Health experts have renewed calls for stronger prevention and management of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) at the primary healthcare level as cases of conditions such as hypertension, diabetes and stroke continue to rise in Ghana.
The call came during a performance review meeting organised by the Navrongo Health Research Centre to assess its research activities and explore strategies to address the growing burden of NCDs.
The meeting brought together health managers, researchers, development partners and other stakeholders to examine research findings and identify evidence-based approaches that could strengthen Ghana’s response to these diseases.
The event, held under the theme “Improving Non-Communicable Disease prevention and management at the primary healthcare level: The role of health research,” highlighted the importance of research institutions in guiding national health policy.
Speaking after presenting an overview of the Centre’s activities, Patrick Odum Ansah, Director of the Navrongo Health Research Centre, said the review formed part of the broader annual performance assessment programme initiated by the Ghana Health Service.
According to him, the exercise allowed the Centre to assess its progress over the 2025 period and identify areas for improvement.
“Our goal is to remain a centre of excellence conducting research that is relevant both to Ghana and the global health community,” he said.
Dr Ansah noted that despite operational challenges, the Centre had made significant contributions to public health through research publications and policy support.
He added that the institution was also expanding its infrastructure to strengthen its research capacity, including the construction of a new laboratory and plans to establish a clinical trial facility and offices for a clinical research team.
The initiative, he said, would support Ghana’s efforts to develop and test locally manufactured medicines and vaccines.
“Clinical research is critical as Ghana moves toward greater self-reliance in drug and vaccine development,” he said.
Delivering the keynote address, John Williams, former Director of the Dodowa Health Research Centre, warned that non-communicable diseases had become one of the leading causes of death among adults in the country.
He cited cardiovascular diseases such as strokes and heart attacks, as well as diabetes and respiratory illnesses, as major contributors to illness and mortality.
Dr Williams explained that many of these conditions were linked to lifestyle factors and urged the public to adopt healthier habits, including regular physical activity and reduced consumption of alcohol, sugar and tobacco.
He also expressed concern about the increasing number of younger people being diagnosed with conditions previously associated with older adults, particularly hypertension.
“Today we are seeing strokes in people in their forties, and some stroke units in Accra even report cases among teenagers and young adults,” he said.
The Ghana Health Service Upper East Regional Director, Braimah Baba Abubakari, described the meeting as timely, noting that diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, cancer and chronic respiratory illnesses were emerging as major public health concerns.
He stressed that effective prevention and management strategies must be guided by reliable research evidence.
“We need to know which interventions work best within our local context, and institutions like the Navrongo Health Research Centre provide the evidence needed for policy and decision-making,” he said.
Dr Abubakari also acknowledged the long-standing contribution of the Navrongo Health Research Centre to health research in Ghana, noting that its work had played a key role in shaping health policies and improving healthcare delivery over the years.
