Stop politicizing health issues - Dr. Frempong

A senior Medical Officer at the Kumasi South Hospital, Dr Angela Frempong has called on successive governments to desist from politicizing health issues.

Health issues are very sensitive to the core of national development; therefore politicizing it becomes inimical to the citizenry, she explained.

Dr. Frempong was speaking at a public forum organized by the Victorious Life Chapel International in Kumasi at the weekend.

The programe formed part of activities by the church to combat the cholera epidemic as well as the Ebola scare in the Region.

Under the theme; “We are all at risk to Ebola and it's danger” the project is sponsored by the Victorious Life Child Development Centre in collaboration with Compassion International Ghana.

Dr. Frempong lamented the high number of cholera cases in the country.

“It's a shame to be recording and grappling with Cholera at this age and time…After 57 years of independence, it's a shame that the nation is saddled with cholera. Every pragmatic effort must be adduced at arresting the predicament,” she said, adding, “the outbreak is like a pastor grappling with adultery”.

“It's time for politicians and decision makers to be bold enough to enforce laws aimed at fighting the canker,” she charged.

The Senior Medical officer called on the public not to sit back, rather, “people should take precautionary and personal safety measures such as cleanliness and eating hot and healthy foods to ensure their own safety from contracting the disease”.

She said, “With the death, toll rising by the day across the country, having hit the over  10,000 mark since the outbreak in August this year, and still counting, it's incumbent on all to join hands in the fight against the disease”.

On Ebola, Dr Frempong, said the Victorious Life Child Development Centre has organized a sensitization workshop for over 200 caregivers in selected communities in the Region.

The idea is to prepare the people ahead of any eventual outbreak of the deadly disease in the country.

“Ebola is scary. It's therefore appropriate for the people to take a serious view of it against any outbreak,” she advised.

She praised the Church and Compassion International Ghana for what she called, shinning leadership example towards health, and called on others to emulate them.

The Head Pastor of the Church and Coordinator of the Victorious Life Child Development Centre, Pastor Lowell Thomas El-Burkson, said it's a heavenly call for the church to be involved with other community and social services apart from preaching the gospel.

This, he said, is because; “after godliness is cleanliness and therefore if the people are not healthy, they cannot soundly absorb the gospel.

“The church therefore embarked on the week-long Ebola and cholera awareness and sensitization programme as part of its contribution towards ensuring better health in the region and by extension the country.

“Within the week, we have engaged in general health screening which include, environmental health, body cleaning, that is, how to take care of the hair, teeth, as well as hand washing techniques among others.” he said.

“To ensure the sustenance of the medical outreach programme, the Church under the Child Development Centre with support from Compassion International will be distributing toothpaste and other food and nutritional materials to keep the campaign going,”he added.

Pastor El-Burkson, revealed that plans are far advanced by the church and the CDC to go into grass cutter farming, teak plantation and many more social interventions aimed at also creating permanent jobs for the people.