Health Essentials
DUMP these medicines; Save lives!
Accidental poisoning of children at home, starting point of drug abuse by teenagers at home and uninformed self-medication have one thing in common; in all three unused or unwanted medicines are likely culprits. The harm we cause when we fail to properly dispose of medicines we do not need is crippling.
So many people have out of fear or anxiety converted their homes into mini-pharmacies where medicines that are supposed to keep us alive are stocked. COVID-19 worsened this practice and no-bed syndrome also plays a role.
Some of these medications may end up complicating our conditions as we self-diagnose and treat ourselves with what “the all-knowing “social media curb-side doctors prescribe.
From “blood-thinners” including aspirin to steroids, antibiotics, assorted supplements, ivermectin, hydroxychloroquine and even tanks filled with oxygen have found their way into homes. People including children will now “consume” some of these medicines and any left-overs may be accidentally taken, given out to family and friends with “similar” symptoms etc.
We all run the risk of abusing drugs and unfortunately some may end up indulging in “hard drugs.”
Prior to COVID-19 many of us had turned our homes into dumping sites for medicines and we have now expanded our range of supplies. We seem to develop “unholy” attachments to drugs and end up keeping them for years even when they have long expired. I have had several unpleasant requests to identify a drug that is partly decomposed and has no name on its container. Unfortunately I have on all occasions refused to even make an attempt. My trade may teach me many things about humans and medicines but it also teaches me to be wary whenever I attempt to play Sherlock Holmes especially with medicines that are not labelled.
I took another look at “DUMP”, which is acronym for “disposal of unused/unwanted medicines programme.” I must admit I was extremely impressed with the usefulness of the DUMP. Many countries have tried a variety of approaches including self-disposal but I think the option that is being promoted in Ghana by Dr Edward Amporful, Cocoa Clinic and other patrons is exceptional. In my candid opinion every hospital, company and home should adopt this programme.
All you need to do is to return all unused/unwanted or even expired medicines to participating hospitals. Put these medicines in labelled receptacles or bins that are provided. You do not need to disclose your identity, just walk away because your work is done. The necessary arrangements have been made with the relevant regulatory bodies for the safe disposal of such medicines.
Sounds absolutely simple yet this has the potential to save lives; that baby who could have accidentally swallowed some of these medicines is still alive and the teen who would eventually have been hooked on stronger drugs is spared the agony.
I think bins should be in all offices so that staff could drop off their medicines and the appropriate steps taken. Market places could also have these bins available and locked and properly secured to prevent people taking the boxes away. Even homes can have a similar bin for discarding and then periodically taken to participating hospitals/clinics. Unused or unwanted medicines should not find their way into a First Aid Box, they don’t belong there.
How do we amass “riches” in unused, unwanted or even expired medicines?
• We may not adhere to the right dose of the medicine thus we end up accumulating medicines at home.
• Sometimes our healthcare provider may make changes to medicines especially when we have chronic diseases such as high blood pressure but we do not return the old ones to the hospital but instead keep them at home.
• Sometimes we react to a drug and stop taking it, leaving the excess at home. I am not sure why we keep these at home when we are aware we are no longer going to use them.
• …and now we stock medicines for fear that we may not have access to some when we have an emergency. Our excuse is that many people are hoarding social-media proposed life-saving medication. After all we are all still learning.
In support of ‘DUMP’
• A frequent cause of accidental poisoning of children at home is having unused/unwanted or expired medicines within their reach. I have seen children rushed to the emergency room for this reason. Some were lucky to live while others had their exciting life cut short. Start DUMP today and help save lives. Even adults sometimes end up with complications because they assumed a drug was used for something completely different.
• People tend to play doctor or pharmacist at home because they pass on unused medicines to family and friends. This is often the starting point of uninformed self-medication. Many people are unaware that doses and types of medicines needed do not depend only on having an illness that appears similar to what another person on a particular medicine was given.
• When unused or unwanted medicines are improperly disposed of, they may eventually end up polluting water bodies etc. Start DUMP and make a statement on protecting our water bodies.
• Drug resistance is often a consequence of abuse of medicines such as antibiotics and anti-malarias. Kofi starts medicine required to be taken for one week and feels better after three days so he stops. A few days or weeks later Awo appears to have a similar illness so Kofi gives her the medicines left for four days. The process of developing drug resistance has just taken off.
• Keeping expired medicines at home may lead to unsuspecting people taking them and they may end up with additional problems.
• Improper storage of medicines may affect its potency. A typical example is keeping medicine that needs to be refrigerated in a hot room instead. Return these medicines.
We could jeopardise our health or that of others just because we are keeping unused or unwanted medicines. STOP. THINK. JOIN DUMP TODAY! You will be saving lives.
