Hypertension: The silent killer we must confront

For the umpteenth time, the Daily Graphic, on the commemoration of World Hypertension Day, has had to return to the issue of hypertension, a disease condition that continues to pose a grave threat to public health in Ghana and across the world.

It is worrying that despite years of awareness creation and repeated public education, hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, continues to rise steadily, silently claiming lives and leaving many families devastated.

Indeed, hypertension has rightly earned the description as the “silent killer” because many people do not even know they are living with the condition until complications such as stroke, heart failure, kidney disease or sudden death occur.

The latest statistics emerging from the Ashanti Region and other parts of the country are frightening and should compel both policymakers and citizens to treat the issue with the urgency it deserves.

The Ashanti Regional Director of Health Services, Dr Fred Adomako-Boateng, has disclosed that over a five-year period, hypertension cases in the region rose from 121,829 in 2021 to 140,216 in 2024 before recording a slight reduction to 138,710 in 2025 (See pages 24 & 25). 

Equally disturbing is the revelation from the 2023 Ghana STEPS survey that approximately one in every five adults in the country has raised blood pressure, with nearly half unaware of their condition.

These figures reinforce earlier data from the Ghana Health Service which estimated that between 28 and 40 per cent of the adult Ghanaian population was hypertensive.

Sadly, hypertension is no longer a disease associated only with the rich, the elderly or urban dwellers.

Young people are increasingly becoming victims due to changing lifestyles, poor dietary habits, physical inactivity, alcohol abuse, tobacco use and stress-related conditions.

Reports that children as young as 14 years are being diagnosed with high blood pressure should alarm every parent, school authority and health institution.

The Daily Graphic finds it particularly troubling that although hypertension is largely preventable and controllable, many people still fail to check their blood pressure regularly or comply with prescribed medication.

As experts have repeatedly pointed out, many patients only report to health facilities after severe complications have set in.

This is why the call by Dr Adomako-Boateng for community-based hypertension care deserves serious national attention.

Bringing screening, education and treatment services closer to communities is a practical and effective approach that can help identify cases early and reduce needless deaths.

Many people, especially in deprived communities, do not routinely visit hospitals for medical check-ups because of financial constraints, ignorance, fear or sheer neglect.

Community outreaches, workplace screenings, school-based health education and regular public campaigns can therefore play a critical role in early detection and treatment.

We commend organisations such as PATH and the Healthy Heart Africa Programme for complementing national efforts to tackle hypertension.

The disclosure that since 2019 over 3.4 million blood pressure screenings have been conducted in Ghana, leading to the identification of more than 740,000 people with elevated blood pressure, demonstrates the value of sustained partnerships and preventive healthcare interventions.

However, awareness alone is not enough.

The fight against hypertension requires deliberate lifestyle and behavioural changes by individuals.

Ghanaians must consciously reduce the consumption of junk foods, excessive salt, fatty meals and sugary drinks while embracing healthier local diets rich in fruits and vegetables.

Regular physical exercise must become part of everyday life instead of an occasional activity reserved for a few fitness enthusiasts.

At the same time, persons diagnosed with hypertension must adhere faithfully to their medications and avoid relying solely on spiritual interventions, self-medication or quack remedies.

The Daily Graphic also believes that the fight against hypertension should not be left to health professionals alone.

Political leaders, traditional authorities, religious organisations, schools, corporate institutions and the media all have critical roles to play in sustaining education and promoting healthy lifestyles.

Indeed, hypertension is not just a medical condition; it is a developmental and economic issue because it affects productivity, increases healthcare costs and places emotional and financial burdens on families.

As the nation marks another World Hypertension Day, the Daily Graphic once again urges all Ghanaians to take their health seriously by checking their blood pressure regularly, eating healthy meals, exercising frequently and seeking early treatment when necessary.

The battle against hypertension can be won, but only if collective action replaces complacency.