Cases Of Hypertension, Diabetes In Ejisu Alarming

The rising cases of chronic diseases such as hypertension and diabetes in the Ejisu-Juaben Municipality have created alarm in medical circles. Dr Frank Nketiah-Boakye, a medical doctor at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) who expressed concern, said out of 300 people screened on May Day, 45 of them were either diabetic or hypertensive. Dr Nketiah-Boakye told The Mirror after the health screening exercise at Ejisu in the Ashanti Region. The programme was organised by the Yaa Asantewaa Rural Bank in collaboration with KATH and the Ejisu Government Hospital. Dr Nketiah-Boakye said those who had mild cases were treated while those with complicated ones were referred to KATH and other health facilities for further treatment. He, therefore, cautioned the people to adopt healthy lifestyles by undergoing regular medical checkups to ascertain their health status and find quick solutions to any health challenges. Mr Samuel Otoo, Board Chairman of the Yaa Asantewaa Rural Bank, for his part, said the bank decided to organise the health screening due to the fact that �healthy people can be productive and this can affect their ability to save money to support their businesses�. He also said the bank, as part of its corporate social responsibility, would make it an annual affair and go to various communities to give back to the people some of the money they had received from them. As part of activities marking May Day, the bank also organised a health walk through the principal street of Ejisu. In attendance were corporate bodies such as the Ghana Police Service, the Ghana National Fire Service and professional associations such as taxi drivers, hairdressers, teachers, nurses and market women. The health walk was led by the Municipal Chief Executive for Ejisu-Juaben, Mr Afrifa Yamoah-Ponko.