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 Ghanaians urged to reduce meat consumption to at least once a week

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A butcher at work

 Ghanaians have been urged to reduce meat consumption to at least once a week for their well-being and to prevent Non-Communicable Diseases (NDCs).

The Executive Director of Communication Initiative for Change, Mr Emmanuel Fiag­bey, said the practice would help in reducing the prevalence of heart diseases, diabetes, strokes, kidney diseases, obesi­ty, chronic illness, and certain cancers.

He made the call during a community education for women groups, community leaders, and chiefs at Nima on the ‘Meatless Monday’ cam­paign with support from the Center for Communication Programmes and the Center for Livable Future of Johns Hopkins University.

The campaign is a health initiative aimed at enabling Ghanaians to adopt the prac­tice of not consuming meat at least one day a week for their well-being and called on Gha­naians to embrace the “Meat­less Monday” campaign.

Mr Fiagbey said it was im­portant for people to consume fruits and vegetables on their ‘Meatless Monday’ as the prac­tice could lower cancer risk, prevent diabetes, and main­tain a healthy weight, among others.

He noted that rapid urban­isation and a growing affluent middle class were transforming Ghana’s dietary patterns, add­ing that Ghanaian urban dwell­ers were turning away from traditional food consumption to processed foods and exces­sive meat intake despite the associated health risks.

He said market projections indicated that meat consump­tion in Ghana, including beef, pork, chicken, goat meat, mutton, and bush meat, was expected to rise by 9.57 per cent annually, reaching a mar­ket volume of US$ 6.65 billion by 2029.

Studies from Harvard Uni­versity have shown that daily consumption of processed red meat, equivalent to the size of a deck of cards, is associated with a 30 per cent increased risk of death from heart disease.

“The meat markets in African countries are project­ed to expand significantly. In Rwanda, for example, the meat market is expected to grow by 5-7 per cent annually, reaching 6.65 billion dollars by 2029,” Mr Fiagbey said.

The Executive Director expressed concern about the low consumption of fruits and vegetables across Africa, citing that less than five per cent of people consume the recom­mended 400 grams of fruits and vegetables daily.

Mrs Catherine Adu-Asare, Programme Manager, Diet Healthy Lifestyle Programme Nutrition Department of the Ghana Health Service, edu­cating participants on NCDs, said the public needed to be mindful of too much meat consumption.

She said globally, the four main NCDs claiming many lives include cardiovascular diseases, cancer, respiratory diseases, and diabetes, adding that these conditions occurred due to lifestyle.

“Heart problems account for the highest mortality rate among non-communicable dis­eases, with 17.5 million people dying annually. Maintaining a good diet, regular physical activity, weight management, drinking alcohol in moder­ation, and living stress-free lives are crucial to preventing NCDs,” Mrs Adu-Asare said.

Mrs Elizabeth Esi Denyoh, the chairperson of the Inter­national Diabetes Federation (IDF) Africa Region, sensitised participants on healthy eating and diabetes prevention and management.

She said people needed to be active and eat well to avoid NCDs, adding that the number of people living with type two diabetes in the country was worrying and reiterated the need for regular exercise, change in lifestyle and culture to help reduce the risk.

—GNA

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 Tooth decay cases rises in Tema

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• Visit dentist regularly to avoid tooth decay

 Dr Kakra Bonsu Appiah, Head of the Dental and Oral Surgery Department at the Tema General Hospital, says tooth decay has become the most common dental problem affecting residents of Tema.

Dr Appiah mentioned that there have been more patients reporting with cavities, tooth­aches, and other compli­cations linked to poor oral hygiene.

He told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in an interview that tooth de­cay was caused by the breakdown of the tooth’s structure due to acids produced by bacteria in the mouth, which thrive on sugary foods and poor brushing habits, making good oral hygiene practices essential in preventing the disease.

