Health Fair Opens (Page 31)

A two-day health fair organised by the Ministry of Health (MoH) as part of its effort to promote disease prevention, opened in Accra yesterday.
The fair also provided the platform to the public to freely interact with health professionals on various health issues.
An exhibition mounted on the premises of the Accra International Conference Centre (AICC) showcased both herbal and orthodox medicines, as well as provided access to free counselling and testing for HIV, test for high blood pressure and hepatitis B, measurement for body mass index (BMI), antenatal care, diet education and blood donation.
In addition were emergency health services provided by the National Ambulance Service, registration into the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), display of healthy food items and prepared food, as well as healthy clothing, among others.
The theme for the fair, which is a collaborative effort between the MoH and the Society of Private Medical and Dental Practitioners, is “Preventive Health Care; the sure way to sustain the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS)”.
Opening the fair, the Deputy Minister of Health, Dr Benjamin Kunbuor, who spoke on behalf of the Vice-President, Mr John Mahama, said “the fair should be viewed as wake-up call to revisit our preventive health services to ensure a better Ghana today, tomorrow and forever”.
He pointed out that life expectancy of Ghanaians which currently stood at 57 years was low, adding that preventable diseases such as malaria continued to dominate our morbidity.
Dr Kunbuor stressed that lifestyle diseases such as hypertension, diabetes and cancers were assuming alarming dimension and said many of those diseases could be prevented through behavioural and lifestyle changes.
“The fair proposes that we eat more fruits and vegetables, reduce fat and sugar intake and exercise at least three times in a week. We should drink at least eight glasses of water each day; we should keep personal and environmental hygiene; we should have at least eight hours rest daily; an annual comprehensive health check-up for all ....and safer sex for all,” he stated.
For his part, the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Nii Armah Ashietey, who gave the welcoming address, advised Ghanaians to heed advise from health professionals, adding that the Regenerative Health and Nutrition Programme which was introduced by the MoH about three years ago, could help the government to cut down cost on treatment at health facilities and also protect people from sicknesses.
He said it was better for people to prevent diseases rather than wait to fall sick before they spend time and money on treatment. He also spoke against dirty environment, which he stressed caused diseases.
The acting Chief Director of the Ministry of Health, Madam Salimata Abdul-Salam, said for the first time, the concept of health was being shifted from health facilities to the individual, adding that there was the need to equip the individuals, families communities on how to live healthy lifestyles which would bring them sustainable health throughout life.
The chairman for the occasion, Professor Kofi Awoonor, who is also the Chairman of the Council of State, advised Ghanaians, especially the youth, to take the issue of health more seriously, adding that they could do themselves a lot of good if they started earlier before it was too late.