AS ALWAYS LAUGH OFTEN, ENSURE HYGIENE, WALK AND PRAY EVERYDAY AND REMEMBER IT’S A PRICELESS GIFT TO KNOW YOUR NUMBERS (blood sugar, blood pressure, blood cholesterol, BMI)
Dr. Kojo Cobba Essel
Health Essentials Ltd/ Medics Clinic
*Dr. Essel is a Medical Doctor with a keen interest in Lifestyle Medicine, He holds an MBA and is an ISSA Specialist in Exercise Therapy, Fitness Nutrition and Corrective Exercise. He is the author of the award-winning book, ‘Unravelling The Essentials of Health & Wealth.’
Thought for the week –“IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY you may need someone to be alerted. Since majority of us own cellphones, plan your own rescue by saving this person’s phone number preceded with “ICE.” An example is ICE Kojo Essel.The more people we have who know about “ice” the better for us all. Spread the news!!”
References/Credit:
• Dr. Edward Amporful, Cocoa Clinic.
• www.healthessentialsgh.com
It feels like Christmas of last year was just a couple of weeks ago. The reality though is that we celebrated what is arguably the most adored season of the year well over 300 days ago.
Many of us put ourselves in tight corners, saddling our families with debt and avoidable hardships in the early weeks of the New Year.
Quite often we discuss what to do to improve our health and this is one of those days when discussing the things to avoid comes to the fore. If we can start these today, we will have a great Christmas season and open doors to a wonderful new year.
What should we avoid so that we will not drain our energy?
- Focusing on the past
- Not getting adequate sleep
- Not drinking enough water but loading yourself with alcohol, caffeine and energy drinks
- Spending all your time working and leaving no time to rest and socialize
- Not being physically active
- Spending all your time behind screens, TV, phone, computer. Making social media king
- Eating junk food most of the time
- Being resentful, negative or surrounding yourself with people who see no good in anything
- Creating clutter and a mess wherever you are
- Trying hard to impress others
The list is endless but if you find a way to avoid the above and tap into the ones below, you will be on a great path to a Merry Christmas and a happy, healthy and successful new year.
Do these for sure:
- Listen to great relaxing music; start your Christmas carols early even if no one else is playing them (but any other relaxing music will do. I believe in the power of Music Therapy)
- Spend time in nature and get some sunlight if you are lucky to be in a place where it’s in abundance
- Make time to rest and meditate (pray and read your Bible after all its Christ’s birthday)
- Move as often as possible and make time to do deep belly breathing
- Be positive
- Surround yourself with people who make you happy
- Get adequate sleep
- Eat healthy food as often as possible and drink a lot of water
- Be grateful for what you have
- Make sure you avoid clutter
I hope these tips will help you stay in the best state of your life and remember to continue doing these for the rest of your life. Does that sound too difficult?
AS ALWAYS LAUGH OFTEN, ENSURE HYGIENE, WALK AND PRAY EVERYDAY AND REMEMBER IT’S A PRICELESS GIFT TO KNOW YOUR NUMBERS (blood sugar, blood pressure, blood cholesterol, BMI)
Dr. Kojo Cobba Essel
Health Essentials Ltd/ Medics Clinic
(dressel@healthessentialsgh.com)
*Dr. Essel is a Medical Doctor with a keen interest in Lifestyle Medicine, He holds an MBA and is an ISSA Specialist in Exercise Therapy, Fitness Nutrition and Corrective Exercise. He is the author of the award-winning book, ‘Unravelling The Essentials of Health & Wealth.’
Thought for the week – “WHERE YOU LIVE SHOULD NOT DETERMINE IF YOU LIVE.”- WHO
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Teenage Hypertension: The silent threat to Ghana’s young generation
For many Ghanaian teenagers, high blood pressure may seem like a health problem for their parents and grandparents. But as unhealthy eating habits, excess weight and increasingly sedentary lifestyles become concerns for younger populations, protecting heart health during adolescence deserves greater attention.
The danger is that hypertension can develop without obvious symptoms. A teenager may feel perfectly healthy while elevated blood pressure goes undetected, potentially delaying medical assessment and appropriate care.
Although not every teenager with unhealthy habits will develop hypertension, early awareness, healthy lifestyle choices and appropriate blood pressure checks can help reduce future cardiovascular risks.
A growing concern
Hypertension, commonly known as high blood pressure, is a major public health concern worldwide. The World Health Organisation identifies it as an important contributor to premature death, largely because it increases the risk of serious cardiovascular complications.
While the condition is often associated with adulthood, the factors that contribute to its development can begin much earlier in life.
Frequent consumption of foods high in salt, poor dietary habits, excess body weight and insufficient physical activity can undermine cardiovascular health. Family history and certain underlying medical conditions may also increase an individual’s risk.
For teenagers, therefore, the conversation about hypertension should extend beyond hospital visits and include the everyday habits that shape their health.
When lifestyle choices become a concern
Adolescence is a period when young people begin making more independent decisions about what they eat, how they spend their leisure time and how physically active they are.
