Ghana Urged to Step Up Action Against Rising Cardiovascular Disease Burden

Ghana needs to intensify efforts to prevent and detect cardiovascular diseases as changing lifestyles, poor health-seeking behaviour and growing exposure to risk factors continue to put more people at risk of the disease.

Dr Florence Koryo Akumiah, a Specialist in Cardiovascular Health at Korlebu Teaching Hospital, made the call as Ghana joined the global observance of World Heart Day, marked on September 29 under the theme, “Don’t Miss a Beat.”

She said cardiovascular diseases had become a major public health concern in Ghana, accounting for about 18 per cent of deaths in the country, while non-communicable diseases collectively accounted for about 45 per cent of deaths.

Dr Akumiah said the 2023 Ghana WHO STEPS Survey, the country’s first nationwide study of non-communicable disease risk factors, showed that one in five Ghanaian adults had hypertension, representing about 3.7 million people.

The survey covered all 16 regions and involved about 5,438 adults. Its findings also pointed to significant levels of overweight and obesity, raised cholesterol and blood sugar, as well as low levels of physical activity.

She said the challenge was not only the high number of people with hypertension but also the large proportion who were unaware of their condition or were not receiving adequate treatment.

“Even though there seems to be some awareness about hypertension, translating it into effective control is still the problem that we need to address,” she said.

Dr Akumiah noted that cardiovascular diseases were often linked to everyday habits, including excessive salt consumption, unhealthy diets, physical inactivity, alcohol use, tobacco use and stress.

According to her, the STEPS Survey found that about nine in 10 people added salt while cooking and also at the table, while about 23 per cent regularly consumed very salty processed foods.

She said changing work and eating patterns had also increased exposure to hidden salt in processed foods, seasoning powders, stock cubes, instant noodles, canned foods, salted and smoked fish and other commonly consumed products.

Physical inactivity was another concern, she said, particularly as more people engaged in sedentary work and spent less time on physically demanding activities.

Dr Akumiah said tobacco use also required attention, particularly among young people who were increasingly moving from conventional cigarettes to shisha and vaping.

Alcohol consumption was also significant, with about 31 per cent of men surveyed actively drinking and a considerable number reporting binge drinking.

She said the burden differed across population groups. Among men, poor blood pressure awareness and control, as well as higher levels of smoking and alcohol use, were key concerns.

Among women, overweight, obesity, physical inactivity and raised cholesterol were more prominent, with more than half of the women surveyed being overweight and one in four classified as obese.

Dr Akumiah stressed that cardiovascular risk factors often occurred together, increasing a person’s chances of developing heart attacks, strokes and other complications.

She therefore encouraged Ghanaians to know their health numbers, including blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol levels, and to undergo routine health checks even when they felt well.

She explained that cardiovascular damage could develop silently for years before a person experienced a serious event, making prevention and early detection critical.

“People think that heart disease is for the old and the rich. That is also not the case,” she said.

Dr Akumiah also cautioned patients against stopping prescribed hypertension medication simply because their blood pressure had improved.

She said hypertension was usually a chronic condition requiring long-term management and advised patients experiencing side effects to consult their doctors rather than discontinue treatment on their own.

He further urged caution in the use of unregulated herbal preparations, noting that people often did not know their ingredients or dosage. Approved herbal medicines, she said, could sometimes be used alongside conventional treatment, but should not automatically be regarded as replacements for prescribed medicines.

Beyond individual responsibility, Dr Akumiah called for stronger community and institutional action to promote cardiovascular health.

She encouraged churches, schools, workplaces and other community institutions to organise screening and health education programmes, while traditional and faith leaders should be equipped to identify people who require medical attention and refer them appropriately.

She also urged health workers to routinely check patients’ blood pressure, provide lifestyle counselling, ensure appropriate treatment and follow up or refer patients when necessary.

The media, she said, also had an important role to play in ensuring that accurate and credible health information reached the public.

She advised journalists and health programme hosts to verify health experts’ credentials and claims before putting information into the public domain, especially because misinformation could affect people’s health decisions.

Dr Akumiah said Ghana’s response to cardiovascular disease required action at every level, from individual lifestyle choices and community interventions to national health policies.

She said the World Heart Day message, “see the signs, protect your heart and demand action,” should remind individuals, health workers, policymakers, and the media to work together to reduce the country’s cardiovascular disease burden.

She stressed that early recognition of symptoms was particularly important during emergencies such as stroke and heart attacks. For instance, sudden facial drooping, slurred speech or weakness on one side of the body should be treated as an emergency, with the affected person taken promptly to a health facility rather than relying on home remedies or delaying care.

According to her, timely action could make a significant difference in preventing severe disability or death.

Dr Akumiah said Ghana could make meaningful progress against cardiovascular disease by combining healthier lifestyles, regular screening, timely treatment, effective public education and stronger health systems.

“Everybody needs to know their numbers. Be responsible for your health,” she said.

Grace Acheampong, ISD