MUSIGA to launch 'Musicians Help Musicians' initiative

THE Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA) has announced plans to launch a new initiative, ‘Musicians Help Musicians’, aimed at providing free medical care and support for ailing colleagues across the country this year.  

‘Musicians Help Musicians’, aims at addressing the growing concerns over the welfare of musicians, particularly those facing serious health challenges but lack the financial means to seek treatment.

As part of the initiative, MUSIGA will partner with a Denmark-based medical firm, Care4Aged International to offer professional training to selected Ghanaian volunteers who will serve as caregivers to ailing musicians.  

Also, Gyae Su Herbal Centre, a medical facility based in Ghana, has been selected to host and facilitate the initiative.

The centre will not only serve as the training ground for caregivers but also as the designated health facility where musicians can receive free medical care.

In a chat with Graphic showbiz, Bessa Simons  emphasised the urgent need for such a drive, revealing that MUSIGA frequently receives distress calls about musicians stranded in hospitals due to their inability to pay medical bills.  

“There have been countless times we’ve received calls about musicians detained in hospitals because they can’t afford their medical expenses.

“This initiative is our way of ensuring  such situations become a thing of the past. With ‘Musicians Help Musicians’, we aim at making healthcare readily accessible and free for musicians who need it most,” he stated.  

 Detailing how the project will be executed, he said:  “This year, in collaboration with a Denmark medical firm, we are starting  ‘Musicians Help Musicians’.  As part of this, doctors and nurses will arrive in Ghana to train volunteers who have already signed up to become carers for musicians in need.

“These carers will be equipped to assist bedridden musicians, help those with mobility challenges, and provide them with essential aids such as walking sticks or other support devices.  

“Additionally, after their training, some of the volunteers will have the opportunity to travel to Denmark for practical experience before returning to Ghana to offer quality care,” he noted.  

Bessa Simons further explained that the Danish medical partners would assess the chosen facility to identify specific medical equipment needs.

"If Gyae Su Herbal Centre needs for example, a dialysis machine, they will help provide it. The idea is to ensure that when musicians visit the facility, they can get all the necessary healthcare without worrying about cost," he added.