Healthcare as a Right, Not a Privilege

At Summer Health, we've always believed that access to quality healthcare should not depend on one's economic status. While our core business focuses on building advanced health technology, we recognized that many Ghanaians lack access to even basic health screenings that could save their lives.

This recognition led to the establishment of the Summer Health Foundation and our flagship program: annual free community health screenings across Ghana.

The Scale of the Problem

Ghana has made remarkable progress in healthcare access over the past two decades, but significant gaps remain, particularly in rural and peri-urban communities:

Late Diagnosis: Many chronic conditions like diabetes, hypertension, and kidney disease go undetected until they reach critical stages
Economic Barriers: Even with the National Health Insurance Scheme, many Ghanaians cannot afford the time or transportation costs to seek preventive care
Health Literacy: Limited awareness about the importance of regular health checks leads to delayed care-seeking
Geographic Gaps: Rural communities often lack access to diagnostic facilities and specialized healthcare providers

The result? Preventable diseases that could be managed effectively if caught early instead become life-threatening emergencies.

Our Screening Initiative

The Summer Health Foundation's free health screening program was designed to address these gaps by bringing comprehensive health checks directly to underserved communities.

What We Screen For

Our screening packages include:

Cardiovascular Health

Blood pressure measurement
Heart rate and rhythm assessment
Cardiovascular risk evaluation
Cholesterol testing (for high-risk individuals)

Metabolic Health

Random blood glucose testing
Diabetes risk assessment
Weight and BMI measurement
Nutritional counseling

General Health

Vision screening
Hearing tests
Basic physical examination
Age-appropriate cancer screening referrals

Health Education

Lifestyle counseling
Disease prevention education
Medication adherence support
Referral to appropriate care facilities

Our Approach

We don't just set up temporary screening camps and disappear. Our model focuses on sustainable impact:

Community Partnership: We work with local leaders, community health workers, and district health directorates to identify underserved areas and build trust.
Comprehensive Screening: Rather than single-disease focus, we provide holistic health assessments that address multiple risk factors.
Follow-Up Pathways: Every patient with abnormal results receives clear guidance on next steps, including referrals to partner health facilities.
Data for Planning: Anonymized screening data helps inform public health planning and resource allocation in partner communities.
Capacity Building: We train local health workers on screening protocols and health education, leaving lasting capabilities in communities we serve.

2021 Launch: Our First Year

In August 2021, we launched our pilot program in five communities across the Greater Accra and Ashanti regions.

By the Numbers

Our first year exceeded expectations:

5,247 individuals screened across 5 communities
387 cases of undiagnosed hypertension detected
142 individuals identified with diabetes risk requiring further testing
89 vision impairments detected and referred for glasses/treatment
1,200+ individuals counseled on lifestyle modifications
100% of patients with abnormal results received follow-up care plans

Communities Served

We focused our initial efforts on peri-urban and rural communities with limited healthcare infrastructure:

Weija (Greater Accra Region) A growing peri-urban community with limited health facilities relative to population size. We screened 1,050 residents over two days.

Ashaiman (Greater Accra Region) A dense urban area with many low-income residents facing barriers to healthcare access. Detected particularly high rates of undiagnosed hypertension.

Atonsu (Ashanti Region) A peri-urban community in Kumasi where we partnered with local churches and community centers to reach residents.

Ejisu (Ashanti Region) A rural district where residents often travel long distances to access basic health services.

Madina Estates (Greater Accra Region) An urban community with high population density and diverse demographics, allowing us to refine our screening protocols.

Stories of Impact

The real measure of success isn't in numbers: it's in lives changed.

Auntie Akosua's Story

Auntie Akosua, a 62-year-old market trader from Ashaiman, hadn't seen a doctor in over a decade. She came to our screening because it was free and in her neighborhood.

Our team detected severely elevated blood pressure:180/110 mmHg, a hypertensive emergency. She had been experiencing headaches and fatigue for months but attributed it to "old age and stress."

We immediately referred her to a nearby health center, where she received medication. Three months later, her blood pressure was controlled, her headaches were gone, and she said she felt "20 years younger." Without our screening, she likely would have suffered a stroke or heart attack within months.

