President John Dramani Mahama has pledged to strengthen Ghana’s public health systems to better protect the nation against potential future pandemics, warning of health threats worsened by the ongoing climate crisis.
Speaking during his inauguration ceremony at Black Star Square on January 7, President Mahama outlined his vision for a more resilient healthcare system, emphasizing the need for proactive measures to safeguard Ghanaians from emerging global health threats.
In his address, he highlighted the connection between climate change and public health risks, warning of the resurgence of long-dormant viruses due to environmental changes.
“With the increase of the climate crisis, there is a likelihood of viruses that have been thought to be extinct for decades to begin to spread and create another pandemic,” Mahama stated.
The President also reflected on the devastating impact past epidemics have had on families and communities, particularly in neighboring countries, underscoring the importance of preparedness.
“This is a serious challenge, and so let us not forget the toll that the past epidemics of viruses had on families and communities in our neighbouring countries,” he remarked.
He assured Ghanaians that his government would take proactive steps to reinforce public health infrastructure and closely monitor global health developments.
“To that end, my government will be working diligently to strengthen our public health systems while monitoring the global health situation so that when the next pandemic or epidemic occurs, the loss will be minimal,” Mahama affirmed.
A recent study, has shown that people with type 2 diabetes should exercise in the afternoon rather than the morning to control their blood sugar.
“In this study, we (have) shown that adults with type 2 diabetes had the greatest improvement in glucose control when they were most active in the afternoon,” co-corresponding author Dr. Jingyi Qian, from the Division of Sleep and Circadian Disorders at Massachusetts’ Brigham and Women’s Hospital, said in a statement.
“We’ve known that physical activity is beneficial, but what our study adds is a new understanding that timing of activity may be important too,” Qian added.
More than 2,400 people with type 2 diabetes who were overweight and wore waist accelerometers to record their physical activity were studied by a team of researchers from Brigham and Joslin Diabetes Center. The accelerometers measure vibration or acceleration of motion.
After reviewing data from the first year of the study, researchers found that those who did “moderate-to-vigorous” physical activity in the afternoon had the greatest reduction in blood glucose levels.
According to Harvard’s School of Public Health, examples of “moderate” activity include brisk walking, mowing the lawn with a power mower and playing badminton recreationally, while “vigorous” activity includes hiking, fast jogging, a basketball or soccer game or cycling at 14-16 miles per hour.
You can tell if you are exercising at a moderate aerobic level if you’re able to talk but not sing your favorite song, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
When looking at data from the fourth year of the study, the team found that those who exercised in the afternoon maintained a reduction in blood glucose levels, and had the highest chance of being able to stop taking glucose-lowering diabetes medication.
According to the World Health Organization, type 2 diabetes, which is the most prevalent variety of the disease, develops when the body either stops producing enough insulin or becomes resistant to it.
It is primarily found in adults and is linked to advanced age, obesity, familial history, inactivity, and race/ethnicity.
Diabetes patients run the risk of developing consequences like nerve damage, eye and hearing issues, kidney disease, heart disease, and early death.
The study’s authors note that the observational study does come with limitations, as it didn’t measure sleep or diet.
“Timing does seem to matter,” said co-corresponding author Dr. Roeland Middelbeek, assistant investigator at Joslin Diabetes Center. “Going forward, we may have more data and experimental evidence for patients to give more personalized recommendations.”
Dr. Lucy Chambers, Head of Research Communications at Diabetes UK, said of the study: “Keeping physically active can help people with type 2 diabetes manage their blood sugar levels and reduce their risk of developing serious diabetes-related complications such as heart disease and kidney failure, as well as improving their overall wellbeing.
Chambers, who was not involved with the study, emphasized the need for people to exercise where they can.
“This new research found that regular ‘moderate-to-vigorous’ physical activity – whether in the morning, midday, afternoon or evening – was associated with lower average blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes. Afternoon exercise was linked with the greatest benefits but the reasons for this are unclear and current evidence on optimal times for exercising is mixed.
“If you’re living with type 2 diabetes, the most important thing is to find an exercise you enjoy and that you can incorporate into your routine in the long-term – whether it’s before work, on your lunch break, or in the evening,” she added.
A Public Health Professor has stressed the importance of the public making deliberate endeavors to address the factors that contribute to the high prevalence ofnon-communicable diseases(NCDs) in the country.
During the 2023 Joseph S. Agyepong Distinguished Lecture on Public Health in Africa held in Accra, Professor Peter Lamptey emphasized the personal responsibility of individuals in controlling the alarming levels of non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
He stated that the causes of these diseases are often attributed to the actions and inactions of those who suffer from them, highlighting the need for individuals to take control.
Professor Lamptey pointed out that while Africa still grapples with a significant burden of communicable diseases, there is a rapidly increasing prevalence of NCDs such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, respiratory diseases, and mental health disorders.
Consequently, there is an urgent need to address the risk factors associated with NCDs.
The professor highlighted tobacco use, excessive alcohol consumption, unhealthy dietary practices, and physical inactivity as some of the risk factors.
He stressed the importance of personal responsibility in disease prevention rather than relying solely on medical professionals and healthcare systems for cure.
In summary,Professor Lamptey emphasized the need for individuals to personally take charge of reducing the risk factors associated with non-communicable diseases and acknowledged the growing burden of NCDs in Africa alongside the existing burden of communicable diseases.
“We cannot rely on doctors or the health systems, the onus is on us,” he said.
An Associate Professor at the University of Ghana’s School of Public Health, Richmond Aryeetey, has admitted that a significant proportion of the Ghanaian populace is food-insecure.
According to him, this is happening despite the government’s flagship programme Planting for Foods and Jobs (PFJ).
He said there is a difference between food supply and food security, explaining that food supply is a component of food security.
Prof Aryeetey stressed that the government’s PFJ forms part of the food supply chain.
He explained that this is an indication that people may not be eating right.
The nutritionist said 20 to 40 per cent of the Ghanaian population is food-insecure.
In his view, food inflation is making it difficult for people to consume quality food in recent times.
These have health implications for the country, he warned.
For instance, he pointed out that as a consequence, many Ghanaians are taking risks regarding eating right.
“People make difficult decisions on how many times they will eat in a day,” he lamented.
The Associate Professor made these comments while reacting to the World Bank’s report that one-third of Ghana’s population skips a meal a day.
He spoke on the 505 news hosted by Korku Lumor on Class 91.3 FM on Thursday, October 6, 2022.
He noted that not eating right could make people not think right
