Ministry of Health to mark World Heart Day with awareness Walk

The Ministry of Health will mark the 2024 World Heart Day on Friday, September 27, at the Ministry's auditorium, concluding with a health walk on Saturday, September 28, 2024. The walk will start from Ridge Hospital and end at Independence Square.

The initiative aims to raise awareness, promote early detection, and advocate for multi-stakeholder action on heart health.

The event, in collaboration with key partners such as the World Heart Federation, Ghana Health Service, the Ghanaian Society of Cardiology, and the Stroke Association Support Network, will run under the theme, "Use Heart for Action".

According to a press statement issued by the Chief Director, Hafiz Adam, the goal is to address the rising cases of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), which are the leading cause of death and are linked to risk factors like high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, and unhealthy diets.

"And there is hope: 80% of premature deaths from CVD are preventable. Practicing healthy lifestyle by eating healthy meals including fruits and vegetables, engaging in regular physical activity, avoiding alcohol and tobacco use, reducing intake of highly processed and salted foods, maintaining a healthy body weight, reducing stress levels, and self-monitoring blood pressure regularly, we can reduce our risks of CVD and better manage our heart health", he stated.