“The most common cause of dental caries is poor oral hygiene. When you look at how dental caries form, you will understand that poor oral hygiene is the leading cause of dental caries; it is about leaving food debris around the teeth,” he stated.

Dr Appiah explained that many of the cases presented at the hospital could have been avoided through regular brushing, proper diet, and timely dental check-ups, emphasising that maintaining oral health was not just about having clean teeth but also plays a critical role in overall well-being.

He advised residents to brush their teeth at least twice a day with fluoride toothpaste, floss regularly to remove food particles between teeth, and reduce the intake of sugary snacks and drinks, as well as visit the dentist twice a year.

The dentist also expressed concern that people only visited the hospital when the pain became unbearable, urging Ghanaians to visit the dentist regularly to prevent emergencies.

Dr Appiah further appealed to parents to educate children on good oral hygiene practices from an early age and reduce their intake of sugary foods. —GNA

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Cake Tekniks holds 59th graduation ceremony

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About 30 students on Sunday graduated from the 59th gradua­tion ceremony of Cake Tekniks In­ternational, a privately-owned modern cake designing and sugar craft school in Accra.

During the ceremony, all gradu­ates were presented with certifi­cates while 13 of them also re­ceived professional diploma.

The founder of Cake Tekniks International, Mrs Jane Addo, said her outfit was dedicated to pro­viding world standard skills, knowledge and hands-on training necessary for one to succeed worldwide in the culinary industry.

Mrs Jane Addo addressing students and guests at the ceremony

She encouraged the students to embrace the opportunities, challenges and experiences, mindful of the fact that they are well-equipped.

“Hold your heads up while you build a goodwill between your clients and your­selves,” she added.

Mrs Addo said the school was pas­sionate about fostering the culture of creativity, motivation and excellence with the belief that every student had the potential to make a lasting impact in the culinary world.

The founder and leader of QA Con­sult, Mr Johnson Opoku-Boateng, said graduation was a witness to the unveil­ing of talents, passion and hard work and testament to months of dedication and hands-on-learning.

He urged the graduands to ensure that their cakes were safe and good for human health and that their success would be dependent on how well they serve, create and grow.

The event also saw the exhibition of cakes and pastries by the students.

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 Volta College Foundation donates GH¢9,000 to 9-yr-old fire victim

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Some members of the foundation with Mr Dumevi and a staff of the hospital
Some members of the foundation with Mr Dumevi and a staff of the hospital

 A delegation from the Volta College Foun­dation, a non-govern­mental organisation, has donated GH¢9,000.00 to the family of nine-year-old Victoria Atsoribo, who suffered severe burns in a fire accident at home.

The donation was made at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, where Victoria is currently on admission and undergoing treatment.

Led by women’s or­ganiser of the foundation, Madam Mawulawoe Ame­dorme and Deputy PRO, Ms Rebecca Gollo, the delegation said the NGO launched a support cam­paign for Victoria, with the aim to ease the finan­cial burden on Victoria and her family.

Madam Amedorme said “thanks to the overwhelm­ing generosity of our members and the general public, we were able to raise funds to support her treatment and recovery.”

Receiving the dona­tion, Victoria’s uncle, Mr Bright Danquah Dumevi, expressed gratitude to the leadership and members of the foundation for their kindness and support.

He said Victoria was transferred from Marga­ret Marquart Hospital in Kpando to Korle Bu Teach­ing Hospital in Accra for specialised care.

According to Mr Dume­vi, Victoria was currently undergoing planned staged skin grafting (surgery) as part of her treatment.

Your kind gesture has made a profound impact on her recovery journey, bringing hope and joy to her healing process.

He said the contribu­tions from the foundation will help in taking care of Victoria’s bills, adding that “your support has allevi­ated a significant portion of the financial burden associated with her treat­ment, allowing her family to focus on her recovery.

He also appealed to the general public, be­nevolent individuals, and organisations to continue extending their support to Victoria to aid her recov­ery.

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