By Deborah Asantewaah SARFO
The Director General of the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) Professor Alex Doodo, has unveiled two latest literacy works, he has authored, on health secrets addressing some minor and major health issues in an easy-to-read format to empower individuals with current health information.
The 40 short health stories in the books “Healthy Secrets XTRA and Healthy Secrets SUPER” are designed to demystify difficult medical situations while both educate and entertain readers.
Following the publishing of these works, Prof. Doodo has currently authored three books with the debut also on the subject of health launched in 2011.
He stated that the difficulty faced by healthcare professionals in conveying basic information to the public has led to low health literacy in many nations; therefore, it is necessary to “speak to patients through pages” in order to simplify health communication for them.
“The challenge in any country is that health literacy is poor. The challenge is that we health workers are terrible at communicating simple information to the general public…. My attempt is to speak to patients through the pages and to make health communication simple, so that patients will be empowered to take decisions for their lives,” he noted.
Chairperson for the launch who doubles as the Director of Programmes for the Anglican Diocese of Accra, Rev. Akua Ofori-Boateng, emphasised that the comprehensive information in both books about the stomach, gallbladder, and other body parts puts a stop to heresies.
Highlighting some benefits of the books to his readers he noted that they are conversation points to answer the questions people are afraid to ask and also help manage the conditions they don’t want to take to hospital because they feel embarrassed talking about it.
He added that, the literacy masterpieces provide the fact on health matters devoid of any other commentary so that lay persons and experts can have guidance on how to deal with complex and difficult situations.
Similarly, the former Head of Public Relations at the GSA, Peter Agbeko, reiterated that the in-depth of research and clarity of communication within the pages of the book have shown to empower each reader on their journey to optimal health vitality.
Prof. Doodo added that the vast majority of health disorders are readily controlled if the reasons of the health issue are identified, citing public health questions as the source of motivation for the authoring of the two books.
He urged citizens to take a serious interest in their health and to always have basic information about their blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, and other health parameters at their fingertips. In addition, he advised the general public to seek out high-quality medical care and stay away from unapproved therapies and self-medication, which could seriously harm their lives.
