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Inhabitants of Anum Apapamu, a cocoa farming community near Suhum in the Eastern Region have benefitted from free cocoa drinks and medical screening organized by Ghana Cocoa Board in collaboration with the Cocoa Processing Company ahead of the upcoming National Chocolate Day Celebration slated for 14th February.
Speaking at a durbar of farmers at Apapamu, the Chief Pharmacist at the Cocoa Clinic, Accra, Dr. Edward Amporful said that over the past 15 years, National Chocolate Day activities had been held mostly in the cities adding the decision to have organized a free health screening at a cocoa community to as part of the celebration reinforces COCOBOD’s commitment to improving the well-being of its gallant cocoa farmers.
Dr. Amporful further observed that the Board and the Cocoa Processing Company had made available chocolate drinks to serve all farmers and their relatives who would be screened as part of the exercise.
”Oftentimes, we have been organizing Chocolate Day in Accra, Kumasi and the other cities. But this time around the Board directed that the day should be marked with free medical care and cocoa drinks for our cocoa farmers”, he disclosed.
Dr. Amporful urged the farmers to consume cocoa regularly in order to stay healthy, energized and refreshed for their daily activities. According to him, diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, malaria and other conditions such as stress, fatigue, and memory loss could be controlled by taking cocoa regularly.
‘The cocoa you cultivate has a lot of essential minerals that help in the general maintenance of the body- cocoa is known to have minerals which can help you overcome tiredness, stress, hypertension and other health conditions including diabetes, so consume it’, he emphasized.
Over 600 cocoa farmers mostly from Owuram, Mfrano, Suhum, Okanta, Obuoho Sowatey, Kofi Pare, Abochikrom and others, were screened for diabetes, hypertension, Hepatitis B &C, Malaria and breast lumps and farmers with cases identified to be serious were advised to visit the nearest health facility for a thorough examination.
Meanwhile, the 2020 National Chocolate Day is being marked under the theme, ‘My Chocolate Experience; My holistic well-being’ with the climax of the celebration slated for 14th February at the Alisa Hotel, Accra.
Chocolate Day has since 2005 been observed to create awareness on the health and nutritional benefits of cocoa and the need for regular intake of cocoa products.
Read More: About Chocolate Day