Government has been urged to promote preventive medicine and herbal treatment other than curative healthcare, to boost the life expectancy rate of the citizenry.
This has become necessary as Ghana placed 166 out of 201 countries with life expectancy for both sexes at 64.53 years, females, 66.72 years, and males, 66.37 years, according to Worldometre life expectancy ranking for 2023.
Also, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) ranked Ghana 180 out of 227 countries in terms of life expectancy birth.
The President of the Nyarkotey University College of Holistic Medicine and Technology, Professor Raphael Nyarkotey Obu, who made the call, noted that countries like China and Japan had a higher life expectancy rate not only because of their genes, but also because they relied on local diet, good environment, and green tea.
He was speaking at the 4th edition of the West African Nobles Forum (WANF) on health, organised on the theme: “Coping with old age and lifestyle killer diseases,” by the Forum for its eminent members, and non-members, from the field of academia, health and business, on Thursday in Accra.
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Prof. Obu stressed that the consumption of local foods, protection of the environment, and use of hibiscus powder or tea in the treatment of NCDs was important because Ghana had low life expectancy rate as compared to other countries such as Japan and China, which had a life expectancy of 84 years.
He advocated the use of hibiscus powder or tea ‘sobolo’ in the treatment of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as high blood pressure, to improve the country’s life expectancy rate.
Prof. Obu said that hibiscus powder or tea, has a high potency of improving life expectancy compared to the green tea relied on by some Asian countries due to its antioxidant ability, hence, the need for it to be promoted in Ghana.
He noted that “So, if the Japanese and those in Asia are drinking green tea, why don’t we promote another version of the green tea that we have here. I reviewed another paper that put ‘sobolo’, hibiscus powder or tea ahead of green tea in terms of its antioxidant ability”.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of First Klass Hospital, Dr Steve Ogborjor, called for improvement in the country’s healthcare system, and urged the citizenry to be mindful of their lifestyle and ensure proper eating habits.
He reminded the public that “as doctors, we only manage diseases like diabetes and hypertension, but we do not cure it.”
Dr Craig Slapinski of the Spine and Nerve Centre, Ghana, entreated the public to engage in swimming, walking, and other activities to enhance their movement and protect their spinal cord.
The Vanuatu Trade Commissioner to Ghana, Professor Hugh Keku Aryee, who shared his experience in relation to the theme on the forum, thanked WANF for organising the forum, and promised to support subsequent events.
The Vice-President of WANF, Dr Joseph Obeng, urged the participants to put into practice the advice given by the health experts.
The Executive Director of WANF, Dr Dee Otibu Asare, said the theme for the forum was chosen due to the number of old aged members who passed on during the outbreak of COVID-19.
Ambassador Professor Hugh Keku Aryee, Mr Kingsley Kyere and Mr Anthony Ameka, all members of WANF, received awards of plaques for their meritorious services to the group.
BY BENJAMIN
ARCTON-TETTEY
