Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) including heart diseases and stroke, account for one of the top five diseases reported at the Tamale Teaching Hospital.
A physiotherapist in charge of the Physiotherapy Unit of the Tamale Teaching Hospital, Mensah Amedeo, described the situation as alarming.
“Previously we know those at risk of contracting cardiovascular diseases are the aged, but now we have people below thirty getting stroke and heart diseases which makes it very alarming.
“Our lifestyles have changed totally. You move around town and people are gathered at every fast food joint buying to go and eat without recourse to their health which is a greater contributory factor to contracting the disease,” he said.
He admonished people in the Greater Tamale area, to moderately exercise so they don’t get other complications.
“People In Tamale have become used to their motorbikes that they can’t even walk short distances and so attitude towards exercising is generally bad hence the rising cause of these cardiovascular problems.”
Regional Industrial Relations Officer of the Health Services Workers Union (HSWU) Martin Deanu called on the general public to take advantage of emerging aerobic sessions even on their television and mobile phone apps to reduce the risk of getting any cardiovascular problems.
“The psychological trauma of contracting a cardiovascular disease kills faster than the disease itself and so we need to take our health serious.”