Smoking is a major cause of heart attacks and Cancer – Willing Ways Foundation CEO

In an effort to create awareness about health risks associated with tobacco use in the Ashanti region and Ghana at large, the Willing Ways Foundation Ghana on Friday organized an education exercise and talk show for students and teachers of the Konogo Odumase Senior High School to mark the World No Tobacco Day

The Willing Ways Foundation Ghana in association with Ashanti regional Drug Enforcement Unit lead by its Commander DSP Jeremiah Alale conducted a series of panel discussions from series of resource persons. The event saw deliberation on how children are becoming vulnerable to tobacco addiction, calling for greater awareness and efforts to curb the usage of tobacco in the Ashanti region and Ghana at large.

 Addressing the gathering made up students, teachers and other staff of the Konongo Odumase High School,  Madam Lydia Abena Manu, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the , Willing Ways Foundation said, “I do deal with a large number of patients who are victims of smoking. One of the root causes of a heart attack in Ghana is smoking. Majority of patients who undergo by-pass grafting are smokers.

It’s not the old retired people who develop heart attack, but the young breadwinners of the family. And one thing very unique about most of them is that they all started smoking at a young age, virtually from the school days.  So I am glad that we are making an effort to educate the younger generation about the ill-effects of smoking.”

In a bid to create awareness on World No Tobacco Day, students from the Garden City University College nursing department also joined the campaign and staged a drummer to create awareness to sensitize teachers and students and inform them about the epidemiology, the impact, the need for and the methodology for Tobacco Control. The participants were informed about the health hazards and quitting methods. The implementation of Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act was also discussed.

Meanwhile the Willing Ways Foundation’s Ambassador for the “SAY NO TO TABACCO AND DRUGS” campaign, ace hip life legend Jerry Anaba AKA Okomfour Kwadee graced the occasion with a wild performance with his outstanding old tracks which trilled almost all the participants at the Konogo Odumase School auditorium. Kwadde urged the youth to desist from Tobacco and other harmful substance as it could endanger their lives and education.

The Ashanti regional Drug Enforcement Unit commander DSP Jeremiah Alale warned students not to involved themselves in drugs and tobacco as it could land them either in jail or bad state of life. He advised the students to report fellow students whom will be seen in dealing with drugs and tobacco to their teachers.