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Diseases such as hypertension, strokes, diabetes and cancers have been identified among the top four causes of death, especially among the elderly in Ghana.
In recent times, the Ghana Health Service (GHS) says that there has been a sharp increase in the prevalence of Noncommunicable Diseases (NCDs) among people between 50 and 60 years old in the country.
The diseases, which have been described as being no respecter of persons, have been reported among very young people 27 years of age or younger.
It is estimated that 34% of deaths and 31% of the burden of disease in the country are due to non-communicable diseases.
It is estimated that 86,200 people die annually, almost 55.5% of the dead are under 70 years old and 58% are men.
According to the statistics available to the GHS, the death rate from NCDs in the country stood at 817 per 100,000 for men and 595 per 100,000 for women.
Stakeholder concern
Stakeholders such as the Ghana Health Service Health Promotion Unit and PATH, an international non-profit global health organization focused on working to accelerate health equity, have raised concerns about the prevalence of chronic NCDs.
GHS Director of Health Promotion Dr. Dacosta Aboagye said that Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) are non-infectious health conditions, which means they cannot be transmitted from person to person.
“Most NCDs are chronic; they cannot be fully cured, and the person must live with and deal with it. A combination of genetic, physiological, lifestyle and environmental factors can cause these diseases, ”he said.
He said risk factors had also increased over time, making NCDs a significant contributor to Ghana’s burden of disease.
“Typical of these chronic NCDs are hypertension, stroke, cancer and diabetes, which according to health experts do not respect people and affect communities young and old, rich and poor, regardless of geographic location” , said.
He said the high prevalence could be attributed to low education, which is why the GHS and its partners were prioritizing public education over NCDs.
He said it is critical for people to understand the nature of these diseases so they can make informed decisions to improve their health.
Risk factor’s
Dr. Aboagye said risk factors for NCDs included an unhealthy diet, lack of physical activity, tobacco use, passive smoking, and excessive alcohol use, and aging.
“NCDs are no respecter of persons, they can affect people of all ages, regions and countries. These conditions are often associated with older age groups, but evidence shows that 15 million of all deaths attributed to NCDs occur between the ages of 30 and 69.
“Unhealthy diets and lack of physical activity can manifest in people as high blood pressure, increased blood glucose, increased blood lipids and obesity. These are called metabolic risk factors that can lead to cardiovascular disease, the main NCD in terms of premature deaths.
“Of these premature deaths, it is estimated that more than 85 percent occur in low- and middle-income countries. Children, adults and the elderly are vulnerable to risk factors that contribute to NCDs, whether from unhealthy diets, physical inactivity and exposure to tobacco smoke or the harmful use of alcohol, ”he said.
He added that, in addition to behavioral risks, environmental and socioeconomic factors such as air pollution, climate change, trade agreements, and aggressive marketing of unhealthy products were accelerating the NCD epidemic.
Low investment
PATH Chief Dr. Patience Cofie said NCDs were the leading causes of death worldwide; however, there was little investment to prevent them.
He said an important way to control NCDs was to focus on reducing associated risk factors.
“There are low-cost solutions for governments and other stakeholders to reduce common modifiable risk factors. Innovative ways to mobilize funds and strengthen political will are required to support the control and prevention of NCDs.
“In Ghana, feasible interventions include passing tobacco laws and enforcing laws on food labeling to control the salt and energy content of processed foods. Monitoring the progress and trends of NCDs and their risk is important to guide policies and priorities.
“Momentum should be intensified to enroll more registrants in NHIS, as well as restructure the benefits package to include more medications and treatments for chronic diseases. Screening and control visits to the health facility should be considered in the NHIS and in private health insurance plans, ”he said.
Noncommunicable diseases remain high: a healthy lifestyle can make a difference
Dr Cofie said that to decrease the impact of NCDs on people and society, a comprehensive approach was needed that required input from all sectors.
He said that Ghana had participated in and endorsed several international, regional and subregional resolutions and declarations on NCDs, which had not yet been fully implemented.
“To bridge the gap between policy rhetoric and implementation, collaboration and joint action is urgently needed from the government and its various relevant sectoral ministries, health and public policy makers, civil society, industries. , investigators and patient groups.
“The government should give high priority to the policies and programs funded for the prevention and control of NCDs. It is necessary to create public-private partnerships for effective and coordinated interventions against NCDs, ”he said.
“The pharmaceutical industry is crucial and must aim to ensure the availability, affordability and accessibility of low-cost generic drugs for the management of chronic diseases,” he added.
He said this was because the high cost of caring for people with one or more chronic noncommunicable diseases worsened the already poor economic situation of the poor.
“Awareness and knowledge are limited, health systems are weak, and there are no known chronic disease policies in the country,” he said.
He added that these factors contributed to increased risk, morbidity and mortality, making chronic diseases a public health and development problem that should be an urgent concern not only for the Ministry of Health and the GHS.
He said directions in research, practice and policy are urgently needed, supported by active partnerships between researchers, policy makers, industry, patient groups, civil society, government and development partners.
SDG
The United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted at the United Nations Summit on Sustainable Development in September 2015, recognizes NCDs as a major challenge for sustainable development.
As part of the agenda, the heads of state and government committed, as part of the achievement of goal three of the SGD, which advocates for good health and well-being, to: reduce premature mortality from NCDs by one third, strengthen responses to reduce the harmful use of alcohol, achieve universal health coverage (UHC), and strengthen implementation of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC).
UN member states also pledged to support research and development of vaccines and drugs for NCDs that primarily affect developing countries and to provide access to affordable essential drugs and vaccines for NCDs.
Source: Graphiconline.com
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