Benin. Ghana. Togo. Advancing these neighboring West African countries is the primary goal of the Council of EWE Associations of North America.

And while economic development is often tapped as the key to advancing a nation and its people on the world stage, CEANA is making sure those people are making advances in their health.

“We realized over the course of the last two years that our people are not into the public health scene,” said Doris Dzameshie, secretary for the VOLTA Association. “We thought it would be a great opportunity to add a health piece to some of our gatherings.”

 During this year’s seventeenth annual convention, Sept.  2-5 in the D.C. Metro area, CEANA is providing informational sessions and screenings to the 750 expected attendees. Based on health statistics and personal encounters with people in the community, board members began seeking ways to meet health needs and overcome barriers to African immigrants accessing the health care system.

 “Generally we kind of tend to feel we are very strong,” Dzameshie said, adding there is a lack of trust for the health care system. “Coming from where are coming from, we kind of have a distrust of the medical system and this is an opportunity to reeducate our community as to the health benefits of being part of the public health initiative.” That distrust has led to shortened life spans and unnecessary struggles.

 For instance, Dzameshie has seen diseases such as HIV and diabetes and issues of stigma and lack of awareness lead many down the wrong path.

“[People] do not seek medical attention and before you know it, it’s something they could’ve taken medication for and lived a few years longer—they die prematurely,” she said.

 Through informational sessions, resources and a day-long health fair during the convention, President of CEANA and the VOLTA Association, Edwin Agbonyitor said he’s hoping a change in knowledge will lead to a change in behavior.

“Through the health fair there will be health literature and we will have some testing on site, so they can know basic medical results pertaining to their health, so [clinicians] can advise them if they need to seek a doctor,” Agbonyitor said. “The whole idea is to actually get our people educated because once we get educated about our health then with that information you know what to do.”

However, staff members aren’t just relying on personal interest to entice participants to the health fair in Bohrer Park. Instead the health fair will run in tandem with a day-long picnic, offering foods from the different countries, a method organizers see as an additional key to increasing turnout.

“I think it’s imperative that the health information be taken to the venues where the African population has gathered,” said Margaret Korto, capacity building specialist for the Office of Minority Health Resource Center, “because what we’ve seen in the past is if you set up a venue and invite them to come, most of the time because of the pressing issues of work and the other things that to them are more important, they do not show up.”

But Korto says she’s noticed “when there’s something going on like a convention, a health fair or even a party where we’re able to talk to the leaders or planners, they’re more receptive because they’re a captive audience.”

The three agree that culturally-appropriate programming that takes the information into the community through accepted members can be sustained for decades and mimics efforts by Hispanic organizations to educate immigrants on pertinent health issues. And although the health events are planned for just two of the four days, CEANA organizers say they’re planning and striving to let community members know that improving their health has become part of their business.

 Fia Curley is a writer for the OMHRC. Comments? E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it