The Member of Parliament for Ho West, Emmanuel Kwasi Bedzrah, has launched a five-day free medical outreach programme expected to provide specialised healthcare services to about 15,000 residents in the constituency and surrounding communities.

The outreach, which began on Monday, is being held in two phases, with the first running from 27 to 29 July at the Awudome-Tsito Health Centre and the second from 30 to 31 July at the Dzolo Gborgame Health Centre.

More than 170 volunteer medical specialists from the United States and Canada are participating in the initiative, offering free specialist consultations, surgeries, medical screening, diagnosis and treatment.

Speaking at the launch, Bedzrah said the programme forms part of his commitment to improving healthcare delivery in Ho West by making quality specialist medical care accessible, particularly to vulnerable residents who may not be able to afford it.

“As leaders, we have a responsibility to ensure our people have access to quality healthcare. This outreach is intended to bridge that gap and improve lives,” he said.

As part of the programme, the MP also donated two fully equipped ambulances to the National Ambulance Service in the constituency to strengthen emergency healthcare delivery.

He urged the Ambulance Service to establish a strong maintenance culture to ensure the vehicles remain operational and continue serving their intended purpose.

Receiving the ambulances, the Volta Regional Director of the National Ambulance Service, George Kojo Owusu, described the donation as timely, saying it would significantly improve emergency response across the district.

He said the ambulances, equipped with life-saving equipment and to be operated by trained Emergency Medical Technicians, would improve response times and facilitate the safe transfer of accident victims, pregnant women and critically ill patients to health facilities.

Owusu assured the MP that the ambulances would be deployed immediately and maintained to the highest operational standards.

He also appealed to residents to protect the vehicles and use the national emergency number, 112, responsibly whenever emergency medical assistance is required.

The Volta Regional Minister, James Gunu, commended Bedzrah and the volunteer medical team for what he described as a life-changing initiative.

He said the outreach and the ambulance donation would significantly strengthen healthcare delivery and emergency medical services in the Ho West District.

The launch was attended by the Volta Regional Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mawutor Agbavitor, the Ho West District Chief Executive, Prosper Francis Dussey, traditional leaders, queen mothers, opinion leaders and hundreds of residents.

The dignitaries praised the MP for investing in the health and well-being of his constituents and commended the volunteer specialists from the United States and Canada for dedicating their time and expertise to provide free healthcare services.

Residents who turned up for the outreach expressed appreciation to the MP and the medical team, saying the initiative would give many people access to specialist medical care that is often unavailable or too costly.

Some beneficiaries appealed to the MP to make the outreach a regular programme to improve access to healthcare in the constituency.

Reporting by Solomon Mensah-Ahiable Volta region