Health Minister, Alex Segbefia, is recommending regular check-up and a reduction in alcohol intake to prevent heart diseases.

He stressed the importance of the heart which serves as an integral part of the body without which nothing can be done urging Ghanaians to look at some of the major issues relating to their heart. 

Mr Segbefia's comments are in commemoration of World Heart Day on 29 September which has become the biggest platform for raising awareness about cardiovascular disease (CVD). 

The world is reminded of the existence of heart disease on this day as many are dying of heart-related illness every passing day.

This has become a serious issue of concern as hearts diseases are very expensive to treat and people are dying for lack of money to treat their ailment.

"The body is an engine and the heart is the pump that keeps it running, he said adding some of the issues relating to the heart are hereditary and people in such a situation can do little about that.

He, however, urged such people to take steps to minimize the risk while stressing heart diseases and heart failure, in general, can be put at bay with regular checks.

For most people, Mr Segbefia said heart-related diseases are a result of the lifestyle they have adopted explaining that is the reason the Health Ministry has recently launched the Good Life initiative. 

He said the campaign is not just about the heart but health in general.

"What you eat and drink is what you are and therefore it is imperative we take close cognizance of what we are eating on a daily basis and even more importantly how much exercise we are doing," he said.