GJA @ 75: Association organises free health screening for journalists in Tema

Pleasant Medical Centre has organised a health screening for the Tema Region of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) to enable them to know their health status. 

Members of the association were screened for Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) including high blood pressure, diabetes, prostate and cervical cancer.

The programme formed part of the 75th anniversary celebration of the GJA. Physician Assistant at the Pleasant Medical Centre, Rocky Tettedzie, who led the medical team, in an interview with the Daily Graphic, underscored the need for Ghanaians to go for regular health check-ups to enable them to know their health status.

This, he stressed, would offer them the opportunity to treat diseases early to save costs and become healthy to increase productivity. He advised media practitioners and Ghanaians in general to adopt healthy eating habits to reduce contracting lifestyle illnesses.

He said a healthy lifestyle was essential, adding that at a point in one’s life, it was important to limit the intake of certain foods to avoid certain illnesses.

Stress management

He called on journalists to keep checking their stressors and create time to de-stress, eat balanced diets regularly and always go for health check-ups, especially for high blood pressure.

The President of the Tema Region of the GJA, Dzifa Tetteh Tay, said the constant pressure by journalists to meet deadlines and other occupational exposure to risks, directly and indirectly, affected their health.

She said because journalists were always on the move trying to meet deadlines, depriving themselves of sleep and irregular eating patterns, the leadership of the association decided to organise the health screening exercise to highlight the importance of regular health checkups.

Mrs Tay said good health was the most valuable possession an individual could have in their life, hence she called on her colleague journalists to prioritise their wellbeing.

She mentioned other activities lined up for the GJA 75th anniversary celebration to include a lecture and sporting activities with some of its stakeholders in the industrial enclave.

Writer’s email: Benjamin.glover@graphic.com.gh