The Minister of Public Health, André Mama Fouda, has challenged inhabitants of Okola, Lekie Division of the Centre Region to embrace healthy eating habits and regular physical exercises so as to stave off heart-related diseases. The Minister was speaking at the ceremonial ground of the municipality yesterday September 28 as he inaugurated a treatment centre for cardiovascular diseases. The inaugural ceremony was in line with activities marking the 11th edition of World Heart Week.
The treatment centre that is expected to cater for patients with heart-related diseases, André Mama Fouda said, is expected to move the number of Cameroonians suffering from cardiovascular diseases. He revealed that 30 per cent of the population is victim to heart-related problems. The Minister explained that the inauguration of the clinic, which adds to the already existing six in the country, falls in line with government efforts to reinforce sensitisation, education and treatment of cardiovascular diseases in Cameroon. In collaboration with partners like the Cameroon Heart Foundation, government intends to intensify campaigns to create more awareness on obesity and need to get screened for diseases linked to heart problems.
The President of the Cameroon Heart Foundation, Daniel Lemegoum, hinted that heart diseases are a reality in Cameroon and the need to protect and fight against such malaises is primordial. He explained that since the inception of the foundation in 2005, its goal has always been to go closer to the public and sing songs of protection against hypertension and diabetes.
“The young and old of the locality live an ignorant life especially when it comes to healthy eating,” a staff of the district hospital, Godlove Melle, said. He explained that it has been their constant battle thanks to government to take care of those suffering from heart-related diseases. The inauguration of the Okola Cardiovascular Treatment Centre, therefore, comes to rekindle hope in the inhabitants of the locality and ease the work of the health personnel.
The move, therefore, comes to add to other government efforts to fight against the illness in the country. Some of the measures include the reduction of the cost of insulin from FCFA 15,000 to FCFA 3,000 and the subsidising of the glucose metre from FCFA 50,000 down to FCFA 25,000 for children, and reduction from FCFA 15,000 to FCFA 8,000.
