Kumasi, Nov 3 GNA - The Lady Pharmacists Association of Ghana (LAPAG), has de-wormed some 5,000 children in the country as part of measures to promote good health among beneficiary children whose ages ranged from one to five years.

Mrs Sybil Ossei-Agyemang Yeboah, chairperson of the Association who announced this said the exercise was carried out between last year and this year in the Upper West and Greater Accra Regions. She was speaking at the 14th Anniversary and Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the LAPAG in Kumasi on Thursday. It was held on the theme, "Awareness Creation on the Prevention of Post Menopausal Osteoporosis".

Post Menopausal Osteoporosis is a silent debilitating disease that is characterized by a reduction in the amount of bone or low bone density which could lead to brittle bones or fractures. It normally afflicted women who had reached their menopauses and eventually leads to the collapse of the vertebrae resulting in compressed back-bone and fracture of the hip, a condition which leads to a permanent disability or even death. Mrs Ossei-Agyemang Yeboah said due to the devastating and silent nature of the disease now having a toll on lives of women, the LAPAG has commenced an awareness creation programme to sensitise women on the prevention of the disease normally brou ght on by menopause, the cessation of menstruation in women.

She disclosed that LAPAG has adopted some Orphanages in the country as part of its social responsibilities.

She said the beneficiary Homes include New Horizon School, Dworwulu Special School Osu Childrens' Home, all in Accra and Boadi Orphange in Kumasi, adding that the Association had been donating money and other items to the in-mates of these Homes regularly for their upkeep. Dr. Mrs. Frances Thelma Owusu Daaku, Vice-president of the Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana said the risk factors of Osteoporosis included dietary insufficiencies, intake of excessive alcohol, caffeine and steroid-based drugs such as bleaching creams as well as early menopause.