The Ministry of  Health (MoH) and the Ghana Health Service (GHS) have launched the AYA-Integrated Healthcare Initiative (IHI) to tackle the growing burden of Non-Communicable  Diseases (NCDs), specifically cardiovascular and diabetes in the country.  

The Initiative, which is a continuation of work done by the Ghana Heart Initiative (GHI), will focus on the prevention, detection and management of NCDs.  

Alexander Akwasi Acquah, Deputy Minister of Health, led stakeholders to officially launch the Initiative in Accra. 

The Initiative will be implemented by GIZ with funding from Bayer AG, Sanofi, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. 

Mr Acquah said according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), NCDs were the primary cause of death and disability worldwide, accounting for the death of 41 million people each year, equivalent to 71 per cent of all deaths globally.  

He noted that 77 per cent of those deaths occurred in low and middle-income countries, causing them to lose $500 billion annually. 

Mr Acquah said it was due to those losses that the government committed to join other stakeholders to implement the AYA-IHI. 

He called on the private sector to join the fight with their resources.   

Responding to the Deputy Minister's call, Siegfried Leffler, Head of Operations, International Services, GIZ, said, “The AYA-IHI is a prime example of how private sector and public institutions can come together to tackle global health challenges specifically NCDs.   

“At GIZ, we look forward to continuing this partnership with the Ghanaian government and private sector partners.” 

Dr. Claus Runge, Chief Health Equity Officer, Bayer AG, said his outfit was proud to have supported the GHI since its inception six years ago. 

He said the partnership had had a tremendous impact on cardiovascular management in Ghana and that his outfit was enthusiastic to continue the collaboration with the AYA-IHI.  

Aside from the launch of the Initiative, some stakeholders, who had worked hard in the fight against NCDs took home some citations and plaques.