Regular Checkups Must Be Taken Seriously - Prof. Akosah

The former Director-General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Prof. Agyeman Badu Akosah has re-emphasized the importance for Ghanaians to conduct regular health check-ups. �It is important that people who know the work they do, to look at themselves and understand themselves,� he explained. According to him, most people don�t respond or appreciate the discourse between the body and oneself, which informs the body when it is tired due to stress although they take their cars to the mechanic. Speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show Prof. Agyeman Badu Akosah revealed that currently the prevalence of hypertension amongst people above the age of 35 is 40% with the ratio being 2 out of every 5 people. �So we have a huge pool of potential cardiac arrests victims, potential stroke victims and we are all walking around feeling good thinking that there is nothing wrong with us,� he said. According to him, the believe that diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and stroke are diseases of affluence is no more the case because �we are a representation of our mother�s health.� This he explained by saying �once your mother�s health does not look good, you are almost in preparation to get these non communicable diseases.� He further explained that according to a British paediatrician, �if your mother was not in too good health particularly nutritional status, then you grew up in uterus (womb) and you came out and virtually had the same through your mothers breast ... that is what fuels a lot f the happenings in later life.� He cautioned people to be mindful of what they eat adding that we should exercise more because it tones the body and helps the heart to work effectively. He also encouraged the women to go for Pap smear, breast examination, and stated that women above 40 should go for mammogram and also advised men above the age of 35 to go for prostate checks.