ExGlo Foundation has conducted a transformational health outreach in Kayoro, a vibrant village in the Kassena-Nankana West District of the Upper East Region.

The foundation – working in partnership with the Kassena-Nankana West District Health Directorate – delivered essential medical screening, education, and hope directly to a community often overlooked by mainstream healthcare services.

ExGlo selected Kayoro for this intervention following a thorough needs assessment and review, which revealed the area’s acute vulnerability and lack of access to healthcare.

Working closely with District Health Director Mr. Lawal Alhassan, ExGlo Foundation designed a screening program to address the community’s most pressing health concerns.

Five Hundred (500) Residents Screened, Major Health Issues Identified:

Within two days, a team of ExGlo volunteers and 25 health professionals screened around 500 residents. The outreach focused on detecting five widespread health problems: malaria, typhoid, hypertension, respiratory infections, and skin diseases. Children also underwent Hepatitis B screening, thanks to donated test kits.

The results highlighted the tough reality in Kayoro:

• 76peopletestedpositiveformalaria

• 10werediagnosedwithtyphoid

• Multiplecasesofhypertensionweredetectedandmanagedonsite

• AllchildrenscreenedforHepatitisBtestednegative,offeringararepositivenote

Most malaria patients had valid health insurance, allowing them to access medication through the National Health Insurance Scheme. For those with expired cards, the outreach team provided on-the-spot renewal services via mobile phone to guarantee uninterrupted healthcare access.

The outreach extended beyond medical testing. Health professionals led educational sessions on disease prevention, equipping residents with essential knowledge to safeguard their health long after the program’s conclusion.

Despite the success of the program, significant challenges persist in the community. The Kayoro health center struggles with minimal staffing, frequent doctor absences, and unreliable electricity that sometimes forces critical procedures to occur in darkness. Poor living conditions for healthcare workers further complicated staff retention and recruitment, threatening the sustainability of local healthcare services.

The people of Kayoro expressed profound appreciation for the intervention. “Without this screening, I would have remained unaware of my health condition,” one resident said, echoing the sentiments of many. The removal of screening fees was a welcome relief, eliminating a substantial financial barrier to care. Local health workers also voiced their gratitude and urged for continued support in the years ahead.

This marked Kayoro’s first health screening event, but ExGloFoundation pledged to maintain its support, with follow-up visits already in the planning stages. Since 2012, ExGlo Foundation has reached Ghana’s most underserved communities with education, healthcare, and sustainable projects across the northern regions of Ghana.