Health experts have issued a dire warning that Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) could potentially evolve into the next global pandemic, following in the footsteps of COVID-19 if immediate action is not taken. With over 94,000 fatalities annually attributed to NCDs such as diabetes, hypertension, kidney failures, and cancers, the current efforts to combat this silent crisis are deemed inadequate.
At the recent JoyNews National Dialogue on NCDs, experts emphasized the critical need for urgent and proactive government intervention. Prof. Gordon Abekah-Nkrumah from the University of Ghana Business School stressed the importance of a multidimensional approach to addressing NCDs, highlighting the necessity for effective regulations and policies to tackle the root causes of these diseases.
In his address, Prof. Abekah-Nkrumah emphasized the urgency of communicating the severity of NCDs to decision-makers in positions of power, such as the Ministry of Finance and cabinet members. He underscored the importance of aligning the fight against NCDs with the interests and incentives of these key stakeholders to garner their support and resource allocation.
Dr. Kwasi Boahene, Director of Health Systems at PharmAccess, further painted a bleak picture of NCDs in Ghana by projecting that the country may incur an annual expenditure of around six billion dollars by 2030 to combat these chronic diseases.
The resounding call to action from health experts is clear: immediate and strategic measures are imperative to prevent NCDs from escalating into the next pandemic. The focus should be on implementing comprehensive policies and effectively communicating with decision-makers to ensure the necessary support and resources are allocated to tackle this growing health crisis.
