Ghana is facing a growing public health crisis, with non-communicable diseases (NCDs) now accounting for nearly half of all deaths, according to the Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah-Akandoh.
Speaking on PM Express on Joy News Monday, the Minister warned that the country must urgently shift focus to early detection and prevention to curb the rising toll of these “silent killers.”
“The NCDs are rising at an alarming rate in this country. About 42 to 45% of our mortalities are attributable to non-communicable diseases,” he said.
The Minister’s comments come at a time when Ghana’s health system is grappling with a dual burden of infectious diseases and a sharp increase in chronic conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases.
Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, Minister of Health
Ghana is facing a growing public health crisis, with non-communicable diseases (NCDs) now accounting for nearly half of all deaths, according to the Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah-Akandoh.
Speaking on PM Express on Joy News Monday, the Minister warned that the country must urgently shift focus to early detection and prevention to curb the rising toll of these “silent killers.”
“The NCDs are rising at an alarming rate in this country. About 42 to 45% of our mortalities are attributable to non-communicable diseases,” he said.
The Minister’s comments come at a time when Ghana’s health system is grappling with a dual burden of infectious diseases and a sharp increase in chronic conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases.
To address the situation, the government is rolling out a renewed focus on free primary healthcare to improve access and encourage early diagnosis.
“You can do the driver’s license, Ghana card, passport, and national health insurance card. Any of these that will identify you as a Ghanaian will give you access to the primary health care,” he explained.
He stressed that beyond cost, the real transformation will come from taking healthcare directly to communities.
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