In commemorating this year’s World Cervical Cancer Awareness Month, the Livingstone Foundation organized a free health screening exercise at Labadi in the La Dade Kotopon Municipality of the Greater Accra Region.
Dr. Louisa Satekla, Head of the Livingstone Foundation medical team, told that Ghanaian women should adopt healthy lifestyle practices and regular health screenings to reduce their risk of contracting diseases.
She said the exercise, which was held in partnership with the La Polyclinic, forms part of humanitarian programs by the organization to support women and other vulnerable groups in various communities across the country.
The exercise was held on Monday, January 16, 2023, and attracted over 300 women from Labadi and nearby communities.
According to Dr. Satekla, cervical cancer is one of the most common types of cancer globally and one of the leading causes of death among women.
The World Health Organization (WHO) ranks it the 4th most common cancer among women, with an estimated 604,000 cases and 342,000 deaths in 2020.
However, as many as 93% of cervical cancers could be prevented by early screening and HPV (human papillomavirus) vaccination.
The Dental surgeon said;
“This an ideal chance for us and our partners to mobilize our combined efforts and work together to create awareness about cervical cancer.
“Cervical cancer is one of the successfully treated kinds of cancer when diagnosed early and managed appropriately. With the right medical care and palliative care, cancers that have already advanced to advanced stages can also be controlled. Within a few generations, cervical cancer as a public health issue can be solved with a comprehensive strategy for prevention, screening, and treatment”.
Dr. Louisa Satekla-Ansong
The Livingstone Foundation is the brainchild of Ghanaian singer and 2015 Vodafone Ghana Music Awards (VGMA) Artist of the Year, Livingstone Etse Satekla aka Stonebwoy.
Some beneficiaries of the exercise commended Stonebwoy and the management of The Livingstone Foundation for the exercise and called on other organizations and corporate institutions to follow suit.
According to them, many citizens, especially the poor, do not go for regular health check-ups due to the cost involved. They said that offering free health exams and encouraging regular exercise among the underprivileged will prevent many premature death cases.
The Livingstone Foundation is a non-governmental organization with the vision of alleviating suffering and bringing hope to the brilliant but needy and vulnerable in society by providing monetary and technical aid. It mainly focuses on providing equal access to education, care for accident survivor health care, community advocacy, and youth empowerment.
Stonebwoy Donates To Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital Child Health Unit
Stonebwoy spent some time with children admitted to the Child Health/Pediatric Unit of Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital to celebrate Catherine Jidula, his daughter, turning five (5) years old.
Through his non-governmental charity organization The Livingstone Foundation (TLF), the internationally acclaimed musician, and Dr. Louisa Ansong-Satekla, his wife a dental surgeon, used the occasion to pay the medical expenses for some patients as well as donate supplies worth thousands of cedis, such as kids’ hygiene products (soaps, diapers, wipes, etc.), packs of bottled water, drinks, hand sanitizers, boxes of biscuits, and other assorted items to the child health unit.
The foundation also hosted a dinner for Catherine Jidula, known as CJ, at the medical center with kids, including their parents, in attendance. The kids, who were thrilled to dine with Stonebwoy, Dr. Louisa, and the entire staff from the charity, were also given special birthday gifts by CJ.
He said, urging well-meaning people to support and appreciate health professionals.
“We’re here to celebrate with the children here at Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital because it’s my daughter’s 5th birthday. It gives me a lot of joy to see children, for whom we can all be fathers and relatives. I am privileged and honored to be able to spend this short moment with them.
“God bless the matrons, doctors, nurses, and the team at Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital who have dedicated their time to serving the people. Let us lend a helping hand to our brothers and sisters who are sacrificing their lives to serve our children”.
Stonebwoy
Director of The Livingstone Foundation Dr. Louisa Ansong-Satekla added:
“We decided to come here and spend time with the kids because it’s the holiday season and it’s really unfortunate that they can’t celebrate with their families at home. So, we decided to come here and put some smiles on their faces, including their parents’.
“I would like to use this moment to ask everyone to reach out to patients at any medical facility across the nation whose parents are having trouble paying hospital expenses”.
Dr. Louisa Satekla-Ansong
Matron at Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Child Health/Paediatric Unit, who received the donation, expressed her sincere gratitude to Stonebwoy, Dr. Louisa, Catherine Jidula, and the entire Livingstone Foundation for being thoughtful during the festive season and hoped to see them often. She said;
“We thank you for being thoughtful about us. We thank you for choosing our place to spend the festive season with the kids. We are so much overwhelmed with these items and hope to see you often”.
Matron at Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Child Health/Paediatric Unit
