The country’s growing burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) demands urgent and sustained attention, particularly as hypertension and diabetes continue to expose thousands of people to the risk of chronic kidney disease (CKD).
Experts say NCDs account for about 40 per cent to 47 per cent of all deaths in the country, making them a leading public health and developmental challenge alongside traditional infectious diseases.
Major NCDs include cardiovascular cases, which represent the largest single share of NCD mortality, with high blood pressure (hypertension) affecting approximately one in four (around 25 per cent to 48 per cent, depending on the age group.
Diabetes is also experiencing rising prevalence, with estimates putting the numbers around nine per cent or higher in urban centres, driven by shifting dietary and lifestyle patterns, according to data from the World Health Organisation (WHO).
There is an urgent need to scale back this scary development.
This is why the partnership between the Ghana Health Service (GHS) and global biopharmaceutical company Boehringer Ingelheim to strengthen kidney disease prevention, early detection and management is a welcome development that deserves every support.
Chronic kidney disease is a serious public health concern because it often develops silently, with many patients becoming aware of their condition only when significant damage has already occurred. By then, treatment becomes more complicated, expensive and physically demanding.
While the causes are not readily established, health experts have often cited poor health check-ups, irregular monitoring and excessive use of alcoholic beverages, among others.
There is also a pass-on effect arising from NCDs, especially hypertension and diabetes complications, which stem from sedentary lifestyles.
For patients whose conditions progress to kidney failure, dialysis can become a matter of survival, placing enormous financial and emotional pressure on individuals, families and the healthcare system.
The statistics presented by the National NCD Programme Manager, Dr Wallace Odiko-Ollennu, are particularly worrying.
With one in five people in Ghana living with hypertension, the potential risk of kidney complications cannot be underestimated.
The country cannot afford to wait until kidney disease reaches advanced stages before taking decisive action.
The Daily Graphic calls on people living with hypertension and diabetes to have regular kidney function assessments as part of their routine medical care.
Early screening can identify abnormalities before irreversible damage occurs, allowing healthcare professionals to intervene promptly and help patients manage their conditions.
We urge the GHS and the Ministry of Health to ensure that screening services are available beyond major hospitals and urban centres.
The government's Free Primary Healthcare initiative also presents an important opportunity.
By integrating routine kidney assessments into primary healthcare delivery, the country can move towards a system that identifies diseases early instead of spending large amounts of money on treating advanced complications.
The pharmaceutical industry's contribution is also crucial. Boehringer Ingelheim's commitment to improving access to treatment is encouraging, but affordability must remain central to the partnership.
Medicines and diagnostic services should not become privileges reserved for the wealthy.
The company's pledge to raise medicine affordability concerns with its leadership in Germany must translate into concrete arrangements that benefit Ghanaian patients.
Furthermore, public education must be intensified to improve preventive care.
Ghanaians need to understand the dangers of uncontrolled blood pressure and blood sugar, the importance of regular medical examinations, healthy eating, physical activity and adherence to prescribed treatment.
Road infrastructure in cities and towns must now make provision for walkways and bicycle lanes to encourage the population, especially those in urban areas, to exercise regularly.
These are some practical ways we can change the trajectory of kidney disease management.
We should all put our shoulders to the wheel to stem the quick march of NCDs. It starts with you, and the time to start is now.
