National forum on health ends

Accra, Nov. 25, GNA - The Ministry of Health will set up a committee in the next two weeks to distil recommendations made during this week's national health forum held in Accra with a view to incorporating them into a new health policy in 2006. Speaking at the end of the three-day national forum, Health Minister Major Courage Quashigah (Rtd), said the recommendations formed basis for a new health paradigm to improve the country's health care delivery.

The forum was on the theme: "Creating Wealth Through Health" and brought together think tanks to explore a new paradigm for health and formulate a new health policy in 2006.

Discussants looked at the burden and determinants of diseases, approaches for improving health and the way forward for the health sector.

The forum recommended that Ghanaians should eat what the nation grows and that the country had nutritive foods and herbs containing all the nutrients required by the body.

Giving an example, Maj. Quashiga said Vitamin 'A' could be found in local potatoes and that instead of giving Vitamin 'A' supplements to children; Ghanaians should rather encourage them to eat more of the potatoes.

He also cited coconut oil, which research findings had revealed to be one of the top health oils in the world, and said unfortunately, Ghanaians had stopped using it in preference for imported ones. The forum called for a behavioural change on the roads to avoid preventable deaths, injuries and disabilities, which it said, had become the main causes of premature deaths in the country.

"Non-communicable diseases like malaria, typhoid and cholera, which could be prevented are what is killing the young population and laws should be enforced to ensure that we keep a healthy environment and eat healthy and balanced meals," the Minister added. 25 Nov. 05