Cardiovascular disease is increasingly claiming the lives of Ghanaians at younger ages, with the Director of the National Cardiothoracic Centre, Dr Kow Entsua-Mensah, warning that many of the deaths could be prevented.

He said people in their 30s and 50s are dying from heart-related conditions, with some unaware they have the disease until they suffer serious complications.

“A lot of people are working with a disease in their bodies, but because they don't check, they cannot find it,” Dr Entsua-Mensah said.

He was speaking during this year’s World Heart Day activities held at the Efua Sutherland Children’s Park under the theme, “Heart Disease Can Hide in Plain Sight. Don’t Miss a Beat.”

Dr Entsua-Mensah said Ghana’s preparedness to respond to cardiovascular emergencies needed improvement, making prevention and early detection particularly important.

“Our preparation as a nation for the management of emergencies can be better as it is,” he said.

He urged Ghanaians to take greater responsibility for their heart health by exercising regularly, eating healthier meals, getting adequate sleep and undergoing routine health checks.

“We want to focus on the prevention,” he said, stressing that people should not wait until a health emergency occurs before seeking medical attention.

The Director also called for greater public awareness of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and basic emergency response, saying ordinary citizens can help save lives when they know how to respond when someone collapses or stops breathing.

“You don't have to be a health person,” he said. “Anybody who gets the opportunity should learn how to respond when somebody collapses, somebody is unconscious or somebody stops breathing.”

As part of the World Heart Day activities, the National Cardiothoracic Centre partnered with St John Ambulance to provide emergency response training.

Dr Entsua-Mensah said stronger prevention, early detection and public knowledge of emergency response could help reduce avoidable deaths from cardiovascular disease.