Savana Signatures, a non-governmental organisation, in partnership with the Ghana Health Service has launched a series of health fairs aimed at promoting healthy behaviours, services, and products in rural communities in Northern and North East regions.
Dubbed GoodLife Health Fairs, it is a key initiative under the five-year USAID Accelerating Social and Behavior Change (ASBC) Activity being implemented by a consortium of partners including Savana Signatures, to reduce disease burden across multiple health areas, increase the uptake of health services, and promote supportive environments for sustainable behaviour change in northern Ghana.
The health fairs, which run from June 20 through the end of August, are being implemented across all subdistricts in the Sagnarigu Municipality and Mamprugu Moagduri District under the theme: “Promoting Good Health through Positive Uptake of Health Behaviours”.
Exhibitors are drawn from various health service providers and promoters from both the health sector and civil society organisations to deliver healthcare services and commodities to the doorsteps of the people in the areas.
A wide range of services and activities are being offered to encourage healthy behaviours and practices. These include exhibitions, health education sessions, blood donation drives, health screenings for various ailments, vaccinations, counselling, cooking and food demonstrations, family planning promotion, WASH commodity demonstrations, proper use and maintenance of long-lasting insecticide nets, treatment for minor ailments, and informative video shows.
At the launch of the event in the Choggu sub-district in Sagnarigu, Northern Region Minister Alhaji Saibu Shani emphasised the importance of preventive healthcare.
He noted that the focus in Ghana has traditionally been on curative health, leading to high incidences of non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, stroke, asthma, and cancers in the Northern Region.
“It is therefore abundantly clear that adopting positive healthy attitude can be beneficial and cost-effective in preventing diseases than to treat them,” he stated.
Regional Minister Shani indicated that health fairs like the GoodLife Health Fairs provide platforms for education, screening, and the promotion of healthy lifestyles, adding that rigorous sensitisation and awareness creation are powerful tools in fostering health-conscious communities.
“It is essential to inform individuals about the benefits of regular exercise, 4-star diets, and preventive healthcare measures. When people are aware, they are empowered to make healthier choices,” he said.
Delivering on the topic ‘Health Promotion and its contribution to reducing disease burden’, the Northern Regional Director of Health Services, Dr Abdulai Abukari, noted that the region is faced with “a significant burden” of communicable and non-communicable diseases.
These diseases, he indicated, not only affects individuals and communities but also hampers our socioeconomic development, adding: “We have the power to change this narrative through effective health promotion”.
“Health promotion is not merely about disseminating information; it is about empowering individuals and communities to take control of their health, make informed decisions, and adopt healthy lifestyles.”
He thus stressed on the need to invest in health promotion, saying: “When we invest in health education, create supportive environment and implement policies that promote health, we enable people to take control of their wellbeing”.
The Health Director lauded the USAID/ ASBC Activity and Savana Signatures for the health fair initiative, noting that it would create opportunities for early detection, timely intervention, and prevention of diseases, adding: “This proactive approach not only promotes individual health outcomes but also reduce the strain on our health systems.
“The GoodLife Health Fairs embody the power of community-based interventions by bringing health services, education and commodities directly to the people will break down barriers to access and empower individuals to take charge of their health,” Dr Abukari said.
Executive Director of Savana Signatures Dr. Stephen Agbenyo emphasised the significance of the GoodLife Health Fairs in contributing to a healthy population.
“We are contributing to a healthy population who would be more productive not just to their local communities, but to the nation Ghana,” he said.
The fairs, he said, will empower individuals and families to access basic essential health services and connect with local health providers through practical demonstration of how to use healthcare commodities and access to services.
