Ghana marked World Hypertension Day on Sunday with health authorities revealing that only 19% of residents living with high blood pressure have the condition adequately controlled, despite years of national intervention and millions of screenings.
The commemoration was led by the Ghana Health Service, global health organisation PATH and AstraZeneca’s Healthy Heart Africa initiative, with events held simultaneously in Accra and Kumasi under the theme: “Controlling Hypertension Together: check your blood pressure regularly, defeat the silent killer.”
Health data presented at the event laid bare a widening gap between diagnosis and management. Hypertension affects an estimated 34% of Ghana’s population. While roughly half of those living with the condition know about it, only 37% access treatment and fewer than one in five achieve adequate blood pressure control.
The figures carry particular weight in a country where non-communicable diseases account for approximately 42% of all deaths, with hypertension identified as a significant driver.
The global picture offers little comfort. An estimated 1.4 billion people between the ages of 30 and 79 were living with high blood pressure in 2024, with fewer than one in five managing the condition effectively, according to data shared at the event.
Since 2019, the Healthy Heart Africa programme has conducted more than 3.4 million blood pressure screenings across Ghana, identifying over 740,000 people with elevated readings and connecting more than 152,000 diagnosed patients to health facilities for treatment and ongoing care.
Health officials said hypertension typically advances without obvious symptoms, making routine monitoring a critical but underused tool. Authorities urged Ghanaians to check their blood pressure regularly, pursue healthier lifestyles and remain consistent with any prescribed treatment.
Community outreach, expanded primary healthcare screening and sustained public education campaigns form the backbone of current efforts to narrow the treatment gap and prevent avoidable deaths.
