Ghana Rallies Stakeholders on Measures to prevent Non-Communicable Illness and Control

With Non-Communicable Ailments (NCDs) now responsible for near to half of all deaths in Ghana, efforts to prevent and decrease the growing health and economic burden regain by no formula been more pressing. From unhealthy meals environments and aggressive marketing to shrimp gain accurate of entry to to infrastructure for bodily instruct, the drivers of bad health outcomes are generally systemic — requiring strong authorized pointers, strategic fiscal insurance policies, and sustained inappropriate-sectoral collaboration. 

By contrast backdrop, the Ministry of Properly being with fortify from WHO, convened a stakeholder engagement bringing over 50 stakeholders from authorities ministries, regulatory agencies, academia, civil society, and UN companions to galvanize fortify for honest and fiscal reforms that promote wholesome diets and bodily instruct — two key pillars within the prevention and control of NCDs. This multisectoral engagement kinds segment of the country’s programme of work on the Section II of the Global Regulatory and Fiscal Ability Building Programme (Global RECAP).

RECAP is a joint initiative of WHO and the International Pattern Law Organization (IDLO), supported by the Swiss Company for Pattern and Cooperation (SDC) and the European Union, in collaboration with the International Pattern Evaluation Centre (IDRC). This programme targets to compose the honest, regulatory, and fiscal ability of governments, regulators, and civil society actors to construct and put into effect honest and fiscal measures that decrease noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) by growing more fit environments. 

Dr Hafiz Adam Tahir Adam, the Acting Chief Director of the Ministry of Properly being, in his opening remarks expressed appreciation to WHO and companions for his or her continued fortify. 

“Addressing these factors requires a collaborative effort from all sectors, reaffirming the Ministry’s dedication to work intently with companions to address unhealthy diets and insufficient bodily instruct”, he mentioned.

Ghana’s priority areas on the Section II of RECAP entails legislative fortify for bodily instruct, regulations of unhealthy meals marketing, front-of-pack nutrition labelling, and fiscal measures together with sugar sweetened beverage taxation and effective collaboration with Civil Society Organisations (CSOs).

Presenting the international RECAP framework, WHO’s Steady Officer, Kate Robertson highlighted the uneven development made globally and emphasised the position of ability constructing, proof generation, and community mobilization. 

“Steady and fiscal tools are great levers for shaping more fit environments. Thru RECAP, we’re working with countries relish Ghana to make stronger their ability to own and put into effect insurance policies that can force real alternate—holding populations and reducing the burden of NCDs.”

WHO information finds that 9.9% of Ghanaians — and near to 15% of girls folk — manufacture no longer meet the fast bodily instruct stages. The information also highlights air pollution as an more and more considerable contributor to the country’s NCD profile. This underscores the urgency of action to own an enabling environment for more fit diet and the promotion of bodily instruct.

Mr William Agbavitor, Head of Steady at the Food and Medication Authority, walked participants via the honest and regulatory frameworks within the meanwhile in location, together with the Public Properly being Act (2012) and contemporary draft insurance policies equivalent to a national front-of-pack labelling coverage and restrictions on unhealthy meals marketing.

The meeting concluded with the formation of a national multisectoral RECAP Steering Committee to manual the pattern and implementation of a country-led workplan. This committee will wait on force proof-informed coverage reform—particularly in areas equivalent to meals security, where stakeholders known as for stronger collaboration, clearer procurement pointers, and safeguards in opposition to industry interference to fortify more fit institutional meals environments.

For Additional Information or to Quiz Interviews, Please contact:
Abdul-Lahie Abdul-Rahim Naa
Communications Officer
WHO Ghana Country Place of job
Electronic mail: abdullahiea [at] who.int (abdullahiea[at]who[dot]int)
Tel: +233 20 196 2393