The National Cardiothoracic Centre (NCC) has warned Ghanaians against the growing threat of cardiovascular diseases, urging the public to prioritise regular health screening and early detection as heart disease can develop silently for years without obvious symptoms.
The Director of the NCC at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Dr Kow Entsua-Mensah, said cardiovascular diseases remained a major public health crisis that could not be overcome by the health sector alone.
At the launch of World Heart Day 2026 at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra last Wednesday, Dr Entsua-Mensah said this year’s theme, “Heart Disease Can Hide in Plain Sight, Don’t Miss a Beat,” was both a warning and a call to action.
He said hypertension was one of the most important risk factors for cardiovascular diseases and could exist for years without obvious symptoms.
Dr Entsua-Mensah stated that diabetes, high cholesterol, obesity, physical inactivity, unhealthy diets, tobacco use and harmful alcohol consumption could progressively damage the cardiovascular system long before an individual became aware of the danger.
He, therefore, urged the public not to ignore unusual chest discomfort, breathlessness, palpitations and other warning signs of heart disease and stroke.
“Don’t miss a beat”
Dr Entsua-Mensah said the fight against cardiovascular diseases required collaboration among the government, healthcare institutions, corporate organisations, schools, workplaces, faith-based organisations, civil society and the media.
He urged Ghanaians to recognise their risks, pay attention to warning signs and seek medical attention early.
He said the beating pulse was a reminder that every individual had a responsibility to protect his or her heart.
“This year, Ghana is not going to miss a beat.
And certainly, you are not going to miss a beat. Your family is not going to miss a beat,” he said.
The World Heart Day 2026 activities are expected to focus on raising awareness of cardiovascular diseases, promoting prevention and encouraging early detection and treatment of hypertension and other heart-related conditions.
Leading cause of death
The Head of Cardiology at the University of Ghana and the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Prof. Alfred Doku, said cardiovascular diseases had become the leading cause of death in Ghana.
He said while Ghana’s public health efforts had historically focused heavily on diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis and HIV, cardiovascular diseases, particularly stroke and heart failure, were increasingly overtaking those conditions as major causes of mortality.
Prof. Doku, who is also the Chairman of the World Heart Awareness Month Planning Committee, stated that cardiovascular diseases accounted for approximately 43 per cent to 50 per cent of deaths in Ghana, with uncontrolled hypertension being a major driver.
He said hypertension was affecting people across all age groups, with its complications including stroke and heart failure.
“More than one in five Ghanaians, about 30 per cent of Ghanaian adults, have hypertension, and 70 per cent of these people are not aware they have hypertension,” he said.
Prof. Doku said the situation was particularly worrying because cardiovascular disease was affecting younger people in Ghana and across Africa, unlike in many Western countries where deaths from heart disease and stroke occurred predominantly among older people.
Know your numbers
Prof. Doku urged Ghanaians to make regular health checks part of their lifestyle, particularly checking blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, weight and body mass index (BMI).
He challenged members of the public to know their blood pressure in the same way they knew their telephone numbers.
“When was the last time you had your blood pressure checked?
Do you know your blood sugar level?
Do you know your cholesterol level? Do you know your weight and your BMI?” he asked and called on healthcare professionals to use every interaction with patients as an opportunity to conduct basic cardiovascular screening.
“Every pregnant woman attending antenatal clinic, patients seeking wound dressing and even people visiting health facilities for malaria tests could have their blood pressure checked as part of routine care”, he stated
Lifestyle changes
Prof. Doku said about 80 per cent of strokes and heart attacks could be prevented through appropriate lifestyle changes and early management of risk factors.
He urged Ghanaians to reduce their intake of salt, oil and highly processed seasonings, exercise regularly, avoid smoking and limit exposure to second-hand smoke.
He further encouraged people to incorporate at least 30 minutes of physical activity into their daily routines where possible.
On alcohol consumption, Prof. Doku said emerging evidence showed that no amount of alcohol could be considered completely safe and advised people who did not drink not to start.
He also stressed the importance of adhering to prescribed medication for hypertension.
“Hypertension treatment is not a course for one week. It is a long journey,” he said, explaining that patients should not stop taking their medication simply because they felt well or their blood pressure had become controlled.
He said controlled blood pressure was often an indication that the medication was working and not necessarily that the condition had been cured.
Call for investment
Prof. Doku also called for increased investment in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases.
He said funding for heart disease and stroke remained inadequate and urged the government, corporate organisations and other stakeholders to support interventions aimed at improving prevention, screening, treatment and access to essential medicines.
He also called for measures to make hypertension medicines affordable, noting that families should not have to choose between purchasing essential medication and meeting other basic needs.
