A General Practitioner at St. Michael's Specialist Hospital, Dr. Catherine Amofa, has emphasized the importance of regular checkups and encouraged Ghanaians to visit the hospital for this purpose.

She highlighted that conditions like hypertension and diabetes are silent killers with various complications, including organ failure.

Dr. Amofa provided this advice during a health screening event organized by the hospital to raise awareness about hypertension, hepatitis B, and diabetes.

She further explained that hypertension can affect the brain, leading to strokes, the heart, resulting in heart failure, and the kidneys, potentially causing kidney failure.

“It can even give you neuropathic diseases that involve the nerves and blood vessels. It can also go as far as destroying your eyesight,” she added.

According to Dr. Amofa, hypertension is particularly common among black individuals, especially Africans.

She noted that sedentary lifestyles, poor diets, and insufficient rest are major contributing factors to this condition. Dr. Amofa urged the public to be mindful of their diet, engage in regular exercise, ensure sufficient rest, and maintain proper hydration by drinking water adequately.

These lifestyle adjustments can help reduce the risk of hypertension and promote overall well-being.

“The Ghanaian diet lately is made in such a way that if you do not take care, you will hardly get a balanced meal. The fats, oils, and salt contents in most of our staple foods are quite high.  “You do not have to join a gym to exercise. Just a little bit of cardio a few minutes a day, makes quite a difference,” the General Practitioner stated.