afrol News, 19 October - A new research conducted by a Ghana-based NGO, Longevity Project Group, reveals an "incredible low life expectancy" among Ghanaians.

Several factors such as natal related deaths, malnutrition, inadequate poor public sanitation, a combination of deadly infectious, and increasing diseases brought about by the lifestyle of Ghanaians have been responsible for the low life expectancy.

It has become a major challenge for most Ghanaians to attain 58 years and a number of those who passed this age are faced with serious chronic diseases.

The research also shows a similar low life expectancy and lifestyles in most sub-Saharan countries.

The health of Ghanaians and their fitness standards are not anything to write home about. “Most Ghanaians are uninformed about the hazards posed by substandard living conditions, poor sanitations, diet and inadequate exercises.

“This is happening because of inadequate access to health information in the system,” concurs the Editor of a recently launched health and fitness magazine, Anna Bannerman-Richter.

She described the escalating levels of environmental pollution and mental health problems as the worsening threats to an already dismal situation in the country battling with hypertension, diabetes, heart diseases and other life-threatening diseases.

The poor state of the workers' health has enormously affected Ghana's productivity, resulting to "inefficiency and ineffectiveness" on the part of employees in the business sector.

“These losses cut across all industries and the cost of treatment represents a substantial drain on the national pocket,” Bannerman-Richter said.

By S. Makalo

© afrol News

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