Let's maintain healthy lifestyles - First Lady advises

The First Lady, Mrs Lordina Mahama, has advised Ghanaians to complement the services of health workers by leading healthy lifestyles and keeping their environment clean to prevent diseases.

She said: “Cleaning our environments, ensuring healthy nutrition, avoiding excess sugars and fats prevent us from falling sick”.

Mrs Mahama who gave the advice during a working visit to the Brong Ahafo Region, said the health of the people was a great concern for the Government that was why it continued to invest a lot in the health infrastructure, medical supplies and the education and welfare of health personnel.

The tour took the First Lady to Ampoma, her hometown, in the Kintampo South District, where she presented medical equipment and supplies and a refrigerator to the health facility- the local CHPS Compound.

She also donated some locally produced footwear and bags to pupils of the Ampoma Anglican Primary School.

She distributed some of the items to school children, while the rest were received by Mr James Anobah, the Headmaster of the School for the rest of the pupils.

Mrs Mahama, who was accompanied on the trip by the Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, Mr Eric Opoku and Nana Saa Gyamfua, a Member of Council of State, Ms Felicia Agyei, the NDC Parliamentary Candidate for Kintampo South, and some NDC Regional and District Executives, said the items presented were to help improve the living conditions of the people.

She said the several projects including a market, an ICT Centre, a new lorry park, a public toilet, a Kindergarten and a Nursery Block, which were being executed in the Ampoma Community would give a facelift to the town.

She expressed the hope that the health supplies would advance the delivery of quality health care to the people, while the school items would “improve education for our children and young ones”.

The First Lady urged parents to encourage their children to stay in school, while the Government continued to expand access to all levels of the educational system to enable “our children reach their full potential”.

“Together we can develop our communities to benefit our children and prepare them for the future,” Mrs Mahama said.

Mrs Mahama also visited Chiraa in the Sunyani West District, where she presented hospital equipment to the Chiraa Health Centre, as part of the efforts of the Lordina Foundation, to supplement the government’s efforts of expanding access and delivery of quality health care.

The First Lady commended health workers across the country for the great work they were doing in helping to keep Ghanaians alive.

“The items and supplies from the Lordina Foundation, will significantly support the work of the health professionals at this Health Centre, and I encourage you to use them for the sole purpose of caring for the sick,” Mrs Mahama said.

The Chief of Ampoma, Nana Nyarko Katah II, and the Chief of Chiraa, Nana Minta Afari II, thanked the First Lady and the government for the several developmental projects brought to the area.

Nana Katah, particularly, commended Mrs Mahama for leading the efforts in developing the Ampoma Town, saying, the construction of the road network was of a great importance to the people.

Nana Afari also thanked President Mahama and the First Lady for developing the various districts in the whole of Brong Ahafo Region.

He, however, appealed to the Government to upgrade the Chiraa Health Centre into a polyclinic to help to properly care for the sick and pregnant women as well as to ease the tension on the Sunyani Government Hospital.

Ms Eva Aryee, the Sunyani West Health Director, received the items on behalf of the Health Facility and thanked the First Lady for the gesture.

Mr Opoku gave the assurance that the Bank of Ghana was working towards the sale of the assets of the DKM financial service to offset its debts to the debtors to alleviate their plight.

Other areas visited by the First Lady were Banda Ahenkro and Wenchi, both in the Brong Ahafo Region, where she presented medical items to their health centres.