The Prostate Health Foundation Ghana has called for prisoners, particularly men aged 40 years and above, to be given access to prostate screening at least once a year while serving their sentences.
The Foundation says regular screening is important because inmates who spend several years in prison may have limited opportunities to undergo preventive health checks, potentially allowing prostate-related conditions to go undetected.
Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Prostate Health Foundation Ghana, Rebecca Nana Yaa Konadu, made the call during the start of a nationwide prostate and general health screening exercise for inmates and officers of the Ghana Prisons Service with Kumasi Central Prison been the first port of call where 350 people benefited from the screening.
They included 300 male inmates and 50 prison officers, comprising both males and females.
A six-member medical team, made up of two doctors, a sonographer, three nurses and a laboratory technician, conducted the exercise.
Participants underwent prostate scans and Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) tests, as well as other general health examinations, including tests for hepatitis B, typhoid fever, malaria and fasting blood sugar.
Ms. Konadu said regular prostate screening was particularly important for inmates who had been incarcerated for several years.
“The prostate screening is a critical intervention for the inmates because many have been imprisoned for years. If we don’t check, by the time they finish their sentences, their prostate conditions may have reached a deadly stage,” she said.
The Foundation said some inmates were found to have minor indications of prostate-related conditions and were referred for further tests and medical assessment.
The screening team also detected cases of elevated blood pressure among some prison officers, although not all the readings were significantly high.
According to the Foundation, the findings highlight the need for regular health monitoring among both inmates and prison officers, particularly those working in demanding environments.
The exercise also included health education on preventive healthcare, regular medical check-ups and the importance of early detection of diseases.
The Prostate Health Foundation Ghana said its programme would continue to target communities and institutions across the country, with particular attention to men aged 40 years and above who may have limited access to regular prostate screening.
The Foundation expressed appreciation to the Ghana Prisons Service and management of the Kumasi Central Prison for supporting the initiative.
The foundation donated some items to the prison.
The team included Chairman of the Foundation, Hon. Clement Wilkinson; Project Manager, Nicholas Tawiah; and Executive Member, Nana Oduro.
