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Check blood pressure regularly – Specialist advises
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Dr. Mrs. Lenusia Ahlijah
A Specialist Family Physician, Dr Mrs Lenusia Ahlijah has said that, it is important for every adult especially those above the age of 35 to check their blood pressure at least once a year.
“If you happen to have a family history of hypertension, then it is advisable to check your blood pressure more frequently” she said.
Dr Ahlijah in an interview with The Spectator on Sunday raised concerns that issues of blood pressure were not being given the urgent attention it deserved and more dangerously, there were people who did not even know that they were hypertensive because they do not check their blood pressure.
“Blood pressure is simply the force of blood pushing against the walls of a person’s blood vessels (arteries). If that pressure is too high, the condition is known as hypertension ” she said.
She said it was a condition that showed as a person grew older and was dangerous because it made the heart work harder to pump blood around the body leading to damage of the arteries.
“This results in conditions such as heart attack, stroke and kidney failure” she said.
Dr Ahlijah said even though the exact cause of hypertension was not known, there were several factors and conditions that may play a role in its development and mentioned ageing, genetics, chronic kidney disorders, excessive alcohol consumption and smoking as some of the factors.
Other factors she said included stress, family history of hypertension, too much salt in diet and lack of physical exercise resulting in obesity.
The Specialist Family Physician said some of the symptoms were severe headache, fatigue or confusion, blood in urine, irregular heartbeat, difficulty in breathing, chest pains and vision problems.
She said persons who were at risk of developing hypertension were those who smoked, pregnant women, women on oral contraceptives, people about 35 years and above as well as people with sedentary lifestyle, among others.
Dr Ahlijah said weight reduction, smoking cessation, decreasing stress, restriction of salt and fat intake and increase in aerobic activities could manage the disease and advised that adherence to treatment was important in order to avoid the complications of hypertension.
“It may be suicidal to stop taking your anti hypertensive medications without first discussing it with your doctor” she cautioned.
From Dzifa Tetteh Tay, Tema
General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Justin Kodua Frimpong, has filed his nomination to contest the position of General Secretary again as the party begins its rebuilding efforts ahead of the 2028 general elections.
He was accompanied by party stalwarts and supporters who were in high spirits, expressing confidence that he is the right person to hold the position.
Speaking after filing his nomination, Mr Kodua Frimpong assured the rank and file of the party that he would not disappoint them.
“I can assure you that the faith the rank and file of the party have had in me, I will never disappoint them,” he said.
He also pledged to run a clean campaign devoid of personal attacks.
“I can assure you that our internal campaign will be devoid of personal attacks,” he told his fellow contestants and the rank and file of the party as he seeks to retain his position.
His tenure has seen the party through the 2024 general elections, where the NPP lost power to the National Democratic Congress (NDC) after eight years in government.
The party is currently in a rebuilding phase, with internal elections scheduled to elect new national executives to lead its reorganization towards the 2028 polls.
The General Secretary position is considered one of the most influential in the party’s administrative structure, responsible for the day-to-day running of the party secretariat and implementation of party decisions.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
The University of Ghana Medical Centre (UGMC) has disputed claims made on social media by comedian Michael Blackson concerning the treatment given to his late mother, saying a review found that the allegations did not accurately reflect what happened during her stay at the hospital.
In a statement issued in Accra on August 5, 2026, the management of UGMC expressed condolences to Mr. Blackson and his family over the death of his 83-year-old mother, who died at the facility on July 16, 2026.
The hospital said it had taken the concerns raised by Mr. Blackson seriously and conducted a thorough review in line with its clinical and administrative procedures.
According to the statement, the facts presented by Mr. Blackson on social media contained “numerous inaccuracies” and did not accurately reflect the medical care provided to his mother.
UGMC explained that she was referred to the facility from another hospital and received treatment there from May 27 to July 16, 2026, a period of about eight weeks.
The hospital stated that it would not release details of her diagnosis, treatment, medical records or other aspects of her care because it had a duty to protect patient confidentiality, even after death.
It said the decision was intended to respect the dignity of the deceased and the privacy of her family.
UGMC further stated that all clinical decisions at the facility are made by qualified healthcare professionals based on medical judgment, established standards of care and the best interests of the patient.
The statement added that such decisions are made in consultation with authorised family representatives where necessary and that billing and financial procedures are governed by institutional policies and are separate from clinical decision-making.
The hospital noted that it values feedback from patients and their families and considers both positive and negative comments important for improving the quality of care.
Mr. Blackson had earlier used social media to criticise the care his mother received at UGMC, prompting the hospital’s response.
By: Jacob Aggrey
