Ecobank Ghana staff hold walk to draw attention to non-communicable diseases

Accra, Nov. 12, GNA – Staff of Ecobank Ghana and various stakeholders on Saturday held a health walk to draw public attention to non-communicable diseases (NCD) and their prevention and treatment.

The walk is also to mark world Diabetes Day, which falls on 14th November, 2019.

Ecobank on October 5 this year launched a three-year health campaign on the theme: “Preventing Non-Communicable Diseases in African Communities.”

The four-kilometre walk, which had representatives from the Ministry of Health, and the Ghana Health Services and the National Diabetes Association as well as the NCD Alliance, took the participants from the Ecobank Head office through the Ministries to the Osu Military Cemetery area.

 Mr Daniel Sackey, the Managing Director of Ecobank Ghana, said the walk was to further raise awareness on non-communicable diseases, adding that, the main objective was to enhance the prevention, management and control of NCDs among staff and stakeholders.

He encouraged the staff and stakeholders to cultivate the habit of staying active and healthy.

NCDs are chronic diseases which are not passed from person to person. The main types are cardiovascular diseases (like heart attacks or strokes), all cancers, respiratory diseases (e.g. asthma); diabetes; and mental and neurological health conditions (including depression and dementia).

NCDs are already the leading cause of death worldwide and the number of cases is growing rapidly across Africa.

According to the World Health Organisation NCDs are responsible for over 30 per cent of all reported adult deaths in most African countries.

Substantial evidence shows that higher levels of physical activity lower the risks of getting several cancers and other NCDs.

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