Smoking is a risk factor for most disease conditions – Medical Doctor

Dr. Emmanuella Boye, a medical practitioner at the Wa Municipal Hospital, emphasized that cigarette smoking increases the likelihood of developing several health disorders.

She made these remarks in Wa on Sunday, May 19, 2024, during a meet-up of Wa Konnect, a gathering of like-minded individuals in the Upper West Region who are passionate about the town's development and the country as a whole.

Wa Konnect is an initiative of the GhanaThink Foundation, a social enterprise dedicated to talent mobilization and deployment, promoting mentorship, networking, training, and volunteering opportunities for community contribution.

The meet-up was part of the GhanaThink Foundation's Clean Air Ghana Project, titled "Galvanizing Youth Advocacy to Tackle Air Pollution," implemented nationwide with support from the Clean Air Fund. The project aims to raise awareness of air pollution's impact and trigger discussions on its causes and solutions on social media and beyond.

Dr. Boye explained, "Cigarette smoking is a risk factor for many medical conditions," highlighting that the hot smoke inhaled by smokers leads to lung conditions as well as critical medical issues like cardiovascular and neurological diseases.

"The nicotine in cigarettes triggers inflammation in the lungs, leading to scarring and fibrosis with repeated exposure," she added. "Cigarette smoking not only causes lung problems but also contributes to hypertension, diabetes, leading to strokes, heart failures, heart attacks, and kidney failures."

She cautioned that every individual is at risk and should be aware of smoking's dangers, especially naive smokers inhaling from primary smokers or individuals cooking with charcoal and firewood.

Mr. Minkailu Silinba, a waste recycling enthusiast, advocated for using plastic materials, especially bottles, to create eco-bricks for constructing buildings or decorative purposes instead of burning them. His YirSaala venture recently won a prize from the Kosmos Innovation Centre (KIC) AgriBiz Build-Up Challenge. He suggested using agricultural waste to produce briquettes, and smokeless hot-burning charcoal, to reduce waste and promote clean air.

Ms. Rahinatu Haruna, Resource Lead for GhanaThink Foundation and community lead for the Clean Air Ghana Project, highlighted the Foundation's use of social media and community leaders to influence discussions and decisions towards reducing air pollution and promoting clean air.

She mentioned that Konnect meet-ups serve as platforms for instigating community members and young people to make environmentally friendly choices for cleaner air, emphasizing that discussions about clean air are integrated into various gatherings.

Mr. Ambrose Wawai, a Wa Konnect member, urged the public to incorporate trees on their plots into building architecture rather than continually cutting them down to make way for structures.