Korle Bu Cardiothoracic Centre and Quantum LC Provide Free Health Screening for New Achimota Community

When the National Cardiothoracic Centre at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital brings its medical team into a corporate forecourt in New Achimota, the message is clear: preventive healthcare should not wait for a hospital visit. Last Friday, approximately 150 residents and staff members of Quantum LC Limited underwent free screening for some of Ghana’s most prevalent non-communicable diseases, in an exercise that underscores the growing role of public-private partnerships in community health.

The day-long outreach, held under the theme “Early Detection, Better Health, Brighter Tomorrow,” screened participants for hypertension, diabetes, obesity, high cholesterol, and prostate cancer — conditions that remain leading causes of death across the country yet are often manageable when caught early.

Cardiothoracic Surgeon Dr Innocent Adzamli, who led the medical team, said the initiative was part of the Centre’s broader strategy to take preventive healthcare beyond the hospital walls and into communities and corporate settings.

“We are screening for most of the non-communicable diseases, including hypertension, diabetes, obesity, high cholesterol levels, and prostate cancer for men within the recommended age bracket,” Dr Adzamli explained. “Participants first underwent checks of blood pressure, weight, blood sugar, cholesterol levels, and other vital indicators before consulting doctors for further discussion of their results and recommendations.”

The exercise is not a one-off gesture. Quantum LC has been a longstanding partner of the National Cardiothoracic Centre, having donated medical equipment to the facility. The screening was organised partly as a way of giving back to the company for its support, Dr Adzamli said, noting that the Centre undertakes similar outreach programmes annually for selected corporate partners. Kasapreko Company Limited was among the organisations that benefited from a comparable exercise last year.

Ghana’s healthcare system has increasingly turned to partnerships between public institutions and private companies to expand access to services, particularly in preventive care. Recent bilateral health agreements, including a new cooperation deal with Jamaica, reflect the same impulse — that healthcare delivery improves when institutions collaborate across sectors and borders.

Although no emergency cases were recorded during the screening, Dr Adzamli indicated that some participants with existing or suspected health conditions were referred to specialists and the National Cardiothoracic Centre for further assessment and follow-up care. He also offered practical advice for the public, particularly around eating habits.

“There is nothing wrong with eating three times a day, but we encourage people to take lighter meals in the evening because most people become less active after dinner,” he said. “Heavy meals at night can contribute to weight gain and related health conditions.”

Sylvia Kisiedu, Human Resource and Administration Manager of Quantum LC, said the company decided to extend the screening beyond its own staff to residents of the New Achimota community after the Cardiothoracic Centre offered the outreach in appreciation of Quantum LC’s equipment donations.

“In appreciation of the support Quantum LC gave to the National Cardiothoracic Centre, they offered to come and screen our staff. We also decided to extend that generosity to the New Achimota community, and we are happy many residents came to benefit from the exercise,” she said.

Ms Kisiedu noted that participants underwent a variety of medical checks, including blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, and PSA screenings, and described the exercise as a timely blessing aimed at promoting preventive healthcare and improving community well-being.

Non-communicable diseases account for a significant and growing share of deaths in Ghana. The World Health Organisation has repeatedly urged countries in sub-Saharan Africa to invest in early detection and prevention programmes, particularly for hypertension and diabetes, which often go undiagnosed until complications arise. Outreach exercises like the one at Quantum LC offer a practical model for how corporate partnerships can help fill gaps in routine health screening, especially for communities where access to specialist care remains limited.

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