By James Esuon, GNA
Swedru (C/R), Sept 05, GNA – The Agona West Health Directorate in collaboration with SONOTECH Medical and Diagnostic Center has launched a programme known as ‘project vital life’ aimed at combating the upsurge of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), making life unbearable for both the young and aged.
Dr Jocelyn Maame Esi Darkwah, Agona West Director of Health Services who launched the programme said it was aimed at tackling the upsurge of NCDs being recorded more at the health facilities in the Agona West Municipality and beyond.
The diseases include diabetes, hypertension, breast cancer, and sickle cells which were causing sudden deaths and other debilitating health implications.
Agona Swedru based SONOTECH Medical and Diagnostic Center are the sponsors of the three months programme and would also facilitate the training of 40 community health nurses and 20 health volunteers in the various communities in the Municipality to educate people about the dangers of these diseases.
Dr Darkwah said NCDs were silent killers with people as young as 30 and 40 years unknowingly carrying the diseases and perishing as a result.
She said unfortunately the diseases were not detected early by health professionals hence, long sicknesses and sudden deaths, adding that it was thetefore needful for the health professionals to be trained and sensitise the public to reduce its upsurge.
The Health Director urged all to undergo regular check-ups at health facilities to enable them to know their health status for early treatment to reduce complications and deaths.
Dr Darkwah charged the public to adopt healthy lifestyles by reducing alcohol, excessive smoking and high intake of hard drugs to curb these occurrences.
She reiterated calls on them to reduce eating in the night, stop the intake of salty foods, eat balanced diet and do regular exercises.
Dr Grace Buckman, the Medical Director of SONOTECH Medical and Diagnostic Center, said it was regrettable that some ladies refused to report breast issues for early detection to health facilities to avoid the outright removal of their breasts and many others.
The medical director said about 40 percent of sudden deaths and serious health complications recorded were NCD cases which could have been prevented by early detection.
She added her voice to the clarion call on the people, especially women to report breast cancer and other health matters to hospitals early to curb complications.
Dr Buckman expressed optimistic that the project vital life would go a long way to support and reduce unexpected cases of BP, breast cancer, sickle cells hypertension and many others.
Nana Kweku Esieni V, the regent of Agona Swedru commended the SONOTECH Medical and Diagnostic Center and Agona West Health Directorate for the collaboration to train health professionals on NCDs to educate people in the various communities in Swedru and beyond.
He said the programme was timely to help check the upsurge of NCDs and expressed the hope that the programme would benefit residents in the various communities of Agona Swedru and its environs to help aid healthy living.
The Regent reiterated calls on the people, particularly the youth to reduce alcohol intake, smoking and unhealthy lifestyles which could ruin their health with catastrophic consequence to their families.
GNA
Edited by Alice Tettey /Kenneth Odeng Adade