Accra: Mr. Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, the Minister of Health, has called on stakeholders in the fight against non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and mental health to work towards turning political declarations at UN High-Level Meetings into practical solutions. He said this would help bridge global health commitments with local realities and build a healthier, stronger, and more resilient Ghana. Mr. Akandoh made the call in a speech read for him at the 7th National Strategic High-Level Meeting on NCDs and Mental Health organised by the Ghana NCD Alliance (GhNCDA) in collaboration with the Ministry of Health held in Accra.
According to Ghana News Agency, the meeting was themed 'Bridging Global Commitments with Local Realities: Ghana's Roadmap to the 4th UN High-Level Meeting (UN HLM) on NCDs and Mental Health.' The national strategic meeting aimed to review progress made on commitments since the UN HLMs in 2011, 2014, 2018, to identify shortfalls, and to help build a unified national advocacy position to present at the meeting later in September 2025.
Mr. Akandoh urged stakeholders to advocate for stronger global partnerships that would provide technical cooperation, technology transfer, and capacity building. He emphasized the importance of reaffirming Ghana's commitment to reducing premature mortality by one third by 2030 in line with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 3.4).
Dr. Beatrice Wiafe-Addai, the Chairperson of the GhNCDA, addressed the broader implications of NCDs, highlighting their threat to national development, productivity, and economic stability. She noted that although Ghana has made commendable strides, challenges remain, particularly in financing prevention efforts, with patients often bearing significant out-of-pocket expenses.
Mr. Labram Musah, the National Coordinator for GhNCDA, presented on the role of civil society organisations in championing NCD policy advocacy in Ghana, noting their contributions to key policy frameworks such as the Public Health Act (2012). He also outlined challenges, including inadequate domestic funding sources and low commitment to earmarking health taxes for healthcare.
Madam Fiona Braka, the WHO Representative in Ghana, expressed concern over the rising statistics of NCD deaths in Africa, noting that these diseases are among the leading causes of death. She stressed the need for a combination of approaches to significantly impact NCD outcomes and achieve universal health coverage targets.
The upcoming UN HLM on NCDs and mental health, scheduled for September 2025, is anticipated to be a pivotal event for renewing political commitments and accelerating actions towards these health challenges. The meeting aims to formulate new frameworks, focusing on equity, integration, and collaboration, to improve health outcomes across the continent.
Professor Kwasi Torpey, the Dean of the School of Public Health, expressed hope that Ghana would be well represented at the UN HLM to advocate for addressing NCDs and mental health.
