“Everyone living in Ghana deserves to know about lupus because anyone can develop it,” says Mrs. Danso the Executive Director of Oyemam Autoimmune Foundation.
May is Lupus Awareness Month globally, and as part of making lupus visible in Ghana, Oyemam Autoimmune Foundation partnered with the National Lotteries Authority (NLA) to create awareness about lupus to head porters ‘kayaye’ in Accra. The event, which took place recently at the NLA office in Accra was attended by over 500 head porters.
Lupus is an unpredictable autoimmune disease that impacts the quality of a person’s life significantly and affects the productivity of individuals in both private and public sectors. No person is immune to lupus. The Foundation was happy and grateful to the NLA for the opportunity to engage with these hardworking women who spend hours in the hot Ghanaian sun carrying goods for people in our traditional marketplaces each day.
Oyemam believes that Ghanaians, regardless of their social, educational, or economic status ought to be aware of lupus so that they can make informed decisions about their own healthcare.
Empowering patients promotes equity and trust in healthcare. The goal of the awareness is to sensitize people to seek early healthcare for early accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment. Though lupus is debilitating, there is hope and a person can cope well depending on prevailing circumstances.
General awareness about lupus is low in Ghana and many people continue to suffer undiagnosed. Through the Lupus Awareness Campaign, Oyemam Autoimmune Foundation has created and raised awareness about lupus in Ghana among people of different backgrounds. Some of these include students, sanitation workers, corporate professionals, politicians, religious groups, and civil servants, among others. The Foundation is committed to inspiring hope through advocacy and continues to call on stakeholders to help improve lupus awareness and lupus care in Ghana.
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