By Yussif Ibrahim
Kumasi, Sept. 29, GNA – PATH Ghana, implementing partners for the Healthy Heart Africa Programme in Ghana, has partnered with the Ghana Health Service to conduct health screening on hypertension at Sofoline in the Kwadaso Municipality.
The exercise is part of activities to mark World Heart Day, which is celebrated globally on September 29, to create awareness of hypertension and other related cardiovascular conditions.
World Heart Day was initiated by the World Heart Federation in 2011 and the theme for this year’s celebration is “Use Heart for Every Heart.”
The screening exercise was, therefore, meant to provide an opportunity for the public to check their blood pressure and sustain the advocacy drive to promote cardiovascular health among Ghanaians.
Hundreds of people, including drivers, passengers and traders at the Sofoline Lorry Park, took part in the exercise.
Dr Robert Yeboah, Senior Technical Advisor, Non-Communicable Diseases, PATH Ghana, said cardiovascular diseases, including heart diseases and stroke, accounted for nearly half of Non-Communicable Disease (NCD) deaths.
He said cardiovascular diseases were the leading cause of death across the world, claiming 18.6 million lives every year.
“We are all reminded today that we need concerted action for people to know that by controlling risk factors such as tobacco use, unhealthy diet and physical inactivity, at least 80 per cent of premature deaths from heart disease and stroke can be avoided,” he noted.
Dr Emmanuel Tinkorang, Ashanti Regional Director of Health Services, said combining a healthy diet and regular exercise was the best way of maintaining a healthy weight, which reduces one’s chances of developing high blood pressure.
He also stressed the need for smokers to give up the habit to reduce the risk of contracting heart and other cardiovascular diseases.
GNA