Benjamin Anabila, the Director Institute of Leadership and Development (INSLA), a Civil Society Organisation (CSO) has called on the government to support the FDA with the needed funds to help them set up a laboratory to test Trans Fatty Acid Foods (TFAs) in Ghana.
Mr. Anabila was of the view that preventing and reducing heart diseases and stroke is a shared responsibility and the time to act is now.
The INSLA Director made the clarion call on Thursday 24th February 2022 during a workshop organised by his outfit for political parties and other stakeholders at Mensvic hotel in Accra.
He said the time has come for Ghana and other countries to take action to eliminate TFA in society which is very dangerous to our health.
He urged the government to collaborate with the Food and Drugs Authority to build a laboratory Centre in Ghana to test trans fatty acids.
According to him, the establishment of the laboratory center in Ghana will generate revenue for the government and help reduce the death rate.
Mr. Anabila further emphasized that politicians have a key role to play to eliminate TFA and promote the use of healthier fats because political parties need healthy members and healthy citizens to promote their agenda and sustain our democracy respectively.
“Currently the public health promotion department of Ghana Health service has completed the development of campaign materials with the approval of all relevant stakeholders, which will be presented for dissemination” he added.
Issa Ali, project manager of INSLA however urged Ghanaians to demand from the government to implement actions to reduce and eliminate industrially-produced trans-fatty acids.
Globally at least 50,000 people die annually through heart disease and TFA’s are the leading causes of heart diseases and stroke (WHO,2018), and Trans-fatty Acids contribute to 12,000 to 16,000 stroke cases recorded each year in Ghana. It is therefore not by chance that we invited political parties but INSLA and its stakeholders recognize their importance in its journey because they influence the national developmental agenda.
Institute of Leadership and Development (INSLA) is a non-profit CSO center for the strengthening of leadership capacity and the promotion of development. INSLA’s goal is to stimulate discussions and actions to make humanity and its environment productive, safer, and healthier.
Source: Ghana Web
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