Tamale, Oct. 15, GNA - The public has been advised to patronize the consumption of fruits and vegetables to prevent the high incidence of anaemia, particularly in children and pregnant women, to enhance good health and vitality.

Alhaji Abdul Rahaman Yakubu, Northern Regional Health Promoter, gave the advice in Tamale at the weekend when he addressed members of the Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) Church at the end of their Annual Health Emphasis Week.

Every year the Church in Tamale sets aside a week to sensitise and educate the public on how to practice good personal hygiene and to preach against acts that would endanger their health. Alhaji Yakubu said 83 percent of the population in Northern Region had one form of anaemia or the other and attributed the problem to the low intake of fruits and vegetables and said fruits such as mango, pawpaw, 'dawadawa' powder, sheanut fruits, orange and guava were in abundance.

He, however, advised that they should eat the fruits after meals. Alhaji Yakubu said many people were patronizing "Fried Rice" and other oily foods, which could endanger their health and advised them to desist from consuming food with high cholesterol. He said for two years now, the Tamale Teaching Hospital had been recording high incidence of anaemia admissions, while the West Gonja and the Yendi districts were also recording high anaemia cases, a situation which needed to be reversed.

Pastor Alhassan Adams, in charge of the Health Ministry of the Church advised members to register with the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) and pay their full premiums so as to enjoy its enormous benefits.

He said the Church had joined other organisations in the crusade to educate the public to practice good personal hygiene to enhance their way of living.

He said the Church had educated the public on the dangers of drug abuse, tobacco use and the need to abstain from causal sex to avoid contracting the deadly HIV/AIDS.