The Ghana Public Health Association, in collaboration with the Coalition of Actors for Public Health Action (CAPHA), has organized a training workshop for media professionals on Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), aimed at strengthening advocacy for healthier food policies in Ghana.

The training focuses on how the government can regulate and reduce the rise of NCDs through legal measures, including Front-of-Pack warning labels and market restrictions on unhealthy foods.

Organizers believe journalists play a key role in shaping public understanding and influencing policy decisions.

Globally, NCDs account for about 74 percent of all deaths, claiming over 41 million lives each year. Of this number, nearly 17.9 million deaths are due to cardiovascular diseases such as heart attacks and strokes, about 9.3 million from cancers, 4.1 million from chronic respiratory diseases, and 2 million from diabetes.

Most premature deaths, especially among people aged 30 to 70, occur in low- and middle-income countries. These figures highlight the urgent need for preventive policies.

Dr. Charles Apprey of the Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology at KNUST said the initiative is part of efforts to improve food governance in the country. He highlighted the importance of introducing Front-of-Pack warning labels to help consumers make informed choices at the point of purchase.

“We think that if we’re able to push for the government to legislate this front of pack warning label, it’s going to give our people informed choice on what kind of food they’re buying or what kind of food they’re picking on the shelf, we’re also looking at market restrictions because we think that other countries that have done this, it has worked and evidence is there to show so that we be able to restrict advertisements of unhealthy foods to the vulnerable in the population,” Dr. Apprey said.

He noted that NCDs are increasing globally and locally, largely due to unhealthy diets, high salt and sugar intake, tobacco use, harmful alcohol consumption, and physical inactivity. Many countries have introduced food-related policies such as sugar taxes, warning labels, and advertising restrictions to slow the rise.

Project Lead James Mckeown Amoah also stressed the severity of the situation, explaining that NCDs such as hypertension, cancer, and diabetes are not infectious but account for the majority of deaths.

“We brought the journalists today for them to get to know the burden of NCDs in Ghana. 65 percent of people who die in Ghana die from NCDs. Look at the global figures, 74 percent of all those who die in the world die from NCDs. Over 41 million people die every year from NCDs and therefore there’s the need for us to take an action and the action includes training journalists and making sure that this information goes to the general public so Ghanaians can live much healthier,” he said.

The organizers believe that empowering the media with accurate data and evidence will strengthen public awareness, encourage healthier lifestyles, and support policies that create a healthier food environment for all Ghanaians