Convenience foods, processed meals, salty snacks and sugary drinks may become regular features of their diets. At the same time, long hours spent on mobile phones, computers and other digital devices can leave less time for physical activity.
Academic demands and inadequate sleep may further affect their general well-being.
These habits do not automatically lead to hypertension. However, when unhealthy diets and physical inactivity contribute to excess weight, they can increase the risk of high blood pressure, particularly among people with other predisposing factors.
Recognising these risks early offers families, schools and health professionals an opportunity to encourage healthier choices before unhealthy patterns become established.
What Ghana’s cardiovascular health figures reveal
A cardiologist and Senior Lecturer at the University of Ghana Medical School, Professor Alfred Doku, in an interview highlighted the seriousness of cardiovascular disease in Ghana, citing figures indicating that it accounted for approximately 43 to 50 per cent of deaths in the country.
He also stated that about 30 per cent of Ghanaian adults had hypertension, with approximately 70 per cent of those affected unaware of their condition.
Although these figures concern adults and the wider population rather than teenagers specifically, they point to the importance of improving awareness, screening and early detection of high blood pressure.
Professor Doku urged people to know their blood pressure readings and monitor other important health indicators, including blood sugar, cholesterol levels and body weight.
His advice underscores the importance of understanding personal health risks rather than waiting for illness to become apparent before seeking medical attention.
For adolescents, any blood pressure reading that raises concern should be assessed by a qualified health professional. Because blood pressure varies with age, growth and other factors, its interpretation in children and teenagers requires appropriate clinical assessment.
The danger of a condition without obvious symptoms
The Head of the National Cardiothoracic Centre, Dr Kow Entsua-Mensah, also stressed the importance of awareness and early detection in addressing cardiovascular disease.
He explained that hypertension could remain undetected for years because affected individuals might not experience noticeable symptoms.
Dr Entsua-Mensah noted that several factors, including diabetes, high cholesterol, obesity, physical inactivity, unhealthy diets, tobacco use and harmful alcohol consumption, could contribute to cardiovascular damage over time.
He called for greater public awareness of the importance of checking blood pressure and other health indicators before complications develop.
The challenge with hypertension is that the absence of symptoms can create a false sense of security. People may assume they are healthy simply because they feel well, overlooking the need for preventive health checks.
Dr Entsua-Mensah emphasised that addressing cardiovascular disease required cooperation among healthcare professionals, government institutions, schools, businesses, community organisations and the media.
Such collaboration is particularly important for young people, whose health habits are influenced by their homes, schools, peer groups and the wider environment.
Small habits, lasting benefits
Professor Doku said many cases of heart disease and stroke could be prevented or their risks reduced through appropriate lifestyle changes and effective management of contributing factors.
He encouraged young people to reduce their salt intake, eat balanced meals, exercise regularly and avoid smoking.
Describing hypertension as a silent threat, he warned that people should not wait for symptoms before taking their blood pressure seriously.
Hypertension, he stressed, could have serious consequences, including heart failure and stroke, when left undetected or inadequately managed.
For teenagers, protecting heart health does not necessarily require complicated routines. It begins with practical, everyday decisions: eating a balanced diet, choosing foods with less salt, participating in regular physical activity and getting adequate sleep.
Avoiding tobacco products and maintaining a healthy weight are also important steps towards reducing cardiovascular risks.
Young people who are diagnosed with hypertension should follow the advice of their healthcare providers and take prescribed medication as directed. Lifestyle changes can support treatment, but they should not replace medication when it is medically necessary.
Parents have an important role to play by encouraging healthy eating and physical activity at home. Schools can contribute by providing opportunities for exercise, promoting health education and making nutritious food choices more accessible to students.
Healthcare professionals, meanwhile, can help identify young people who may be at risk, assess abnormal readings and guide families on appropriate follow-up care.
Protecting the next generation
Addressing hypertension among young people requires more than individual effort. It calls for a coordinated response involving families, schools, healthcare providers, policymakers and the media.
Public education should challenge the perception that high blood pressure is exclusively an older person’s condition. Teenagers need accurate information about cardiovascular health, the factors that increase their risk and the importance of seeking professional advice when necessary.
Appropriate screening and follow-up care can also help identify elevated blood pressure and ensure that young people who need medical attention receive it.
However, the extent of hypertension among Ghanaian teenagers should not be inferred from statistics relating to adults. Reliable, age-specific national data are needed to establish the scale of the problem and guide targeted interventions.
That evidence gap makes it important to approach the subject with both urgency and accuracy: raising awareness of the risks without exaggerating what is known about their prevalence among adolescents.
For Ghana’s young generation, the message is clear. Feeling healthy does not always mean that blood pressure is normal, and good cardiovascular health should not be left until adulthood.
By encouraging healthier habits, improving access to appropriate health checks and making reliable information available to young people, Ghana can take meaningful steps towards protecting the heart health of its next generation.
By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu
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