Accra, June 30, GNA-A medical team from Christ in Youth Mission, a United States-based non-governmental religious organisation, has offered free medical treatment to about 2,500 patients from more than 10 communities in the Northern and Brong-Ahafo Regions.

The 13-member delegation was in the country recently on a three-week visit, at the invitation of the Fellowship of Associates of Medical Evangelism (FAME).

Briefing the Ghana News Agency on the team's accomplished mission after their return to Accra, its leader, Mr John Mouton, said most of the patients they treated were children, who were suffering from malaria, anaemia and worm infestation.

Mr Mouton said members also distributed drugs worth about 21,000 dollars to the communities, free of charge.

He named the beneficiary communities as Salaga, Katanga, Afayili, Chamba, Gerishano, Yakubope, Makango and Ochirepey in the Northern Region; and Yeji and Accra Town in the Brong-Ahafo Region. Mr Mouton advised the people to eat well-balanced diets to maintain good health.

He also urged them to endeavour to purify their drinking water at all times, in order to prevent them from contracting water-borne diseases.

Mr Raphael Gunu, FAME Programme Officer in-charge of Field Work who accompanied members of the delegation on their rounds, described the team as one of the best he had worked with in the past six years. Mr Gunu commended them for their compassion, selflessness and devotion to duty.

He reminded people in the various communities that most diseases are preventable and curable, and therefore urged them to visit the hospital regularly to receive early treatment.

Pastor Enoch Nyador, Executive Director of FAME, lauded the team for accepting the invitation into the country, and hoped the visit and subsequent ones, will help strengthen the bond relationships between Ghana and the United States.

Pastor Nyador reminded religious organisations not to seek the spiritual welfare of their members alone, but to attend to their physical well-being.

He, therefore, urged them to complement government efforts by initiating programmes, that would help improve the living standards of majority of the people. 30 June 04