The recent surge in non-communicable diseases (NCDs), particularly chronic kidney disease, would place an increasing strain on the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) and the Ghana Medical Trust Fund (GMTF) if urgent preventive measures were not taken.

Presently, statistics indicate that more than four million Ghanaians are living with chronic kidney disease, with about 400 new cases of end-stage kidney disease recorded annually at health facilities, according to reports.

The Project Lead for Front-of-Pack Warning Food Labelling (FOPWL), Levlyn Konadu Asiedu, who said this, further stated that the World Health Organisation (WHO) had also estimated that NCDs account for about 45 per cent of deaths in the country, a figure that had continued to rise.

“Without decisive action, the number of people living with kidney disease will continue to increase, placing unsustainable pressure on the NHIS and MahamaCares,” she warned.

Ms Asiedu made this known during a press briefing jointly organised by SEND Ghana, the Ghana Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and the Vision for Accelerated Sustainable Development in Accra last Thursday.

Threat

The FOPWL Project lead said the rising incidence of kidney disease and other NCDs was not only affecting millions of lives but was also draining household incomes and national resources, with serious implications for healthcare financing.

She stressed that the country was also facing a public health crisis driven largely by diet-related illnesses, warning that the current trajectory could undermine efforts towards universal health coverage.

Ms Asiedu said the country’s evolving food environment was characterised by growing consumption of ultra-processed foods, such as instant noodles, sugary drinks, chips and biscuits, which were often high in salt, sugar and unhealthy fats but low in essential nutrients.

She said frequent consumption of such foods increased the risk of obesity, diabetes, hypertension and stroke, which contributed to kidney disease, adding that many of such products lacked clear and accessible nutrition labelling, leaving consumers unaware of their health risks.

Policy action

To help curb the situation, the Project Lead has called for the immediate introduction of a mandatory FOPWL policy that would require clear warning labels on food products that exceeded recommended levels of salt, sugar and unhealthy fats, enabling consumers to make informed choices at the point of purchase.

Unlike conventional back-of-pack labels, which were often technical and difficult to interpret, she said FOPWL provided simple, visible and easy-to-understand information.

She commended the government for the ongoing efforts to develop the policy and urged the Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, to champion its swift implementation.She said the country must shift from a reactive approach to a preventive one to curb the growing burden of NCDs.

She also called on the media, policymakers, academia and the public to support efforts to improve the country’s food environment and promote healthier lifestyles.

“Ghanaians have the right to know what is in the food they consume and to understand it easily at the point of purchase,” she added.

She stressed that a timely intervention would not only save lives but also protect the country’s economy and secure a healthier future for generations to come.