WHO moves to support Ghana improve diabetes control, prevention

The World Health Organi­sation (WHO) has moved to support Ghana in its efforts to improve the prevention and control of diabetes as a growing public health threat.

Under its Global Diabetes Compact, the WHO in collabo­ration with the World Diabetes Foundation (WDF) is seeking to accelerate the fight against diabetes which currently affects 2.4 million Ghanaians by promot­ing access to equitable, compre­hensive, affordable and quality treatment and care.

In line with national non-com­municable disease (NCD) policies, it is expected that over the next two years, at least 60 percent of diabetics are diagnosed, 60 percent have good control of glucose and their blood pressure and at least 40 percent of people with diabetes who are 40 years or older, receive statins; a group of drugs which act to reduce levels of cho­lesterol in the blood.

Also, under the WHO-WDF support, Ghana is expected to attain 100 percent coverage of all persons with type-one diabetes having access to affordable insulin and blood glucose self-monitoring equipment by 2025.

At a high-level meeting in Accra yesterday, the WHO Country Rep­resentative, Dr. Francis Kasolo, said, Ghana was chosen together with Uganda to implement the “joint integrative project” because of a strong commitment shown for the fight against NCDs and the 2023 agenda of the Sustain­able Development Goals (SDGs).

“There is a need for increased access to diagnostic tools to determine the true extent of NCDs and diabetes if we are to appreciate the true burden of the condition.

Left unchecked and without management and lifestyle changes, diabetes can lead to several com­plications and while we live in the COVID-19 era, it’s been shown that people with diabetes are at higher risk of severe COVID-19 symptoms and death,” he said.

Dr. Kasolo noted that if fully implemented, the project would contribute to reducing the number of deaths and disabilities resulting from diabetes and improve the quality of life of persons living with type one and two diabetes.

He advised members of the public to adopt healthy eating habits combined with regular ex­ercising, avoid tobacco smoking, maintain a healthy weight, and limit alcohol consumption.

The Health Minister, Kwaku Agyeman-Manu in a remark, noted that although about seven percent of Ghana’s adult popu­lation has type-2 diabetes, a larger number could be living with the condition and undiagnosed.

He said the WHO-WDF support was timely to address the threat, reduce the disease burden and improve access to diabetes care and treatment.

“We must prioritise the preven­tion, care, and management of diabetes in Ghana and support the goals of the WHO Global Diabetes Compact and Ghana remains committed to ensuring the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases in­cluding diabetes,” he stated.