Govt admonished to invest in NCDs treatment

On April 28, 2024, 4:05 AM

The Ghana Non-Communicable Diseases Alliance(GhNCDs) has called on the government to earmark more funds to tackle Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) in Ghana.

Speaking at a seminar in Accra on April 26, 2024, the National Coordinator of the GhNCDA, Mr. Labram Musah, revealed that the government needed to support sensitization and treatment due to the deaths attributed to NCDs.

According to him, NCDs represent 74 per cent of all deaths globally and 46 per cent of mortality in Ghana.

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs), also known as chronic diseases, are non-transmissible diseases that often last long.

Some of these non-communicable diseases are cancer, mental health conditions, stroke, heart disease, diabetes and chronic lung disease.

“NCDs represent 74% of all deaths globally and 46% of mortality in Ghana. It is estimated that 3.1 million Ghanaians are living with mental health issues. Globally, it is estimated that 15 million lives a year will be ended prematurely as a result of NCD and Mental Health.

“Due to the chronic nature of NCD and Mental Health, it requires costly long-term or lifelong treatment. Treatment costs also increase exponentially in the case of multi-morbidities, which is becoming more of a norm rather than an exception,” he explained.

Additionally, the GhNCDs urged the government to adhere to the principles of Universal Health Coverage(UHC), which allows all people and communities, irrespective of their income level, access to quality health services without worrying about affordability.

UHC also aims to ensure everyone can lead a healthy life without high medical costs.

The network of health NGOs also appealed to the government to ensure that the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) serves its purpose, namely, addressing the cost of NCD treatment.

Also, the group called on the government to strengthen the Mental Health Act 2012 (ACT 846), which seeks to establish a Mental Health Fund to provide financial resources for the care and management of persons suffering from mental disorders.