By Yussif Ibrahim
Kwadaso (Ash), Oct. 30, GNA – The Ghana Health Service, with the support of PATH Ghana, implementing partners for the Healthy Heart Africa Programme, has organised a health screening exercise for residents of Kwadaso in the Ashanti Region to commemorate World Stroke Day.
The Healthy Heart Africa programme is designed to support local health systems to increase awareness of the symptoms and risks of hypertension, which is a risk factor for stroke.
World Stroke Day, which is celebrated globally on October 29, was initiated by the World Stroke Organisation (WSO) in 2006 to raise awareness of the serious nature and high rates of stroke, prevention and treatment.
This year’s celebration is on the theme: “The Power of Saving #Precioustime.”
Hundreds of residents patronised the exercise, which sought to identify early signs of stroke and offer professional advice and appropriate treatment for the people.
Dr Robert Yeboah, Technical Advisor, Non-Communicable Diseases, Healthy Heart Africa Ghana, said there were over 101 million people who had experienced a stroke globally, adding that 12.2 million new cases were recorded annually, with 6.5 million people dying from the condition.
He said prevalence of stroke in Ghana had seen an increase from 1.57 per cent in 1990 to 1.69 per cent in 2019.
“Hypertension is a silent killer and a major risk factor for stroke. Persons with hypertension are three or four times more likely to have a stroke,” he noted.
Dr Yeboah underscored the importance of the day, which provided opportunity to advocate and highlight the promotive and preventive actions that individuals could take to prevent Stroke.
“We are all reminded today that we need concerted action so that people 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 could be avoided,” he observed.
He said as the implementing partner for the Healthy Heart Africa programme in Ghana with funding from AstraZeneca, PATH was collaborating with the Ghana Health Service to improve health outcomes for people living with hypertension – many of whom were unaware of their status.
He said PATH was delighted to be partnering with the Ghana Health Service and its Hypertension Champions in the advocacy drive and screening exercise, saying that “we believe together we can beat Stroke and ultimately protect, promote and save the lives of our people.”
Mr Felix Frimpong, the Regional Health Promotion Officer, entreated the public to adopt healthy lifestyle by eating healthy diet and exercising regularly.
GNA