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The Director of Health Promotions at the Ghana Health Service, Dr. Da Costa Aboagye has disclosed the plan of the Akufo-Addo government to initiate a ‘wellness program’ by 2021 as one of the key methods to early detect non-communicable diseases to support curative healthcare delivery.

According to him, the future of Ghana’s Healthcare is Health Promotion and Prevention, thus, the institutionalization of wellness centres across health facilities in the country is the way to go as the country tackle SDG 3.

“The future of Ghana’s Healthcare is Health Promotion and Prevention. Institutionalization of wellness centres across health facilities is the way to go as we tackle SDG 3,” he mentioned in an interview with the media in the Upper West Region. 

Dr. Da Costa reiterated that, “this program will provide a platform for every Ghanaian to at least check their health status once a year. This data can be linked to the National Health Insurance Scheme to assist profiling of health status of Ghanaians”. 

He thus tasked the media to help in educating Ghanaians to do regular exercise; to eat our local foods as well as eat more fruits and vegetables, have enough rest, and avoid stress.

Dr. Da costa further urged the chiefs and opinion leaders to play their role through engagement with various groups in their catchment areas to educate them on COVID 19 while also providing leadership to help fight this pandemic through community-based education, intervening in situations where tenants or spouses are ejected because they contracted COVID-19 and help fight stigma and empower survivors of COVID- 19.

He again narrated that the pandemic has provoked social stigma and discriminatory behaviors against infected persons, families, and communities; thus, infected persons stand a risk of hiding their illnesses for fear of discrimination and stigma.

Nonetheless, the government of Ghana through innovation and exemplary leadership of His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo intervened in an unprecedented manner to protect Ghanaians by putting in place effective measures including the COVID-19 safety protocols.