Public Agenda (Accra)
27 October 2009
Many educated Ghanaians are patronizing usually unhealthy and fatty junk foods that have been packaged and made more attractive to their own detriment.
According to Doctor Linda Vanotoo, Western Regional Director of Health Services, poor and unwholesome eating habits among Ghanaians have resulted in the upsurge of diseases in the country.
Dr. Vanotoo made these remarks at the seventh annual general meeting of the Ghana Medical Assistants Association under the theme: 'Healthy Lifestyles for Our Future Generation; The Role of the Medical Assistants.' The meeting brought together 400 practitioners from across the country to discuss and find solutions to some emerging health problems, identify the daily lifestyle behaviours and harmful practices that cause degeneration as well as providing Ghanaians with requisite information and services to enable them make the right lifestyle choices.
Dr. Vanotoo stressed that locally prepared menu made out of green and fresh vegetables, with some amounts of fruits, had the potential of reducing the rate of mortality and morbidity among Ghanaians. "It is sad that presently, many young people die from hypertension and diabetes whereas some years past the aged died first," she lamented.
Dr. Vanotoo has therefore urged the medical assistants to upgrade themselves and enhance their knowledge by adopting modern medical practices to enable them provide quality health care to their clients. "In other parts of the world, you could see a nurse progressing to become a professor. Please do the same by using the internet and other means to learn and educate yourself on modern diagnosis", Dr. Vanotoo advised.
Giving an overview of health facilities in the Western region, Mr. Paul Evans Aidoo, the Western Regional Minister, noted that currently, the region could boast of 257 health facilities with 68 Doctors and over 1000 nurses. "The role of medical assistants in providing quality healthcare to the region cannot be down played. Also, government has taken measures to reduce the inequality in access to healthcare while promoting healthy lifestyle through regenerative health," he added.
Chief Bandana Imoro III, President of the Association in a speech read on his behalf, said that though the group served over 70 per cent of the country's population, the pressure of curative care has overshadowing the promotional aspects of their service delivery. The concept of bringing health planning and delivery to the door step of people especially the rural folks had not been given the requisite attention, "We wish to call for a re-look at Sub-district empowerment through adequate staffing, logistic support, funding and training," he added.
Chief Imoro also lauded the introduction of Regenerative Health and Nutrition agenda propagated by the Ministry of Health because it would facilitate a paradigm shift towards lifestyle change.
"With the rise in non-communicable diseases plaguing our society, we as a group recognize a lifestyle change as a panacea to remedy a looming national catastrophe", Chief Imoro added.
GNA
Be the first to Write a Comment!
Copyright © 2009 Public Agenda. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.
AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica.
