ExGlo Foundation has delivered a major health outreach programme in Kayoro, a rural community in the Kassena-Nankana West District of the Upper East Region, bringing essential medical care and education to residents with limited access to healthcare.

The two-day exercise, organised in partnership with the Kassena-Nankana West District Health Directorate, provided screening and treatment for about 500 residents. The initiative followed a needs assessment that revealed Kayoro’s acute vulnerability and healthcare gaps.

Working with District Health Director, Mr Lawal Alhassan, ExGlo Foundation designed the outreach to tackle five major health challenges: malaria, typhoid, hypertension, respiratory infections, and skin diseases. Children were also screened for Hepatitis B using test kits donated by partners.

Out of the 500 residents screened, 76 tested positive for malaria, while 10 were diagnosed with typhoid. Several hypertension cases were detected and managed on site. All children tested negative for Hepatitis B, providing a rare piece of good news for the community.

Most malaria patients had valid health insurance and were able to access medication through the National Health Insurance Scheme. Those with expired cards had them renewed on the spot via mobile phones to ensure uninterrupted healthcare access.

Beyond the screening, health professionals held educational sessions on disease prevention, encouraging residents to adopt healthier practices to protect themselves and their families.

Despite the success of the outreach, Kayoro’s health challenges remain severe. The local health centre faces staff shortages, frequent doctor absences, and unreliable electricity, which sometimes forces procedures to be performed in darkness. Poor accommodation for health workers has also made staff retention and recruitment difficult, threatening the sustainability of healthcare delivery in the area.

Residents expressed deep gratitude for the intervention. “Without this screening, I would have remained unaware of my health condition,” one resident said, reflecting the views of many others. The free screening removed a major financial burden and gave the community renewed hope.

Local health staff also thanked ExGlo Foundation for the support and appealed for continued assistance.

The outreach was made possible through contributions from individual donors including Prof. Joshua Yindenaba Abor, Mr. Michael Sandow Ali, Prof. Emmanuel Boamah Frimpong, Prof. Paulina Tindana, Ms. Rashida Saani, Dr. Ellis Fleischer Djoleto, and Dr. Kamel-deen Ali. Institutional partners included Medicas Hospital, Hutch Pharmaceutical Limited, St. John’s Hospital and Fertility Centre, Vidol Fashion House, the Kassena-Nankana West District Health Directorate, and the University of Ghana.

The initiative was the first health screening event ever held in Kayoro. ExGlo Foundation has pledged to continue its support, with follow-up visits already being planned.

Since its establishment in 2012, ExGlo Foundation has reached some of Ghana’s most underserved communities with education, healthcare, and sustainable development projects, particularly across the northern regions.

The Foundation relies on public support to sustain its life-saving work.