The Health Ministry reports that one in every five Ghanaians is currently battling elevated blood pressure amid a rising burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
Data from the ministry showed that reported hypertension cases increased from 549,527 in 2023 to 583,720 in 2024, before declining slightly to 577,374 in 2025, indicating that the condition continues to affect a significant proportion of the population.
The situation is further underscored by findings from a 2023 national survey, which showed that 20 per cent of the population had elevated blood pressure (BP), with women recording a higher prevalence than men.
Hypertension (BP) is particularly of concern because when it is poorly controlled it can lead to serious complications such as stroke, heart failure and chronic kidney disease, placing significant health and economic burdens on individuals, families and the country.
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 20 per cent of people had elevated blood pressure, so if you take five people, you will get one person who has high blood pressure, and among this population, we saw that there were more women who had high blood pressure,” she said.
Background
The stakeholder roundtable was organised to promote science-based dialogue on low/no-calorie sweeteners (LNCS), nutrition and Ghana’s evolving food policy environment.
The engagement brought together government institutions, health professionals, consumer groups and the food and beverage industry to exchange perspectives on evidence-based policymaking, innovation and informed consumer choice.
Participants reviewed scientific evidence on the safety and efficacy of LNCS and explored their potential role in supporting healthier diets and addressing the growing burden of NCDs.
It was organised by the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) in partnership with the International Sweeteners Association (ISA).
Major drivers
Dr Sakyi identified unhealthy diets, excessive consumption of salt and sugar, alcohol use, tobacco use, physical inactivity, overweight and obesity as major drivers of NCDs in the country.
She stated that changing lifestyles and food environments had increased people’s exposure to these risk factors, and that the situation had been further compounded by low consumption of fruits and vegetables, as a national survey showed that Ghanaians consumed fruits on average only two days a week.
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.
She added that such a context-specific approach would enable the country to establish appropriate sweetener limits while ensuring that policies were evidence-based and aligned with efforts to reduce the burden of NCDs.
Economic threat
The President of AGI, Kofi Nsiah-Poku, warned that NCDs and obesity could impose significant economic costs on households, businesses and the wider economy through increased healthcare expenses, reduced labour force participation and lower productivity.
The AGI president, who is also the Chief Executive of Kinapharma, explained that the growing burden of NCDs should be treated not only as a public health concern but also as an economic and development priority, given its potential impact on incomes, workforce productivity and economic growth.
He added that a healthy population was fundamental to industrial growth.
Public health policies
The Director-General of ISA, Laurent Oger, said science should play a central role in shaping public health policies.
“We are encouraged by the level of engagement and the openness of stakeholders to discuss the evidence surrounding low or no calorie sweeteners.
“Around the world, these ingredients have been extensively evaluated by food safety authorities, and nutrition and food policy discussions must continue to be guided by robust scientific evidence,” Mr Oger said.
Credit: Graphic Online