Kwame's Early Intervention

Kwame, a 45-year-old taxi driver, participated in our Weija screening. His blood glucose came back at 250 mg/dL:well into diabetic range.

"I was always thirsty, always tired," he told us later. "I thought it was the heat and the long hours driving."

We connected Kwame with diabetes care at a nearby clinic. With medication, dietary changes, and regular monitoring, his blood sugar is now controlled. "You saved my life," he told our team during a follow-up visit. "I would have kept driving until I collapsed."

Challenges We Faced

Launching a community health program during a pandemic presented unique challenges:

COVID-19 Safety

We had to implement strict safety protocols while conducting in-person screenings, including:

Outdoor screening setups with proper ventilation
PPE for all staff and volunteers
Hand hygiene stations at all screening points
Social distancing in waiting areas
Temperature checks before screening

Trust Building

Initial community turnout was lower than expected. Many residents were suspicious of "free" healthcare or worried about being sold products.

We addressed this through:

Partnership with trusted community leaders
Clear communication about our non-profit mission
Transparent processes with no hidden fees
Follow-through on our commitments

Resource Constraints

Screening thousands of people requires significant resources:medical supplies, trained personnel, logistics.

We built a sustainable model through:

Corporate partnerships and donations
Volunteer healthcare professionals
Efficient supply chain management
Collaboration with district health teams

Follow-Up Challenges

Ensuring patients with abnormal results actually received care was difficult, especially in communities with limited health facilities.

We created a referral network with partner clinics and hospitals, subsidized follow-up care for those who couldn't afford it, and implemented a phone-based follow-up system to track outcomes.

The Technology Behind the Screens

Even our community outreach leverages technology to maximize impact:

Digital Data Collection: We use tablets with custom software to record screening results in real-time, eliminating paper forms and transcription errors.

Cloud-Based Records: Results are uploaded to secure cloud storage, allowing for easy retrieval and longitudinal tracking.

Automated Risk Algorithms: Our software flags high-risk cases immediately, ensuring urgent referrals aren't missed.

Analytics Dashboard: We track screening outcomes, referral completion rates, and community health trends to continuously improve our program.

SMS Follow-Up: Automated text messages remind patients of follow-up appointments and provide health tips.

Looking Ahead: Expansion Plans

The success of our 2021 pilot validated the need and our model. For 2022 and beyond, we're scaling significantly:

Target: 20,000 screenings annually by 2023
Geographic expansion to Northern, Volta, and Central regions
Enhanced screening packages including hepatitis B, cervical cancer screening, and mental health assessments
Mobile screening units for remote areas
Student health programs in partnership with schools
Workplace wellness programs for companies supporting employee health

A Model for Others

We're documenting our approach, challenges, and learnings with the hope that other organizations can replicate this model:

Implementation guides for community health screenings
Technology platforms we'll make available to other NGOs
Training materials for healthcare workers
Partnership frameworks with communities and health systems

Healthcare transformation in Africa won't come from any single organization: it requires collective effort.

Gratitude

Our screening program is possible only because of:

Volunteer Healthcare Professionals: Doctors, nurses, and community health workers who donate their time and expertise.

Community Partners: Chiefs, religious leaders, and community organizers who helped us reach residents and build trust.

Corporate Donors: Companies that funded supplies, equipment, and logistics for our screenings.

The Ghana Health Service: For their collaboration, support, and integration of our program into district health planning.

The Communities We Serve: For trusting us with their health and participating in our programs.

Join Us

Healthcare equity is not just a moral imperative: it's a foundation for national development. Healthy communities are more productive, more prosperous, and more resilient.

If you're a healthcare professional interested in volunteering, a company wanting to sponsor screenings, or a community leader hoping to bring our program to your area, we want to hear from you.

Together, we can ensure that every Ghanaian has access to basic health screenings that could save their life.

The Summer Health Foundation is the non-profit arm of Summer Health, focused on improving healthcare access in underserved communities. Learn more about our work or support our mission at Summer Health.

Summer Health Foundation: Free Community Health Screenings