The Minister of Health, Major (retd) Courage Quashigah, on Monday stressed the need for Ghanaians to revert to eating time-tested local foods, which contain a lot of nutrients, as well as healthy lifestyles, in order to reverse the current trend of relying on curative rather than preventive health care.
He expressed concern that today "all kinds of horrible food" were being imported into the country, and that many Ghanaians have taken to eating imported rice and over-stored meat products whose nutritional values are suspect and injurious to health, thereby reducing life expectancy.
Maj. (retd) Quashigah expressed these concerns, at the inauguration of the "Asasepa' Regenerative Health and Nutrition Programme (RHNP) Centre/ RHNP Review and Planning Meeting, in Cape Coast, under the theme " sustaining RHNP in Ghana: the way forward".
The centre, also known as the Asasepa Regenerative Health Resort Centre, provides a variety of treatments such as detoxification of the body, to "enhance the regeneration of mind, body and soul", is being operated by the African Hebrew Development Agency (AHDA), under the auspices of the Ministry of Health as part of its programme to promote regenerative health in the country.
The establishment of the centre was encouraged, following the Minister's visit to Dimona in Israel, in 2005, where there is high life expectancy due to the healthy lifestyles of the inhabitants.
Following his visit and in order to promote regenerative health care in the country, the ministry has since then, sent more than 200 Ghanaians from all walks of life including traditional rulers, actors, musicians and journalists to Dimona, to enable them help in disseminating the importance of regenerative health care to the people.
Maj. (retd) Quashigah observed that tubers like cocoyam and sweet potatoes contain a lot of nutrients, and that sweet potato for instance, has a high concentration of vitamin A, which could be regularly fed to children, to reduce the dependency on the donation of vitamin A supplements.
He echoed concerns that a large chunk of the national budget was being spent on health care delivery, and said it was "time to learn practices of the old times", stressing that "it was possible to remain healthy without going to the hospital".
According to the Minister, the nutritional values of local foods should be taught in schools, adding that "from now on, let us tell ourselves that we will not fall sick", he declared and urged all to help the country attain the MDGs on health care delivery.
He said an eight-day 'training of trainers' workshop for among others, officials of the Ghana Health Service (GHS) and the Ghana Education Service (GES) was going to be held at the centre, to facilitate the ministry's objective of promoting healthy eating habits and lifestyles among all Ghanaians.
He called on politicians to also let the people know their plans to promote education and health care delivery which are essential for human resource development.
In a message, read on his behalf, the Anointed Spiritual Leader of the African Hebrew Israelite Community, Ben Ammi Ben Israel, also underscored the importance of preventive health care and said the "Dimona study" was a "return to a clean-based diet and lifestyles that ensure proper functioning of the body".
He called on "leaders of today' to prepare their people to lead worthy lives, devoid of sicknesses, diseases and pollution, and other negative practices which affect healthy living.
In his welcoming address, the Deputy Central Regional Minister, Mr Samuel Obodai, lauded Maj. Quashigah for his efforts in promoting healthy living in the country.
He noted that there was more to health than just the curing of diseases, and noted that about 80 percent of diseases were preventable.
He expressed concern that poor environmental conditions and unhealthy lifestyles had led to the rise in diseases like cancer, hypertension and diabetes.
Osabarima Kwesi Atta II, Omanhene of Oguaa traditional area who presided, urged Ghanaians to patronize the centre to help achieve the desired objective.