The Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD) Programme under the Public Health Division of the Ghana Health Service in collaboration with its partners held an NCD Partners’ Forum in Accra today.
The forum under the theme, “Time to act – all hands on deck,” was to bring together all interested parties to lessen the impact of NCD on our communities and the country as a whole.
During the meeting, Stakeholders and partners were briefed on the NCD Navigator, which has been introduced in 12 out of the 16 regions. The NCD Navigator were yet to be introduced in the Upper East, Upper West, North East, and Savannah Regions. The NCD Navigator is a dynamic, interactive application that makes it possible to map the stakeholders involved in the NCD field. It gives the chance to identify opportunities and shortcomings in Ghana’s NCD sector.
The Acting Programme Manager of NCDs, of the Ghana Health Service, Dr. Efua Commeh, in her remarks stated that unhealthy eating habits and physical inactivity is increasing the rate of obesity among market women in the country, as identified by the Ghana Health Service. She added that the trend which is similar among young school-going children is often misconstrued by sections of the public as a sign of good living and peace of mind. She reiterated that the notion that being plump means one is well-off is false and unhelpful and this is affecting our children, wife’s and husbands.
Dr. Commeh encourages the general public to live healthy and adopt the habit of exercising regularly and eating healthy while monitoring their lifestyle and undertaking routine medical examinations to reduce the risk of NCD.
The Director-General of the Ghana Health Service, Dr. Patrick Kuma-Aboagye, in a speech stated that conditions of hypertension, stroke, diabetes and cancers continue to feature in the top 10 causes of death in all health facilities yearly. He added that challenges of high cost of management, treatment of the conditions, and low awareness on NCDs and the gaps in the health system were contributing factors accounting for this trend.
He made emphasis on the need for collaborative efforts and strategic partnerships in addressing NCDs and urged that all hands should be on deck to address the NCD dynamics in Ghana.
Professor Alfred Edwin Yawson, Head of the Department of Community Health at the University of Ghana Medical School, in an address indicated that the country could face an NCD pandemic if all efforts were not put in proper place to reduce the threat. He added that more attention should be given to improving geriatric care in the country as Ghana’s population is aging which is a key risk factor for NCDs.
Professor Yawson recommended Out-Patient Department services are reorganized to give old people easy access and priority to healthcare while improving training awareness creation and capacity building of health professionals to manage NCDs.
SOURCE: PR UNIT
November 21, 2022
