A health walk and medical screening were held on Saturday in Accra as part of the Right to Information (RTI) Commission's week celebrations 2022.The event, which had "Artificial Intelligence, E-Governance, and Access to Information" as its theme, aimed to enable individuals to have access to information from public institutions in order to support a culture of accountability and transparency.

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The activities began with a health walk at 7:00 am from the RTI headquarters in Dzorwulu via Accra Mall, all the way to Legon, and then to the Presbyterian Boys Secondary School in the Madina area.During the walk, staff members, students and a section of the public around the areas, covered in multi-coloured Lacoste shirts and jerseys, were seen holding placards and reciting the inscriptions on the cards.

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Again, aerobic sessions and soccer games were organised at the premises of the Odadee Alumni and Mentorship Centre in the Presbyterian Boys Secondary School, coinciding with the medical screening.Participants were seen seated in a queue around 10:00 a.m. being refreshed while waiting for their turn to be attended to.The health screenings covered Hepatitis B, Lab tests, blood pressure, eye test, breast examination and medical consultation.

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In an interview with the Executive Secretary of RTI commission, Mr Yaw Sarpong Boateng, said keeping fit was very important which was why their celebration was planned to remind people of being healthy.“We are also using this opportunity to sensitise, create the awareness and interest in the citizenry towards the right to information,” he said.

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Mr Boateng encouraged everyone to access their service whenever they needed any information, especially because it was free.“The law has come for us all not for a few people to use, we must activate the use of the laws so we all see the loopholes to make some amendments hopefully, also our office our open to all as well as our phone numbers,” he added.

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A Medical Laboratory Scientist at MDS-Lancet laboratory, Bright Kumi, who supported in the screening exercise said with about 97 people who tested for Hepatitis B, a few tested positive.“Those who tested positive have been advised on the way forward and others who tested negative have been asked to get vaccinated and take care of themselves to prevent them from any exposure,” he stated.

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He advised the general public to be very alert on their health, know their status and not overlook the Hepatitis B infection because it was more dangerous and could easily kill than HIV/AIDS.   

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