By Elsie Appiah-Osei
Accra, July 29, GNA – Experts have urged African countries to invest in genomics and precision medicine to address the continent’s growing burden of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs).
The call was made during a webinar on the theme: “Genomics and NCDs: Toward African-Led Precision Medicine – Shaping the Future of African Health.”
Presenting a paper, Professor Nasser Laouali, Assistant Professor of Epidemiology at the Faculty of Medical Sciences, University Mohammed VI Polytechnic (UM6P) in Ben Guerir, Morocco, said Africa’s response to NCDs must be driven by African-led genomic research and stronger regional collaboration.
He said the growing health partnership between Ghana and Morocco was emerging as a blueprint for advancing Africa’s health sovereignty.
NCDs are long-term health conditions that cannot be transmitted from person to person. They include cardiovascular diseases, cancers, chronic respiratory diseases, and diabetes, which collectively account for more than 80 per cent of NCD-related deaths worldwide.
Prof. Laouali warned that Africa was facing a “silent health crisis,” with about one in four adults on the continent living with multimorbidity.
“By 2030, deaths from NCDs, including cardiovascular diseases, cancers and diabetes, are expected to surpass those from communicable, maternal and nutritional diseases combined,” he said.
He said treating diseases after they occurred was no longer sufficient. Stressing that prevention through precision medicine offered a more sustainable approach.
Prof. Laouali said genomic sovereignty—the ability of African countries to generate, own and use their genetic data—was critical to achieving that goal.
“Despite Africa possessing the world’s greatest genetic diversity, the continent contributes only about two per cent of data in global genomic databases.
“This leaves millions of Africans underserved by healthcare solutions that are not designed around their genetic profiles,” he said.
He said integrating genomic information into public health systems would support early disease detection, identify at-risk populations and enable personalised treatments tailored to African populations.
Prof. Laouali highlighted the Ghana-Morocco partnership as an example of how African countries could leverage complementary strengths.
He said Ghana offered strong clinical expertise, an expanding biomedical research ecosystem and initiatives such as The African Cancer Atlas (TACA), while Morocco had invested heavily in genomic infrastructure through the Precision Medicine Hub and the Moroccan Genome Project.
He said the partnership included researcher exchanges, postgraduate training in artificial intelligence and genomic sequencing, as well as collaborative research on cancer and neurological diseases.
Prof. Laouali noted that the collaboration formed part of seven bilateral agreements signed between Ghana and Morocco in July 2026 to deepen cooperation in healthcare, scientific research and pharmaceutical development.
He also referenced President John Dramani Mahama’s call for greater health sovereignty, describing it as timely amid declining international health financing.
Prof. Laouali said several African countries, including Ghana, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia, had adopted national genomics strategies, while the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) continued to promote genomics as a key pillar of the continent’s health security agenda.
He concluded: “The future of precision medicine will not be imported into Africa. It must be built in Africa, by Africans, for African populations.”
Other common NCDs include kidney disease, mental health conditions, and obesity.
Driven by risk factors such as tobacco use, unhealthy diets, physical inactivity and alcohol use, NCDs are rising rapidly in Africa. Experts warn that by 2030, deaths from NCDs on the continent are expected to surpass those from infectious diseases. With treatment often costly and lifelong, the push for prevention and African-led precision medicine is seen as critical to addressing the growing burden.
GNA
Edited by Audrey Dekalu
Reporter: Elsie Appiah-Osei, GNA
Email: [email protected]