By Samira Larbie, GNA
Accra, Sept. 10, GNA – The National Cardiothoracic Centre (NCC) of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital on Wednesday launched the 2026 World Heart Awareness Month with a call on Ghanaians to prioritise cardiovascular health through regular screening, healthy lifestyles, and early detection.
The month-long campaign, on the theme; “Heart Disease Can Hide in Plain Sight, Don’t Miss a Beat,” seeks to raise awareness of cardiovascular diseases and encourage individuals and institutions to take preventive action.
Professor Alfred Doku, the Chairman of the World Heart Awareness Month Planning Committee, said cardiovascular diseases had become a major cause of death in Ghana, with uncontrolled hypertension among the key drivers.
Although public health efforts had historically focused on diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis and HIV, cardiovascular conditions, particularly stroke and heart failure, were increasingly placing a heavy burden on the population, he said.
Prof Doku, also a Cardiologist and Senior Lecturer at the University of Ghana Medical School, said hypertension affected about 30 per cent of Ghanaian adults, with many unaware that they had the condition.
“Hypertension doesn’t cough, doesn’t have a high temperature, doesn’t give you any warning signs. And most often, the warning sign comes at the terminal end of the disease,” he said.
He urged Ghanaians to know their blood pressure as they knew their telephone numbers and regularly check their blood sugar, cholesterol, weight and body mass index.
He also encouraged healthcare workers to use every contact with patients as an opportunity to screen for hypertension and other cardiovascular risk factors, citing antenatal visits, wound dressing and malaria testing as potential opportunities for early detection.
Prof. Doku urged the public to recognise warning signs including sudden weakness on one side of the body, chest pain, palpitations and difficulty in breathing, and to seek medical attention promptly.
He said many strokes and heart attacks could be prevented through healthy lifestyle choices and effective management of risk factors.
He called for reduced consumption of salt, unhealthy oils and highly processed foods, increased physical activity, avoidance of tobacco and alcohol, and adherence to prescribed medication.
“Hypertension treatment is not a course for one week. It is a long journey. The medicine should become a companion, but not an enemy,” he said.
Prof. Doku further called for increased investment in cardiovascular disease prevention and treatment, noting that the cost of medicines should not force families to choose between healthcare and other essential needs such as education.
He urged policymakers, businesses, healthcare institutions and communities to make cardiovascular health a national priority.
Dr Ekow Entsua-Mensah, the Director, NCC, said cardiovascular disease was too large and complex a problem to be addressed by the health sector alone.
While the NCC could provide specialist care, perform life-saving interventions and lead public education, the long-term fight against cardiovascular diseases would be won through prevention, early detection and collective action, he said.
“Heart disease often develops silently. Hypertension is one of the most important risk factors, and it may exist for years without obvious symptoms,” Dr Entsua-Mensah said.
He identified diabetes, high cholesterol, obesity, physical inactivity, unhealthy diets, tobacco use and harmful alcohol consumption as factors that could progressively damage the cardiovascular system.
The campaign would, therefore, encourage people to know their blood pressure, check their blood sugar and cholesterol, recognise unusual chest discomfort and breathlessness, and adopt healthier lifestyles.
Dr Entsua-Mensah called on the Government and policymakers to provide the necessary policies and resources for prevention, screening and treatment.
He urged healthcare institutions and professionals to strengthen early detection and evidence-based care, while encouraging corporate organisations to support public education, screening programmes, research and access to treatment.
Schools, workplaces, faith-based organisations and civil society, he noted, also had important roles to play in creating healthier environments and taking the cardiovascular health message into communities.
He appealed to the media to educate the public about cardiovascular risks and warning signs to prevent the disease.
“You have the ability to take the message from this room to the millions of Ghanaians who need to hear the message,” he said.
Activities lined up for the month include media engagements, health walks, public education, and screening programmes to promote prevention, early diagnosis and treatment.
Dr Entsua-Mensah said the campaign should extend beyond the month-long activities into sustained partnerships aimed at moving the country “from awareness to prevention, from prevention to early detection.”
The World Heart Day 2026 is a global awareness campaign observed annually on September 29 to highlight cardiovascular diseases (CVDs)—including heart disease and stroke, which remain the leading causes of death worldwide.
Established in 2000 by the World Heart Federation, in conjunction with the World Health Organisation, the day unites individuals, communities, and governments to take charge of heart health.
GNA
Edited by Agnes Boye-Doe
Reporter: Samira Larbie
[email protected]