NGO calls on govt to commit resources for NCD prevention

A non-Governmental Organisation, the Ghana Non-communicable Diseases Alliance (GhNCDA) has urged the government to commit greater resources towards the prevention of non-communicable diseases and to ensure easier access to treatment, care and support for such cases.

The Director, GhNCDA, Labram Musah, said Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) such as cancer, stroke, asthma, diabetes and many others have emerged as a significant public health threat, accounting for over 41 million deaths annually, representing over 70 per cent of all deaths globally.

He said though NCDs are preventable, they are major causes of death in the world today.

Mr Musah made the remarks at the opening of a two-day training workshop for about 20 people with NDCs from the Volta Region to build their capacities and skills to become advocates and join the call for action to address the challenges facing people living with NCDs in the country and beyond at Adaklu-Kodzobi last Monday.

The workshop was in collaboration with the Stroke Association Support Network-Ghana.

Mr Musah said NCDs could be effectively prevented or controlled when measures were put in place to regulate the consumption of alcohol, tobacco, unhealthy foods, air pollution and to encourage physical activity of all forms.

The Executive Director of the Stroke Association Support Network-Ghana, Adams Ebenezer said in Ghana, NCDs accounted for 45 per cent of all deaths, adding that the rise in NCDs was fueled by lifestyle changes, urbanisation and limited healthcare access.

That, he said, made it essential for the country to develop targeted interventions to address the issue.

Capacity building

Mr Ebenezer said building the capacity of NCDs patients could significantly advance patient outcomes.

For instance, he said, NCDs patients who were educated and empowered were better positioned to advocate for themselves and others in their communities, leading to a stronger patient voice in healthcare decision-making.

The Chief of Adaklu-Kodzobi, Togbe Dzegblade IV thanked GhNCDA and the Stroke Association Support Network-Ghana for the training workshop in the community and pledged that the traditional rulers would contribute actively towards the success of the programme in the community.