Prof Dr Charles Yankah
The Pan-African Society for Cardiothoracic Surgery (PASCaTS), in partnership with the World Heart Federation (WHF) Deutsches Herzzentrum Berlin, and the Ministry of Health, has launched the World Heart Day (WHD) in Accra, with a call for more awareness creation on heart-related diseases.
The launch which kick starts a series of activities in the various parts of the country leading to the commemoration of the WHD on September 29, 2017 is themed: ‘share the power and advocate for heart health, fuel your heart, move your heart, love your heart, and share the power’.
Speaking at the launch, Deputy Minister of Health, Kingsley Aboagye-Gyedu, who represented President Akufo-Addo, said government has placed cardiovascular diseases on top of its healthcare agenda.
Mr Aboagye-Gyedu indicated that this is because government believes it is only a healthy heart that can energise the body and the brain to promote the economy.
He said the theme enjoins everybody to embrace love and power in the activities that have been lined up in the regions of the country, including blood pressure screening at the Christ the King Catholic Church Parish Hall, Accra, and a heart screening for children at the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital on September 16, 2017 concurrently.
“I wish to entreat healthcare professionals; doctors, nurses, epidemiologists, physicians, sports and fitness clubs throughout the country to sustain spreading of the awareness of rheumatic heart diseases (RHD) and the increasing rate of lifestyle generative heart diseases among Ghanaians,” he said.
Prof Dr Charles Yankah, President of PASCaTS, making a presentation on RHD, explained that heart condition caused by untreated throat infection from the germ streptococcal can be easily prevented by adopting proper hygiene education in schools and at home, as well as promoting continuous awareness of the disease.
He mentioned that 40 to 60 percent of children and adolescents with previous history of acute rheumatic fever (ARF) which is caused by an infection of the throat by the streptococcal germ will develop RHD, which affects 33 million people around the world claiming 320,000 lives annually.
This mortality rate is said to be higher than those of rotaviruses, meningitis and hepatitis B and half of those with malaria.
Prof Dr Yankah, who also doubles as ambassador for the African region, World Health Summit (WHS), stated that the WHF has set a target of reducing the global burden of rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease around the world by 25 percent by 2025.
He stated how important it is for the public, especially Ghanaians, to know about the disease in order to take the necessary steps to prevent further infections.
“Let us make a bold effort towards sharing he knowledge we acquire on rheumatic heart diseases on this day to prevent and eradicate this deadly disease,” Prof Dr Yankah added.
Research finding on RHD from the Cape Coast Hospital was also shared with the audience.
By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri & Abigail Owiredu Boateng