Health professionals in Ghana are intensifying calls for a stronger focus on preventive healthcare, warning that the country’s growing dependence on curative treatment is placing enormous pressure on the health system.

The call formed the centrepiece of the Ghana Medical Association’s (GMA) Bi-Annual Wellness Walk organised in partnership with the Junior Doctors Association of Ghana and the Ghana Medical Trust Fund.

The initiative, launched in Accra under the Preventive and Promotive Primary Health Care agenda, seeks to create awareness about healthy living and disease prevention, particularly in addressing the rise in non-communicable diseases.

At the University of Ghana Athletics Oval, doctors, policymakers, and members of the public participated in a health walk and aerobics session aimed at encouraging physical activity and healthier lifestyles.

President of the GMA, Professor Ernest Yorke, said the country must prioritise prevention rather than waiting to treat diseases after they occur.

According to him, the financial and emotional cost of treating illnesses continues to affect individuals, families, and the nation as a whole.

“Prevention remains a safer and more cost-effective approach,” Professor Yorke stressed, urging Ghanaians to adopt regular exercise, healthy eating habits, and routine medical check-ups.

A representative from the Ministry of Health, Dr Ernest Konadu, also underscored the importance of incorporating health promotion into everyday life.

He noted that many illnesses, including cardiovascular diseases and diabetes, can be prevented through simple lifestyle adjustments.

Health Policy Adviser at the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, Dr Norbert Kiko, encouraged citizens to take personal responsibility for their well-being by staying physically active and maintaining healthy diets.

According to him, doctors must lead by example in promoting preventive healthcare because they remain at the forefront of delivering medical services.

The GMA says the wellness walk is expected to become a nationwide exercise, with regional branches encouraged to organise similar activities at least twice every year.

The campaign forms part of broader efforts to reduce the increasing cases of obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and other non-communicable conditions that continue to strain Ghana’s healthcare system.

Health authorities believe making physical activity a regular part of daily life could significantly improve public health outcomes and contribute to national development.