Consul, Dr Kamal Ezzat, President, Islamic University College of Ghana and Dr Mohammad Mardani, Deputy Ambassador, Islamic Republic of Iran.