A Pediatrician at the Bolgatanga Regional Hospital, Dr Bertha Volematome Gibil, has underscored the need for children to be given chocolate and other cocoa products to improve their health.
“More importantly, giving children chocolate will help in the development of their body systems, as well as help the brain and heart to function properly and improve their skin,” she stressed.
Chocolate day
Dr Gibil was speaking at a brief ceremony to commemorate this year’s Chocolate Day celebration in the Upper East Region last Friday.
The event was organised by the Regional Directorate of the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) on the theme: “Eat Chocolate, Stay Healthy and Grow Ghana” with the sub-theme: “Chocolate for all: Taste, Share and Care”.
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As part of the occasion, some chocolate bars were distributed among children on admission at the hospital’s paediatric ward and the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).
The National Chocolate Day was instituted 20 years ago and marked yearly on February 14 primarily to promote the consumption of chocolate and other cocoa products to boost the cocoa industry.
Benefit
She mentioned that it would be beneficial for Ghanaians to consume more cocoa products due to their health benefits, saying: “I wish to encourage everyone to take in cocoa products ostensibly towards improving their health”.
Particularly, she advised adults to only consume sugar-free chocolate as it was good for improving the health of individuals having cardiovascular issues and other health-related conditions.
Cocoa production
The Upper East Regional Director, GTA, Wisdom Ahadzi, said increased intake of cocoa products did not only have health benefits but would result in an increase in cocoa production.
He explained that such a situation would also improve the country’s economy since Ghana was a leading producer of cocoa in the world, stressing, “Increasing cocoa consumption will inure to the benefit of the nation”.
Further, he appealed to players in the hotel industry to consider adding cocoa to the beverages they served their clients as it would lead to an increase in cocoa production.
Mr Ahadzi added that the commemoration of the event was to show love to the children on admission at the hospital, which would go a long way to facilitate their recovery.
New NICU
During the visit, the Head of the NICU at the hospital, Dr Gillian Bogee, appealed for the establishment of a new NICU to enable health workers to provide the needed care to pre-term babies.
She expressed concern that the unit, which was established 10 years ago, and currently located in a makeshift structure, was increasingly becoming smaller due to the number of cases received daily.
Writer’s email; gilbert.agbey@graphic.com.gh
