Osu Catholic Church Holds Health Screening

NEARLY 150 members of the St. Peter’s Catholic Church, Osu, Accra have been screened for various ailments and advised on how to keep fit always.

Organised by the Federation of Ghana Catholic Health Trainees at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, an umbrella body of Pax Romana (Catholic Students Union), they were tested for obesity, overweight, under weight, and advised on how to keep themselves healthy.

The trainees who include medical students, laboratory technologists, nurses and radiographers among others.

They were also tested for high blood pressure, low blood pressure apart from urine analysis to determine the amount of sugar and protein for diagnosis.

Briefing the Times on the exercise, Charles Lwanga Noora, an Allied Health Science student and leader of the 21-member group said that 50 per cent of those tested were overweight, whilst two others had diabetes.

The causes of various tests conducted and what must be done was explained to those tested, he stated.

Mr Noora disclosed that hypertension cases were 5 per cent stating that 'most of the people did not know that they had hypertension, a silent killer.'

The four-hour programme which formed part of the student’s outreach programme, Mr Noora said will be extended to other Catholic churches on Sundays after church services.

Drawing lessons from the screening, Victus Lassey, a medical student among the trainees told the Times that all those treated were informed that diseases like hypertension and diabetes were silent killers.

Regrettably, Mr Lassey pointed out that 'most people realised the situation on when it was too late or complications set in.'

'It is really necessary for people to regularly know their health status, by doing regular check-ups, watch their diet, avoid fatty foods, not to take too much carbohydrates at a time, and always take leafy goods cum vegetables,' he advised.