Koforidua, Aug. 23, GNA- The Eastern Regional Director of Health Services, Dr Ebenezer Appiah-Denkyira, has asked Ghanaians to undergo voluntary medical examinations to help reduce the risk of hypertension. Dr Appiah-Denkyira made the call in Koforidua, at the weekend, during a day's Regional Clinical Conference on Hypertension, which was attended by 80 medical personnel drawn from the Region.

He said last year alone, the Region recorded 20,185 hypertension cases and 38,745 diabetic cases.

Dr Bedford Safo of the Tetteh Quarshie Memorial Hospital, said pregnancy - related hypertensions often occurred among women with family history of the health problem.

Dr Safo said this could affect the liver, brain and kidney of a patient and cause blindness and even death, if not treated. He explained that pregnancy-related hypertensions had nothing to do with none attendance of ante- natal clinic.

The Regional Director of Clinical Care, Dr Joseph Taylor, who chaired the meeting, said hypertension was becoming a public health problem because, "it is now assuming an alarming rate, affecting the rich, poor, elderly and even children".