Ghanaians Urged To Adopt Healthy Lifestyles

ACCRA, Ghana (PANA) - Professor Agyeman Badu Akorsa, Chief Pathologist at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, in Ghana has said 80 percent of deaths that occur in the country are preventable.

He said bacteria infection, hypertension, motor traffic accidents, cancers and tuberculosis which are the leading causes of deaths in that order, could be prevented through good dietary habits, education and effective private investment in health institutions by corporate bodies.

Akorsa, was speaking to the Ghana News Agency in an interview in Accra.

He said one of the biggest problems in the country is adult malnutrition and the lack of a healthy lifestyle among Ghanaians, such as undertaking simple exercises to keep healthy.

Akorsa expressed strong sentiments about dietary habit of Ghanaians saying, "we drink oil."

"People take in so much oily foods, little fruits and do not exercise.

"As such even when one becomes ill, prescribed drugs become ineffective because the body is not strong and has been abused over a long period of time.

"Besides, most people die from common infections because most of the antibiotics being sold on the markets are not only fake but some are of low quality bought cheaply from some Asian countries."

Akorsa, who is also the National President of the Ghana Medical Association, said the association aims at increasing life expectancy by an additional 16 years, from the average of 56 years, through education and advocacy work.

He expressed regret that most corporate bodies do not support health institutions. Citing, an example, he said these corporate bodied "forget that their chief executives and top men may have to visit the Cardio Centre for first aid emergency treatment before being sent abroad."

Akorsa urged the private sector and churches to invest in a health fund to help the needy in times of ill health.

He therefore called on churches to at least donate two collections in a year for health care delivery.

The wealth of every nation is the health of its people and government should treat health as a priority even though it might be expensive, the GMA President said.