Accra, Aug. 25, GNA - The authorities of Customs, Excise and Preventive Service, (CEPS) on Wednesday, donated GH¢15,000 to three health institutions in Accra to enhance their operations.

The Ghana Heart Foundation (GHF) of the Cardiothoracic Centre at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, 37 Military Hospital and the Management of the Pantang Hospital received GH¢5,000 each.

CEPS, has since 2001 been donating to improve operations of GHF and recently the Military and Pantang hospitals, from voluntary contributions by personnel.

Mr Ernest Ackwerh, Deputy Commissioner of CEPS, in-charge of Preventive, made the donations to the institutions separately.

He said CEPS had a corporate responsibility policy to support activities that addressed the needs of society and reach out to the vulnerable.

Mr Ackwerh expressed the hope that the donation, in addition to supporting their operations, would enable them to cater for the vulnerable in society.

At the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, President of GHF, received the donation and expressed gratitude for the gesture, which he said, would improve the operations of the Centre.

He said the Centre was recording increase in cases of heart related ailments, and attributed it to increased awareness created by GHF, indiscipline on the roads and fact that most private health institutions now have the capacity to diagnose such diseases.

Prof. Frimpong-Boateng explained that the cases had tripled because about 25 per cent of fatalities from road accidents were due to injuries to the chest. Inhalation of harmful substances by people working in some industries also account for the increase.

He advised the public to refrain from unhealthy habits like alcoholism and smoking, which had also increased the number of cases reported at the Centre.

Colonel Herbert Abban, Commanding Officer of the 37 Military Hospital, thanked the authorities of CEPS for the donation and pledged to judiciously use it to improve its operations.