A nine-member executive committee of the Medical Students Association of the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS) at Sokode-Lokoe, near Ho, has been inaugurated.
It has Samuel Nathan, 21; a third-year student as president, with Emmanuel Appiasie, 22, a fourth year student as his vice, while the post of secretary went to Elorm Kukah, a fourth year student.
Speaking to the Ghanaian Times after the induction, Mr Nathan affirmed that the committee was poised to work with the communities and the media to further raise awareness on HIV/AIDS related and other health issues in the Volta Region.
Pursuant to that, he said that the committee would carry out free health screening programmes in Ho, Hohoe, Sogakofe, Adidome and some areas in the Adaklu district for the people to know not only their HIV status, but also their status with regard to hypertension, diabetes and other ailments.
Meanwhile, the UHAS Medical Students Association president announced plans by the committee to establish sexual health reproductive clubs in some senior high schools for the students to be well informed on various health topics.
He said that the committee was determined to help lift the flag of UHAS to greater heights, adding that UHAS recently emerged winners in a debate on mental health at the Komfo- Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi, beating Accra College of Medicine, University of Development Studies, University of Cape Coast and Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology.
For the past three years, Mr Nathan said, the UHAS Medical Students Association had been undertaking screening exercises in Hepatitis B and Glaucoma in the communities.
Earlier this year, Mr Nathan attended the 68th International Federation of Medical Students conference in Portoroz, Slovenia, which discussed global health issues.
ALBERTO MARIO NORETTI, HO