By Eric Appah Marfo
Accra, June 18, GNA—Dr Eugene Tettey, a Specialist Physician at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, has urged Ghanaians to make medical checkups a regular routine to prevent future health complications.
He said during medical checkups, health personnel were able to identify hidden or underlying diseases and provide relevant medical assistance or advice to avert complications.
“Regular checks are very important and they prevent a lot of difficult complications in the human body. It is only when you get to know whatever is happening inside your body that you can take steps to prevent potential complications,” he said.
Dr Tettey gave the advice on Saturday during a Health Screening Exercise organised by the Rotary Club of Accra, Cantonments, to commemorate their 10th anniversary.
The exercise provided nutritional guidance tips, expert medical advice, free medical consultation and medicines, amongst others to about 200 people within the Oduman Community in the Ga-West Municipal Assembly and its environs.
Dr Tettey said the human body was a biological machine and like any machine or gadget, it needed routine maintenance to remain in good shape, hence the need for medical checkups.
He said it was important for one to visit the hospital twice or at least once every year to get themselves checked.
Dr Tettey said medical practice and health delivery in Ghana had improved in recent times and encouraged Ghanaians to trust in the country’s health systems.
Mr Samuel Agyarko Larbi, President of the Rotary Club of Accra, Cantonments, said as part of the celebrations, the Club had carried out several humanitarian projects such as donations, health screenings, and drilling of bore holes.
He said they chose Oduman for the health screening exercise because they noticed that the people needed help with regard to their health.
Mr Larbi said the programme was carried out in collaboration with health professionals from the Oduman Polyclinic, adding that, those who had critical health issues were taken to the hospital in an ambulance for further medical care and the medical bills borne by the Club.
He underscored the need for people to eat well, get enough rest and adhere to every advice from health practitioners.
Madam Agartha Asare, 59, said but for the health screening, she would not have noticed that her blood pressure had shot up again.
“During the screening, it was realised that my bp was high and so, I was asked to go home and resume taking my bp drugs which I had stopped taking for a while,” she said.
Mr Zakariya Alhassan Adams, Chief Imam, Oduman-Suncity, praised the Club for the exercise and urged it to organise the outreach regularly.
Mr Adie Hamidu, 78, a local, said many people in the community due to financial problems could not afford medical services.
He urged organisations and philanthropists to learn from the Club’s kind gesture and give back to society.
The medical team carrying out the exercise told Ghana News Agency that hypertension, diabetes and general body pains were health issues that featured the most during the exercise.
GNA