Outreach Report: Psoriasis Awareness in Ghana

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The Psoriasis Association of Ghana conducted an awareness outreach on Sunday, May 11, 2025, during the Mother’s Day celebration which has been an annual event where women are celebrated for their hard work in the lives of every individual and our homes. The Psoriasis Association of Ghana organized a program with the TW radio station in Cape coast, Central Region of Ghana, to educate the public especially Mother's about Psoriatic Disease.

Mothers or women play vital roles in the lives of individuals from pregnancy, childbirth, weaning, and grooming the child into adulthood. The Mother's Day celebration is the annual event held in Ghana organized by individuals and other organizations to provide a unique opportunity to engage a large and diverse audience to encourage women or mothers, appreciate and educate the public about mothers and the role they play in the lives of both biological and other adopted children. The campaign was strategically timed to leverage the large turnout associated with the event. The project was designed to create awareness about psoriasis, educate the public, and foster early identification and support for individuals living with the condition.
 

KEY OBJECTIVES

• Educate the public about psoriatic disease.
• Reach a large audience by leveraging the event's high attendance.
• Identify women who may be living with psoriasis and include their information in our national database.
• Engage with other older women in our society and influencers.
• Conduct the campaign in a relaxed, communal atmosphere.

PLANNING AND PREPARATION

• Team Composition: 8 people, including volunteers.
• Materials:
  ➢2 pull-up banners for visibility.
  ➢800 educational flyers.
  ➢60 branded T-shirts for team identification and distribution. (Figure 1.1)
• Stakeholder Engagement: Established contact with relevant opinion leaders to facilitate collaboration and local support.
• Logistics & Setup: We secured a space and obtained the relevant permissions to set up and carry out our activities at the event center.

PURPOSE OF THE OUTREACH

The outreach aimed to raise awareness about psoriasis and to educate the mother about the importance of reporting skin diseases to health facilities for early diagnosis. The Mother's Day event provided an ideal setting to engage a large crowd and community leaders.

ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES

The outreach lasted 3 hours from 12:00 PM GMT to 3:00 PM GMT.

1. The team set up an information desk along the main path to the event grounds, where they attracted foot traffic using branded materials.
2. Many attendees stopped to ask questions, learn about psoriasis, and engage in one-on-one conversations. This phase lasted 2 hours.
3. The team then moved closer to the attendees at the event's main area and engaged with some women and opinion leaders, discussing psoriasis and initiating future collaboration.
4. The team also distributed branded t-shirts and educative flyers to further support awareness creation. (Figure 1.2)

The outreach reached over 500 individuals. One notable interaction involved 3 older women with visible skin symptoms, which appeared indicative of psoriasis. Photos were taken with their consent and sent to a specialist for further evaluation and potential referral. Additionally, the team received 159 phone calls from people who reported that their relatives might be showing signs of psoriasis. These calls suggest that the outreach sparked awareness beyond the immediate event.

LESSONS LEARNED

• Timing campaigns to coincide with large events increases reach.
• A visible, branded setup attracts attention and encourages interaction.
• One-on-one engagement is effective in reducing stigma and increasing understanding about Psoriatic disease.
   

CONCLUSION

The Mother's Day event with TW radio station outreach successfully raised awareness engaged a large audience, and identified potential psoriasis cases. The Psoriasis Association.

APPENDIX

Gallery of images from the event including interaction with the general public, personal engagements, questions and answer sections and many more.