Duayaw Nkwanta (B/A), Oct. 26, GNA- Dr Kennette Owusu Asubonteng, an Eye Specialist at the Sunyani Government Hospital on Tuesday advised the public to desist from criticizing the aged especially women as witches because of their unusual behaviours during menopausal stages. Ageing must be a period, which everyone must cherish and assist for the old ones to live happily, he said.

Dr Asubonteng was speaking on the topic "Ageing and menopause" at a day's seminar organized for women by the National Council on Women and Development (NCWD) at Duayaw Nkwanta in the Tano North District. Over 300 women from the district attended the seminar. It aimed at reducing and eradicating the negative effects on aged women.

He noted that ageing and menopausal stage is very disturbing since women go through a lot of emotional and physical changes because they could not accommodate the pain they go through.

He mentioned cancer of the cervix, breast cancer, excessive sweating, fast heartbeat and Alzheimer's (commonly called forgetfulness) as some of the problems that women encounter during the menopausal stage.

He advised women to report for treatment when they started bleeding from the genital organ since it could kill or destroy the womb, kidney and intestine.

He stated that women at that stage needed a lot of counselling to understand that the problem would not persist forever but would stop after some time.

Ms Juliana Amponsah, Brong Ahafo Regional Coordinator of NCWD noted that ageing and menopause had become a societal problem rather than a health problem and called on the public not to neglect the aged since they could also contribute their quota towards development. She said the grown up people are important in society for history telling, child caring and giving of pieces of advise to the youth.