Africa-Press – Ghana. President John Dramani Mahama has expressed concern about the increasing burden cost of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in the country.
NCDs are long-lasting, chronic conditions that are not passed from person to person, often caused by genetic, environmental, or lifestyle factors.
President Mahama therefore, called for a significant shift in lifestyle habits — specifically warning against late-night eating of heavy meals such as fufu and banku.
He gave the caution at the launch of the Free Primary Healthcare Programme (FPHC) at the Shai Osudoku Hospital in Dodowa in the Greater Accra Region.
“We are trying to prevent especially non-communicable diseases before they become complicated. Non-communicable diseases have become the heaviest disease burden in Ghana,” he said.
The President cited some common NCDs as breast and cervical cancers, hypertension, strokes, cardiovascular accidents, and renal and kidney failures.
He noted that these NCDs had become the highest disease burden in the country because of the change in the lifestyles of some Ghanaians.
“And so one of the aspects of the free primary health care too will be to educate people on what makes you susceptible to non-communicable diseases. How to change your lifestyle? I mean, if you are the kind of person who likes eating heavy foods, you are not physically active.
“You are sitting in one place, and yet when they give you your fufu or banku, you say it is too small, you want a big bowl of fufu. You want to eat it every day. Sometimes you eat it at night before you go and sleep,” President Mahama stated.
“Please by seven o’clock, eat your dinner, and don’t eat again. If you are hungry, just take a cup of tea or something. Don’t eat any heavy food… President Mahama advised.
He said through the FPHC programme, Ghanaians would be educated on dietary changes.
He noted that an aspect of the FPHC would be education on how to maintain a decent lifestyle.
He reiterated that change of lifestyle would be part of the educational activity of the Free Primary Healthcare.
The Primary Healthcare services will be accessible at: Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) compounds, health centres, public health units of polyclinics, health post, community pharmacies and school infirmaries.
Phase one of the programme will cover 150 districts across the nation.
Whereas phase two would be expanded in 2027 to cover the remaining districts, with full nationwide coverage by 2028.
For More News And Analysis About Ghana Follow Africa-Press
