Salts, fatty foods, cause of blood pressure

Dr Eric Palmer Amaning, head of surgery at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), said excessive consumption of salt and salt related products, fatty foods, smoking and alcohol had led to increasing high blood pressure cases.

He said the lack of adequate rest had also been identified as a major cause of stress leading to increased blood pressure.

Dr. Amaning said these at a medical screening organised by the Ghana Manganese Company (GMC) at Tarkwa on Tuesday.

He said it was sad that many homes re-use cooking oil several times and this had the potential of inducing blood pressure.

Dr Amaning said breast cancer, thought to be women's disease, affected many men also and there was the need for both men and women to regularly check their breasts for any signs of the disease.
Dr. Amaning said breast cancer is painless in the initial stages and if early treatment is not found, could lead to the amputation of the breast.
He noted with regret that many women use several herbal concoctions and leaves to treat breast cancer and when their situation becomes worse, they rush to the hospital.

Dr. Amaning said women who operate under high tension electrical cables and telephones masts are very likely to develop breast cancer.

Dr. Amaning suggested that regular exercises should be adopted by all households as a means to prevent several diseases.

Additionally vegetables should not be overcooked while fresh fruits should be made part of the diets of all Ghanaians.

Mr. Wisdom A. Mensah, acting Administrative Manager of GMC, said GMC had so far spent 550 Ghana cedis on corporate social responsibility for its catchments communities.

Mr. Stefan Flohr, Financial Manager of GMC, said the company in collaboration with the Centre for biodiversity Utilization Development (CBUD) trained 85 people in 2007 in batik, tie and die and soap making.

He said an additional 110 others have been earmarked to benefit from the training by October and they would be trained in screen printing of textiles, hair shampoo and liquid soap production, hair pomade and hair conditioner product development.
Over 800 people were screened.