CIVIL society organisations and health experts have called for the urgent introduction of a mandatory Front of Pack Warning Labelling policy to help curb the rising burden of kidney disease in the country.
The stakeholders warned that Ghana was facing a growing public health crisis, with kidney disease affecting millions of people and placing increasing pressure on households and the national health system.
A joint statement issued by the organisations and shared with The Ghanaian Times in Accra yesterday said more than four million people were currently living with chronic kidney disease in the country.
It said about 400 new cases of end-stage kidney disease were recorded annually at health facilities, stressing that the condition often progressed silently until it reached advanced stages.
According to the statement, treatment options such as dialysis and kidney transplantation remained inaccessible to many Ghanaians due to high costs, placing a heavy financial burden on families and increasing pressure on the health system.
The groups identi ed Ghana’s food environment as a major contributing factor, citing the increasing consumption of ultra-processed foods such as instant noodles, sugary drinks, energy drinks, biscuits, and chips.
They noted that these products, widely available in homes, schools, offices, and shops, were often high in salt, sugar, and unhealthy fats but low in essential nutrients, increasing the risk of hypertension, diabetes, and stroke, which in turn affected kidney health.
The statement further indicated that inadequate and unclear nutrition labelling on many food products made it difficult for consumers to make informed choices.
Citing the World Health Organisation, it said non-communicable diseases accounted for about 45 per cent of deaths in Ghana, a trend that continued to rise.
It added that the growing burden of such diseases was not only affecting public health but also straining national resources, as government spending on treatment continued to increase.
Again, the statement referenced the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, also known as MahamaCares, which was launched to support specialist treatment for chronic illnesses, including kidney failure, stroke, and cardiovascular diseases, noting that Parliament had approved GH¢2.9 billion for the fund in 2026.
It, therefore, called for the swift implementation of the Front of Pack Warning Labelling policy, explaining that the system would require clear warning symbols on food products that exceeded recommended levels of salt, sugar, and unhealthy fats.
The groups further elaborated that unlike back-of-pack labels, which were often technical and difficult to interpret, the proposed system would provide simple and visible information to guide consumers at the point of purchase.
They cited evidence from countries such as Chile and Mexico, where similar policies had led to reduced consumption of unhealthy foods, adding that South Africa was leading implementation efforts on the continent, with Nigeria and Kenya also developing similar policies.
Moreover, the statement emphasised that the policy was not intended to ban food products but to empower consumers with the information needed to make healthier choices.
It urged the Minister of Health, Mr Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, to champion the policy’s implementation, and called on the media, policymakers, civil society, academia, and the public to support efforts aimed at improving public health outcomes in the country.
BY STEPHANIE BIRIKORANG
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