Dr Mrs Beatrice Wiafe Addai, President of BCI and Chairperson Ghana NCD Alliance
The Chairperson of Ghana Alliance on Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDS), Dr Mrs Beatrice Wiafe Addai has commended the President of the Republic for making a case for the treatment of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) as emergency at the hospitals.
According to the famous cancer surgeon, it was important that such a call came from the President so that health workers would attach seriousness to the treatment of ailments under NCDs.
Speaking to the Ghanaian Observer Newspaper moments after the 8th address by the President on measures being taken to combat the outbreak COVID-19 in the country, Dr Addai said it was spot on for the president to emphasize on the need to treat NCDs as urgent cases at the hospital just as the Alliance recently urged.
She noted that as an underlying consequence for deaths arising out of the COVID-19 infections, it was needful that attention was turned to dealing with persons who reported same to the hospitals.
‘’I am highly elated that the President has backed our call to treat NCDs as emergency cases at the hospital since same were killing many in the country’’, Dr Addai stressed.
OBSERVATIONS:
Dr Wiafe Addai who doubles as the President of the Breast Care International (BCI) said fatalities that had been occurring out of COVID-19 were primarily as a result of underlying conditions of NCDs.
She said NCDs in themselves are fatal co-morbidities to the dreaded viral disease popularly called COVID- 19.
The Chairperson said a proper and careful attention to patients who report diseases such as hypertension, stroke, diabetes, high blood pressure, cancer and respiratory ailments at the hospital could minimize deaths in the country.
‘’As fatal as the pandemic could be, we are nonetheless encouraging hospitals and health care professionals to give equal attention to patients with non-communicable diseases as evidence has shown that unattended , underlying NCD conditions could rather hasten the death of COVID-19 patients’’, the cancer surgeon posited.
APPEAL;
The world acclaimed cancer surgeon commended the efforts of all frontline workers including doctors and nurses in the country for the dedication they have shown since the outbreak of COVID-19.
She urged them to continue with same spirit as they wage the battle against the pandemic and other ailments that come with the viral disease.
Dr Addai however appealed that they attach same seriousness to all cases brought to hospitals especially NCDs.
‘’We urge our healthcare professionals not to entirely forget about NCDs and people living with NCDs who still require our attention’’, Dr Addai passionately stressed.
