US Embassy organize health screening for workers

Accra, April 28, GNA - The United States Embassy in Accra on Wednesday organized a health screening exercise for its employees and their spouses and appealed to employers to organize regular health screening for their workers.

The health screening exercise dubbed: "Health Fair," was undertaken by health care providers including the Holy Trinity Medical Centre, Akai House Clinic, Nyaho Medical Centre, Lister Hospital, C and J Medicare Hospital and the National Blood Transfusion Services.

The workers and their spouses were screened for blood pressure, cholesterol and glucose checks, body mass index screening, HIV and AIDS testing, dental care and tuberculosis.

Other services were education on breast cancer and breast cancer awareness and family planning counselling.

Mr Donald Teitelbuam, the US Ambassador, said the US Embassy wanted to have healthy and happy productive employees, hence the need to organize such fairs to ensure the health of their staff and their spouses. Ms Pamela Ganz, Head of the Health Unit at the Embassy, said the fair is held every year, adding "this is the fifth one and we hope to sustain it," she said.

Ms Ganz said the Embassy is happy to give their staff an opportunity to improve their health instead of waiting to treat them when they are ill. She expressed the hope that the staff and their beneficiaries would share the knowledge they acquire at such fairs with others to let them to learn about healthy living.

Mr Dzidzor Sackey, a dietician, said Ghanaians should adopt healthy eating habits by eating a lot of vegetables. "Many Ghanaians associate the eating of fatty foods and meat with wealth but it is important that a third of our plate is filled with vegetables when we are eating," he said.