Tarkwa youth warned against abusing painkillers
Dr. Baaba Damoah, President of the Society of Family Physicians of Ghana (SOFPOG), cautioned young people against abusing painkillers. Dr. Damoah warned that "excessive or unsupervised use of pain-relief drugs can cause serious kidney damage and other adverse effects on the body." She spoke to journalists at the Tarkwa main lorry station during a free medical outreach on Saturday.
The outreach was organized jointly by AngloGold Ashanti Iduapriem Mine and SOFPOG as part of activities marking World Family Doctor Day, and coincided with the society's Annual General and Scientific Meeting in Tarkwa. Services offered included blood sugar and blood pressure checks, malaria testing, hepatitis B and C screening, HIV testing, and dental, eye, and ear, nose and throat (ENT) consultations. The medical team expected to attend to about 1,000 people by the end of the exercise. Dr. Damoah said the physical demands of work in the area, combined with the prevalence of illegal mining operations, had contributed to the abuse of Tramadol and other strong analgesics among young people.
Dr. Damoah described the initiative as a way of giving back to the community and expressed gratitude to AngloGold Ashanti Iduapriem Mine for its support. She noted that SOFPOG has been operating in Ghana for nearly 20 years.
Quick Summary
Dr. Baaba Damoah of SOFPOG has warned Tarkwa youth about painkiller misuse. The physical demands of work and illegal mining may be contributing to the problem - but what are the long-term health consequences?
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