The Ministry of Health (MoH) is set to join the global community in commemorating World Heart Day 2025 on September 29 under the theme “Don’t Miss a Beat,” aiming to boost awareness and promote the prevention, early detection, and control of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) across Ghana.
The commemoration highlights the urgency of the issue, as CVDs continue to pose a significant public health threat and remain the leading cause of death for both men and women in the country. While cardiovascular diseases claim 20.5 million lives annually worldwide, the majority—about 75%—of these fatalities occur in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The MoH noted that local hospitals are increasingly burdened with complications that could have been prevented or better managed through early diagnosis, lifestyle interventions, and continuous care.
Evidence suggests that 80% of premature deaths from heart diseases are preventable through practicing healthy lifestyles. Key preventative measures include eating fruits and vegetables, limiting intake of highly processed and salted foods, engaging in regular physical activity, maintaining a healthy body weight, and avoiding alcohol and tobacco use. For citizens living with a CVD, self-monitoring blood pressure regularly and adhering to prescribed medications daily are also vital.
In an effort to curb the growing burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), the Government and the MoH have undertaken several interventions. These include the development of the National CD Policy 2022 to reduce exposure to risk factors and strengthen early detection and management. Additionally, initiatives such as the Ghana Medical Trust Fund (known as the MahamaCares) and the Free Primary Health Care aim to ensure that evidence-based care is universally available, accessible, and affordable to all Ghanaians.
The MoH’s Public Relations Unit urged citizens to take advantage of these and other initiatives to mitigate their risks. The Ministry also encouraged all key stakeholders to carry out sensitization and screening activities on World Heart Day and throughout the year to collaboratively commit to actions that will help reduce the overall burden of non-communicable diseases among the Ghanaian population.
Ruth Abla ADJORLOLO
