The Ghana Non-Communicable Diseases Alliance (GhNCD) has challenged policymakers, health care institutions and professionals not to relegate the health needs of patients with cancers, stroke, hypertension and diabetes onto the sidelines, as they focus on rolling back Covid-19 cases. “Though covid-19 is fatal and deserves the needed attention, we are nonetheless encouraging hospitals to give equal attention to NCD patients as evidence has shown that underlying conditions, predominantly NCDs, rather hasten the death of covid-19 patients, hence the need to fight both head-on.” The chairperson of the Alliance, Dr. Beatrice Wiafe Addai, who appreciated the urgency in fighting Covid-19, however, said patients suffering from Non Communicable diseases, risked being crowded out, and encouraged health caregivers to give as much treatment and attention to NCD patients while attending to Covid-19 patients.
Dr. Wiafe, who is also the CEO of the Peace and Love Hospitals and President of Breast Care International, in a press statement issued in Accra, expressed worry there could be a surge in NCDs if the media spotlight remained solely on Covid-19 at the expense of other conditions, notably, NCDs. She cautioned that “Covid-19 should not stop our treatment cycle for NCD patients”, and urged healthcare professionals and policy makers not to forget about NCDs and people living with NCDs, who still require attention” more than ever, because of the Pandemic.
The Alliance renewed its readiness to partner the Government and allied institutions to roll back the fatal effects of both NCDs and Covid-19. “We have resolved to protect the lives of patients with Cancers, Hypertension, Diabetes, and Stroke among others, but this could be hampered if the media failed to shine the spotlight on these conditions which have ravaged families, the basic unit of life”, it emphasized.