Agnes Ampofo Agyei, a Midwife and the Non-Communicable Disease Coordinator at the Kumasi Metropolitan Health Directorate has urged women to invest in their well-being.

She explained that women played the most essential role in the society and mostly forgot to invest in their well-being, which sometimes resulted in some health complications.

Ms. Agyei was speaking about Hypertension and other health conditions at the Women’s Day Celebration, organised by the management of the Ashanti Regional Center for National Culture (CNC) in Kumasi.

The theme for the celebration was; ‘Healthy Women, Stronger Workforce.’

Ms. Agyei explained that among the diseases which women could contract was hypertension, Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) and others.

She noted that hypertension is known to be a silent-killer disease that could trigger a lot of other health conditions, which when not attended to could result to death.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) defines hypertension as a high pressure in the blood vessels usually from 140/90 mmHg and above.

In 2024 the WHO estimated that 1.4 billion adults from the ages of 30 to 79 years lived with hypertension with about 44 percent unaware of their condition.

Ms. Agyei, therefore, emphasised the importance of educating and sensitising the general public, especially, women about hypertension.

Ms. Agnes Ampofo Agyei, Midwife and Non-Communicable Disease Coordinator, Kumasi Metropolitan Health Directorate

Also, she observed that globally, the month of May was set aside to promote education on hypertension to get everyone checked, counselled or managed if found with the condition.

According to her, persons living with hypertension usually could only be diagnosed with the condition after being checked at the health centres.

This means that a person could live with the condition unknowingly until he/she is diagnosed with other complicated health conditions such as stroke, diabetes, eye issues and others.

Ms. Agyei, therefore, entreated women to occasionally walk into any health facility for their blood pressure to be checked for free.

Also, she advised women to cultivate the habit of regular exercise, a healthy activity, which costs no or less money to keep the body in good shape.

She encouraged women to be conscious of what they ate, adding that they should by interested in the nutrients in the food rather than the taste.

“If possible, buy your vegetables at places where you trust that they are produced under good agricultural culture. You can also indulge in home gardening,” she encouraged.

The midwife said the Human Papillomavirus was a common sexually transmitted infection which when not treated on time coupled with persist infections could result to cervical cancer.

Although, cervical cancer could be treated, she encouraged women to get checked when they notice any changes at their private parts and possibly get vaccinated against HPV.

Ms. Agyei said it was high time women prioritised themselves, especially health-wise by paying attention to their biological well-being.