Mrs. Rebecca Akufo-Addo, the First Lady, has called for immediate action to combat the country's growing instances of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs).
She believes that in order for African nations, notably Ghana, to reach Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) three (3), which is to "guarantee healthy lifestyles and promote well-being for people at all ages," non-communicable illnesses must be critically examined.
Mrs. Rebecca Akufo-Addo, who urged specialists to create innovative ways to assist tackle the rising consequences of NCDs, stated, "Non-communicable illnesses such as high blood pressure and diabetes are quickly becoming frequent, even among young people."
She made the announcement at the International Strategic Dialogue on Noncommunicable Diseases and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) plenary session.
According to statistics from the Ghana Health Service's (GHS) NCDs Programme, one out of every five customers who attended the Out-Patient Department (OPD) was diagnosed with one or more forms of NCDs.
"Every year, more than 15 million individuals between the ages of 30 and 69 die from an NCD; 85 percent of these 'premature' deaths occur in low- and middle-income nations," stated Presidential Adviser on Health Dr. Nsiah Asare.
According to him, Ghana's predicament was not dissimilar to that of other Lower Middle-Income Countries (LMIC).
"In reality, in 2017, 16.7% of OPD patients were diagnosed with an NCD, rising to 19.7% in 2021." The following are the reported numbers of selected NCDs at the OPD in the last five (5) years, from 2017 to 2021: hypertension, diabetes mellitus, traffic accidents, asthma, stroke, depression, breast cancer, and cervical cancer," he said.
That, he argued, must drive innovative methods if the world is to achieve significant progress in the prevention and management of NCDs.