As part of its efforts to lessen the burden of public health in the nation, the World Health Organization (WHO) is assisting Ghana in conducting a statewide study on the risk factors of non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
The Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) and the Ghana Health Service (GHS) are survey collaborators.
In order to help the chosen data collectors understand the survey's goal and be able to handle the variety of technologies that will be used for the survey in order to give data that is both effective and accurate, the two partners have started a five-day training course.
STEPwise
The STEPwise approach to NCD risk factor surveillance (STEPS), a straightforward, systematic procedure for gathering, assessing, and distributing data on important NCD risk factors, will be used by the WHO.
The survey instrument covers important biological risk variables such as overweight and obesity, blood pressure, elevated blood glucose, and abnormal blood lipids, as well as important behavioral risk factors such as cigarette use, alcohol consumption, physical inactivity, and bad food.
According to the GHS statistics, the prevalence of NCDs such as cancer, diabetes, stroke, and hypertension, which are among the top four global and local causes of death, has been steadily increasing.
According to estimates, NCDs are to blame for 31% of the nation's illness burden.
Stakeholders claim that there is a severe lack of comprehensive data at the national level for the management and control of risk factors, making the survey extremely important.
Dr. Francis Kasolo, WHO's Country Representative, stated during the opening ceremony yesterday that the survey's goal was to provide a baseline for the prevalence of NCD risk factors in the nation to better inform planning, monitoring, and evaluation of NCD programs.
Survey
He said that the survey questionnaire addressed the major behavioral risk factors, including smoking, being physically inactive, using cigarettes and alcohol, eating unhealthily, passive smoking, being obese or overweight, and having high blood sugar.
In this respect, he expressed his satisfaction that Ghana is carrying out this significant survey this year in order to effectively drive evidence-based policy choices and actions towards Ghana's accomplishment of the global NCD objective and universal health coverage.
Dr. Patrick Kuma-Aboagye, Director-General of the GHS, stated in a speech read on his behalf that there have been numerous national publications and reports over the past few decades on the steadily increasing risk factors for NCDs, such as poor diet, inactivity, alcohol use, and tobacco use.
Attempts
Dr. Kuma-Aboagye stated that there had been several attempts to carry out such a statewide survey and congratulated the WHO for making that endeavor a success.
"As Ghana works towards UHC, this study is pertinent and will offer essential data to help guide decision-making to better address the NCD risk factors and give opportunities to better prevent and control NCDs in Ghana.
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