The Cocoa Board Senior Staff Association at the weekend organised free health screening exercise for cocoa farmers at Odeng Adeiso in the Eastern Region.
The exercise was part of the Association’s corporate social responsibility to respond to the health needs of the community.
About 700 to 1000 people from the community benefited from the exercise, which saw women being screened for breast cancer and taught how to perform self-examination of the disease.
Other beneficiaries were screened for blood sugar, blood pressure, malaria and other related diseases.
During the exercise, those found needing immediate medical attention were referred to a Cocoa Clinic van for the necessary care.
Mr Fuad Mohammed, Chairman of the Association in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), said the exercise sought to bring quality health care to cocoa farmers in efforts to expand the production of cocoa in the country.
He said the initiative was also to improve access to quality health care, which is in line with the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals.
He said “the country thrives on cocoa and it is imperative to increase the production of cocoa and this can be realised when the farmers are healthy”.
The Association partnered with chemical companies such as, Sidalco, Yara Ghana Limited, Wienco, Chemical Limited and Huge Limited, to educate the farmers on the approved chemical products to use on their cocoa farms.
Mr Prince Rockson, Vice Chairman of the Association, said their outfit has donated clothes and chocolate to the community members to put smiles on their faces.
Some of the community members who spoke to GNA expressed gratitude to the Association and pledged their support to work hard to increase the country’s cocoa production.
