President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo says that apart from exercising and taking regular health check-ups seriously, it is imperative that Ghanaians eat healthy diets to prevent diseases that are caused by poor choices of nutrition.
He said Ghana’s hardworking nurses and doctors would do their best, as they had always done, to make sure Ghanaians get the best health care; however, it behoves on everyone to look after themselves better.
President Akufo-Addo made the remarks in his State of the Nation Address (SONA) delivered to Parliament.
“When our children master the connection between science and their everyday lives, we would reach the stage in Ghana where we would be rid of the many diseases, borne of filth and poor hygiene, that are still part of our lives,” he said.
“In pursuing these goals, we need to remind ourselves repeatedly that health is wealth, and it is only a healthy population that can make Ghana prosperous.”
He noted that in May 2018, Ghana won accolades at the World Health Assembly for having eradicated Trachoma, an eye disease that had plagued Ghanaians for a long time.
He said today, the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) was buoyant; adding that the Government had paid up the GH¢1.2 billion arrears, which it inherited, and brought the operations of the NHIS back to life.
Meanwhile the Government is putting in place plans to avert the perennial flooding caused by the spillage of the Bagre dam, that annually result in the loss of lives and property.
President Akkuffo Addo who said this added that desilting of the White Volta was going to be undertaken this year. The government would also engage in discussions with the Burkinabes to regulate the flow of the spillage, and mitigate its impact.
President Akufo-Addo said as part of medium to long term plans to turn the problem into a gain, a dam would be built at Pwalugu, to serve as a receptacle to hold the volume of water spilled from the Bagre Dam for irrigation purposes.
