Stakeholders in the fight against non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in Ghana have been called upon to intensify advocacy efforts and demand stronger government commitment ahead of the Fourth UN High-Level Meeting on NCDs, scheduled for September 2025.
This appeal was made during a capacity-building seminar organized for media professionals, civil society organizations (CSOs), and individuals living with NCDs.
Mr. Labram Musah, National Coordinator for the Ghana NCD Alliance (GhNCDA), emphasized the urgent need for increased investment in NCD prevention and control. He highlighted the critical role such measures play in achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in Ghana. Musah urged the government and stakeholders to prioritize NCDs in national health policies and allocate more resources to combat these diseases.
Mr. Jeorge Wilson Kingston, Chairman of the Media Alliance in Tobacco Control and Health (MATCOH), stressed the growing burden of NCDs in Ghana, which account for approximately 45% of all deaths in the country. He noted that challenges such as high treatment costs, inequitable healthcare access, and insufficient mental health support hinder progress in addressing these diseases.
The seminar, jointly organized by GhNCDA, MATCOH, and the Private Newspaper and Online News Publishers Association of Ghana (PRINPAG), aimed to equip participants with advocacy skills to push for improved policies, universal health coverage, and greater government investment in NCD prevention and mental health services. Participants were also encouraged to hold the government accountable for its commitments to Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3.4, which seeks to reduce premature mortality from NCDs.
The event underscored the importance of collaborative efforts among stakeholders, including the Ministry of Health, WHO Ghana, and other partners, to ensure that NCDs remain a priority on national and international health agendas.