We Are Committed To Creating Healthy Ghana — Dr. Mrs Beatrice Wiafe Addai
The Chairperson of the Non-Communicable Disease Alliance, Dr Mrs Beatrice Wiafe Addai has reiterated the commitment of her outfit to ensure a healthy population in Ghana.
Addressing a high level meeting in Kumasi on the theme, “Leaving no one’s health behind, prioritising NCDs in the Universal Health Coverage”, Dr Wiafe Addai said the Alliance has an objective of creating a healthy Ghana free from non-communicable diseases such as diabetes and hypertension.
She stated that, ‘the overall mission of the Alliance is be a leading organisation contributing to reducing NCD related deaths and disabilities through health promotion, proper coordination and healthy system strengthening and improving the quality of lives of people living with NCDs in Ghana’.
Dr Wiafe, a cancer surgeon and famous advocate for breast cancer treatment said diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and blood pressure were silent killers that needed to be tackled with the seriousness it deserved.
MINISTER OF HEALTH:
Delivering the key note address, Dr Baffour Awuah, Special advisor to the Health Minister said, ‘non-communicable diseases are a threat to having a healthy population’.
He noted that they sometimes become full blown cases before a person gets to the hospital for treatment.
This, he said was because they affect the bodies functioning silently.
The only remedy, he revealed is for every person to check what they consume very well as well as undertake regular body exercises and carry out regular visits to the hospital.
“Government of Ghana was committed to carrying out sensitization about NCDs but the best way to dealing with same is to check our lifestyles as well as eating habits all year round especially when we attain the age of 40”, Dr Baffour Awuah stated.
GOVERNMENT APPOINTEES:
Taking his turn, the Ashanti Regional Minister, Simon Osei-Mensah rallied the citizenry to watch their lifestyles seriously.
He noted many health complications that arise in the body are as a result of behavioural attitudes especially things to do with foods we consume and other bad lifestyle practices.
On his part, Mr Samuel Pyne, Mayor for the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly urged Ghanaians not to take for granted good health.
He noted that the development of the nation depends on the health of its citizens since only functioning humans can cause development to take place.
CHAIRPERSON:
Nana Adusei Atwenewa Ampem, Tepamanhene, Chairman for the high level meeting noted the importane of having good health.
He stressed that those who are stricken by diseases especially NCDs are sometimes miserable because most of them become less functional.
Nana Ampem therefore called on Ghanaians to become lovers of good health habits both in what they consume and the activities they engage themselves into.
STORY BY MICHAEL OFOSU-AFRIYIE, KUMASI.