The Ghana Union Conference of the Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) Church, has launched a healthy life promotion campaign to reduce preventable diseases on Ghanaians. The campaign, which is part of activities marking the Church’s 121 years existence in Ghana, aims at sharing health messages in support of the Ghana Health Service’s policy of regenerative health to ensure longevity for all Ghanaians. Pastor Adama Larmie, President of the Union, who spoke at the launch in Kumasi on Sunday, expressed concern that HIV/AIDS pandemic, malaria, non-communicable and other diseases were the major causes of deaths in the country. “Health issues must therefore, be the concern of all Ghanaians to safeguard the health of the people, who would work to increase productivity, and boost the economy,” he stressed. Diseases, he noted, could be reduced if people chose to modify their lifestyles by exercising regularly, adopting good eating habits and being more temperate in all aspects of their lives. The anniversary is under the theme: “121 years Adventism in Ghana, sharing the Adventist health message”. The health campaign began with a health walk through the principal streets in the metropolis, and was characterized by singing and displaying of placards with inscriptions some which read: “abortion kills”, “protect your heart”, “malaria kills”, “prevention is better than cure”, and “add fruits to your diet”. The event was climaxed at the Kumasi Centre for National Culture. The Ghana Union President said Ellen G. White, one of the founders of the church, had also written extensively about wonderful insight on healthy lifestyle. “Her counsels on diet and healthy living emphasise on the avoidance of tobacco and all addictives such as sugar, oil, meat, promote regular exercise, reliance on divine power and healthy dieting. “We must choose to be healthy in 2009, health does not come by chance,” he stressed. Dr Alhaji Bin Ibrahim, Ashanti Regional Director of Health Services, commended the SDA Church for embarking on the health campaign and said health has been one of the church’s topmost priorities. According to him, statistics indicate that, SDA’s throughout the world live much longer because of their holistic lifestyle. He encouraged the Church to continue to help Ghana Health Service champion the cause of promoting good health so that Ashanti region would be the healthiest place to live. Source: GNA