ghana news 1 in 5 Ghanaians battles elevated blood pressure - MoH rallies support to curb rising NCD burden

Speaking at a stakeholder dialogue on low and no-calorie sweeteners (LNCS) in Accra last Friday, the acting Head of Public Health at the ministry, Dr Mavis Sakyi, stated that the high prevalence of hypertension required stronger preventive measures, including healthier diets, regular health checks and increased physical activity to reduce the risk of NCDs and their complications.

At least one in every five Ghanaians has elevated blood pressure, highlighting the growing burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in the country, the Ministry of Health (MoH) has said.

On low or no-calorie sweeteners, she stated that the country should not rely solely on international guidelines to determine acceptable intake levels, but should consider local dietary patterns, product composition, consumer behaviour, existing standards and available evidence.