According to her, observations made by clinicians over time have revealed that, some men living with Hypertension refuse to take their medications with the fear that, the drugs would render them impotent. Such tendencies, according to the Senior Nursing Officer, lead to worse consequences for such patients with time since their conditions deteriorate after a period.
Mrs. Ataa Adjei gave the advice in an interview with Radio Ghana at Asokwa near Kumasi after a health education forum.
The forum was organized by the Asokwa Congregation of the Church of Christ to educate the members about some of their rights and responsibilities when they visit the hospital.
The forum focused on the Patients’ Charter that has spelled out the rights and responsibilities of healthcare seekers as well as the obligations of the facilities and their staff at any given time.
The event was also used to sensitize the members about High Blood Pressure known to be a very common ailment among especially the adult population.
The Preacher in charge of the Congregation, Evangelist Frank Adjei, explained that, the health forum is one of the many social issues of greater concern to the public including members of the Church and that the church has equal obligation to seek the wellbeing of the members.
As a result, pertinent issues including financial investment and customer relations have as well been planned this year to empower the members to live decent lives to enable them worship God diligently.
In an interview, a Senior Nursing Officer at the Church of Christ Mission Hospital at Bomso, Mrs. Patricia Ataa Adjei, who was one of the Resource Persons, noted that, High Blood Pressure is one of the non-communicable diseases that has serious complications but especially some adult male patients do not take serious.
She said, some patients refuse to follow their prescribed medications against the sickness on grounds that, the drugs could cause them impotence.
The Senior Nursing Officer said, even though there are some truth in the claim, there could be a counter medication if such adverse conditions are promptly reported to the physicians.
Touching on the consequences of the failure of patients to take their drugs, Mrs. Ataa Adjei warned that, an uncontrolled High Blood Pressure could result in different fatal consequences including heart failure.
She encouraged patients to seek from their healthcare givers every information about their health conditions, the prescribed medications, what caused the sicknesses and or ask for alternative medication if they desire.
However, the Senior Nursing Officer advised that, for the physician to provide the best diagnosis and treatment, patients also have a responsibility to give to the care giver every relevant information needed for the provision of the complete healthcare.