The founder of Ropheka Foundation, Dr Mary Dei-Zanga, has urged Ghanaians, especially the youth, to pay attention to their health, especially the liver.
According to her, the organ performs over 500 functions in the body, hence the need to protect it.
Speaking to the DAILY HERITAGE after the launch of the foundation and her book titled ‘The Liver: The Unsung Hero’ in Accra, Dr Dei-Zanga reiterated the need for Ghanaians to pay attention to the food they eat daily.
She called for a change in lifestyle, especially among the youth, in order to reduce the amount of liver-related cases in the country.
Touching on some activities that increase liver diseases, Dr Dei-Zanga mentioned that “when you take in junk foods, excessive pain killers, and too much alcohol, then you are at risk.”
She further called on the government to invest more in the health industry to ensure that lives are saved in the country.
Though she expressed the view that the health centres in the country are doing their best to treat the liver, she lamented about the lack of equipment to handle such issues.
She further expressed dissatisfaction about struggles the poor and less privileged go through when seeking medical treatment.
“In my line of business as a doctor, I have witnessed situations where patients could not access medical health facility due to old age. In other case, extreme poverty inhibited people from accessing healthcare facilities which led to death,” she said.
This situation, she explained, was the reason for the establishment of the foundation, and expressed optimistism that the foundation will play its part in the development of the country.
Dr Dei-Zanga indicated that the foundation would focus on providing free health screening services for communities with much attention on the aged, feeding the less privileged and supporting brilliant needy students.
“In 10 years, we’ll like to set up a hospital for these people and we want to reach out to the less privileged people who have liver-related issues,” she told the paper.
Also speaking at the ceremony, former Minister for Local Government, and Rural Development Mr Kwesi Oppong-Fosu, highlighted the need for Ghanaians to support philanthropists.
“We sometimes contribute to things that are not relevant and do not have direct influence on the development of the country.
“We have to pay attention to things that will impact on our society positively and bring progress in our lives,” he said.
Source: Daily Heritage
