This, coupled with regular exercises and medical check-ups would ensure the early detection of various diseases and would help increase life expectancy rate in the country.

Dr Emmanuel Kojo Awuttay, a health practitioner at the Chrispod Hospital and Diagnostic Centre, made the call at a health screening for members of the Achimota Keep Fit Club in the Accra Metropolis.

The club members yesterday were screened on sugar levels, eye, body mass index, atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases risk level, laboratory tests and were offered medical consultations as well.

Atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases refer to the build-up of cholesterol plaque in the walls of the arteries, causing obstruction of blood flow.

According to him Ghanaians do not consume balanced meals or engage in exercises that could protect them from illness.

He appealed to Ghanaians to adopt the habit of visiting the hospital for regular medical screening in order to detect underlying conditions before they get worse.

“Ghanaians want to see the symptoms they have first before they report to the hospital and by then the processes of the disease may have been far advanced and we cannot do much,” he said.

With the harmattan lurking, he urged Ghanaians to ensure they were hydrated at all times and eat lots of fruits with vitamin c in order to reduce their chances of contracting Upper Respiratory Tract Infections (URTI) such as common cold.

He said Ghanaians should eat healthy meals as it would ensure their bodies develop antibodies that would fight off any URTI’s when they occur. 

The founder of Chrispod Hospital and Diagnostic Centre, Mr Christian Kpodo, said the health screening was necessary as it would allow persons to know their health status.

He said this would prevent sudden deaths in the country saying that “most of Ghanaians do not know their health status, they could be moving about then suddenly fall to their death.”

He urged Ghanaians to patronise Chispod for all their health needs as they were well-equipped with the state-of-the-art technology to ensure proper and timely health care delivery.

“We have all the healthcare equipment you can think of as well as 24-hour doctors on standby. When you visit us, it would take pressures off the major health facilities in the country like the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital,” he said.

He appealed to the government to consider reducing the taxes on the importation of medicines in order to make it very affordable for the ordinary Ghanaian.

The Chairman of Achimota Keep Fit Club, Daniel Osei, commended the Chrispod health centre for the health screening as it would ensure all members know their health status.

He urged Ghanaians to visit the hospital regularly and not allow themselves to be severely ill before going to the hospital as it could be too late.

He called on all medical centres to replicate the screening exercise in their various communities