Health Promotion Division (HPD)

Following the health sector reforms in the establishment of the Ghana Health Service, the Health Promotion was placed as a Unit under the Public Health Division. Further reforms in 2008 resulted in the elevation of the Health Promotion Unit to a Department under the Family Health Division until it became a Division in April 2019.

The mandate of the Division is to provide a sustained health promotion service that will contribute to improving health and well being in line with the health sector goal of ensuring a healthy and productive population capable of reproducing itself safely.

This will be achieved through promotion of early preventative strategies, promotion of healthy behaviors and well being, and creation of environments where individuals, families and communities are informed, empowered and live healthier happier lives. The vision is to promote healthy lives and well-being for all.

The Division is headed by a Director and has three Departments as follows:

• Health Communication Department
• Advocacy and Social Mobilization Department
• Research and Healthy Policy Department

Each of the Department is headed by a Deputy Director who reports directly to the Divisional Director.

Functions of Health Promotion Division

• Leading health communication, advocacy, social mobilization in the service
• Promoting healthy behaviors, lifestyles and wider actions to address the social and economic determinants of health.
• Coordinating and improving the quality of information, education and communication of key health messages to the general public.
• Promoting innovations including the use of digital platforms for effective health promotion.
• Developing tools, resources and skills for health promotion through research, monitoring and evaluation of Health Promotion programmes and projects in collaboration with the Regions, Districts and other health programme implementing agencies with a view to promoting programme effectiveness and efficiency. Helping communities to develop a shared responsibility for health and to take action to improve people’s health.
• Conducting and nurturing interdisciplinary health promotion using convergent planning.
• Enhancing and placing health and wellbeing on the agenda of MOH, GHS and other ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs).
• Mobilizing resources for effective development and implementation of health promotion interventions.
• Monitoring and evaluating all health promotion field programs and projects initiated by GHS and ensuring prudent utilization of budget provisions.
• Developing surveillance schemes of Health Promotion that are consistent with national, bilateral and international expectations and address social determinants that affect people’s health.
• Focusing on e- health promotion, social marketing and Information Communication Technology (ICT).
• Leading a national wellness programme to address the country’s NCDs and other disease burdens.
• Building on existing health promotion policies, development of evidence based new policies taking into account government flagship health promotion related programmes.