NCTC Raises Alarm as More Young Ghanaians Die from Heart Disease

Accra, Oct 3 - The National Cardiothoracic Centre (NCTC) has expressed concern over the increasing number of young Ghanaians dying from heart-related conditions, saying many of the deaths are preventable.

The Centre says contrary to the belief that heart disease affects only the elderly, more people in their 30s, 40s and 50s are now reporting with severe cardiovascular complications.

Director of the NCTC, Dr. Kow Entsua-Mensah, disclosed that nearly half of all deaths recorded in Ghana are caused by cardiovascular diseases.

He spoke on the sidelines of activities to commemorate World Heart Day 2026 in Accra, held on the theme: “Heart disease can hide in plain sight: Don’t miss a beat.”

"For every two people who die in Ghana, one is dying from a heart-related condition. That should tell you how serious the situation is," Dr. Entsua-Mensah lamented.

According to him, the development is worrying because most cardiovascular conditions can be prevented or controlled if detected early.

Dr. Entsua-Mensah explained that many young patients only report to hospitals when their condition has deteriorated into stroke, heart failure or severe hypertension - a situation he said could have been avoided with routine medical checks.

He emphasized that the fight against heart disease must start from prevention, and not when patients are already in critical condition.

"The basics are very simple. Check your blood pressure, check your sugar, check your cholesterol, exercise, eat well, sleep well, avoid smoking and excessive alcohol," he advised.

The NCTC Director further noted that early screening does not necessarily require a specialist facility, as community health centres, polyclinics and district hospitals are well-equipped to handle basic cardiovascular risk assessment.

As part of the commemoration, St. John Ambulance took participants through a practical session on cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and basic life support, demonstrating how to help someone who suddenly collapses before medical help arrives.

Participants were educated on how to check for responsiveness, call for emergency assistance, and administer chest compressions at a rate of 100 to 120 per minute.

The Centre urged the public to adopt a healthy lifestyle by exercising regularly, maintaining a healthy weight, reducing salt and processed foods, and knowing their vital health numbers including blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol and Body Mass Index.

The celebration was climaxed with a health walk from the Afua Sutherland Children's Park through some principal streets of Accra to create awareness on the importance of physical activity to heart health.