Government initiates interventions to address NCDs - Minister

Dr Ignatius Baffour-Awuah, the Minister of Employment and Labour says Government has initiated a number of interventions to address the increasing incidence of morbidity and mortality of non-communicable diseases (NCDs).

He said Cabinet has approved the revised National NCD Policy to help reduce exposure to risk factors that contributed to the diseases, and to strengthen early detection and management to reduce morbidity and mortality from NCDs.

The rest are to strengthen the health system for the prevention and control of NCDs, strengthen multi-sectoral collaboration for the prevention and control of diseases and ensure its sustainable funding.

Dr Baffour-Awuah made this known at this year’s National High Level Meeting on NCDs under the theme: “Leave No One’s Health Behind – Invest in Health Systems for All – Prioritizing NCDs for Universal Health Coverage (UHC).”

He said the policy would focus on strategic areas such as; health promotion, alcohol use, tobacco use, diet and nutrition, and immunization while undertaking screening and early detection, clinical care, rehabilitation of persons living with NCDS, and palliative care.

It would also provide a special focus on cancers, injuries, sickle cell diseases, mental health, oral health, eye health and would institute health system strengthening, financing of NCDs, and research and development.

The Minister said a National NCD Steering Committee had been launched to provide oversight over the implementation of the policy and that the Ministry of Health was in the final stage of developing the policy Strategic Implementation Plan.

“In addition to the above, the Ministry of Health has developed the Universal Health Coverage Roadmap, which has captured NCDs, leaving no one behind, and that the Ghana Health Policy which was launched in 2020 would also capture NCDs,” he stated.

Dr Baffour-Awuah said; “Effective and efficient implementation of all the above interventions with all stakeholders and development partners, we believe would work to reduce the increasing incidence, morbidity, and mortality of NCDS.