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Check blood pressure regularly – Specialist advises
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
The prosecution has officially rested its case in The Republic v Solomon Asamoah & Another, the high-profile legal battle commonly referred to as the “Sky Train” case.
The Deputy Attorney General Justice Srem Sai announced the development, praising the state’s team of hard-working prosecutors for successfully anchoring the state’s evidence before the High Court.
The criminal trial centers on the former Chief Executive Officer and the former Board Chairman of the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF).
The duo stands accused of illegally authorizing and paying out US$2 million to a foreign company without obtaining board directives or other mandatory statutory approvals.
State investigators have confirmed that the disbursed millions cannot be found.
Following the closure of the prosecution’s case, the accused persons moved the court for an opportunity to file a submission of no case.
The presiding judge granted the application, ordering the defense to submit their arguments by June 8.
The outcome of the June 8 filings will decide the fate of the trial:
With this, if the judge finds the defense’s submission convincing, the accused will be acquitted and discharged however, If the judge dismisses the submission, the court will order the accused officials to take the stand and explain why they should not face prison sentences.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
Member of Parliament for Akuapem North, Sammy Awuku, has expressed deep sorrow following the sudden passing of Isaac Batsa, the constituency secretary for the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) lawmaker issued a statement on Tuesday reacting to the news, which has shocked the local political community.
Mr.Awuku praised the late NDC secretary for his bipartisan approach to local governance.
He noted that despite their different political affiliations, Batsa consistently rose above party lines to serve the constituency with diligence.
The MP revealed that the news was particularly shocking given that he had last interacted with Batsa just three days prior on Saturday.
Concluding his statement, Sammy Awuku extended his heartfelt condolences to Batsa’s family, the constituency and regional executives, and the entire NDC fraternity, wishing the deceased peaceful eternal rest.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
