A medical practitioner, Dr. Dan Agyekum Kumi, has urged Ghanaians to make regular hospital visits and medical check-ups a priority, following a rise in blood pressure (BP) cases recorded during a recent health screening exercise at Kwahu Mpraeso in the Eastern Region.
The screening was organised by the Africa Centre for Health and Consumption and revealed that a significant number of residents were either hypertensive or at risk of developing high blood pressure. Many participants, according to organisers, were unaware of their condition prior to the exercise.
Speaking to the media during the event, Dr. Kumi expressed concern about the growing incidence of hypertension, describing it as a “silent killer” because it often presents no early symptoms.
He stressed that routine medical check-ups are critical for early detection and effective management of blood pressure and other non-communicable diseases. Dr. Kumi also advised the public to adopt healthier lifestyles by reducing salt intake, avoiding excessive alcohol consumption, exercising regularly, and managing stress levels.
The Founder of the Africa Centre for Health and Consumption, Mr. Solomon Tettey, also used the occasion to encourage residents to pay closer attention to their eating habits as a way of reducing the risk of developing hypertension.
He explained that the screening formed part of broader efforts to promote preventive healthcare and raise awareness about the increasing burden of high blood pressure in Ghana.
Participants at the exercise praised the organisers for bringing healthcare services closer to the community and called for more such outreach programmes to support early detection and prevention of diseases.
Reported By Yaa Yeboah Boamah