NCDs account for over 94,000 deaths in Ghana

The Ghana Non-Communicable Disease Alliance (GhNCDA) has said the nation recorded 94,400 non-communicable related deaths in 2016.

A Non Communicable Disease (NCD) is said to be a medical condition or disease that is non-infectious and non-transmissible among people.

The four main types of noncommunicable diseases are cardiovascular (heart attacks and stroke), cancer, chronic respiratory diseases (such as chronic obstructed pulmonary diseases and asthma) and diabetes.

Mr Ebenezer Adams, Vice Chairman, GhNCDA and Executive Director, Stroke Association Support Network Ghana, speaking at a day’s community engagement at Peki Blengo, said though the figures for 2018 were not officially out, the figure was likely to increase and “all must work to prevent the situation”.

He said NCD deaths accounted for 41 million deaths annually in the world, equivalent to 71 per cent of all deaths and the cause of premature deaths of 15 million people between the ages of 30 to 69.

Mr Adams said it is sad to note that hypertension and stroke cases were the most recorded at Out Patients Departments across the country followed by diabetes, which were all NCDs.

He said it was for this reason that the Alliance was taking measures to develop strategies tailored towards reducing the “incidence and burden of NCDs in the country”.

Mr Labram Musah, National Coordinator, GhNCDA, said NCDs has become a global epidemic needing an integrated approach.

He said people within low and middle income countries are at increased exposure to risk factors for NCDs.

Mr Musah called for a concerted effort at all levels to reduce NCDs and help the poor who contracted them to access quality healthcare.

Source: GNA