The Ministry of Health (MOH) has signed a memorandum of understanding with Sanofi, an innovative global health company, to bolster access to diabetes care in the country.

The three-year initiative under the Sanofi/Ministry of Health Affordable Access to Diabetes Care Programme will enable the country to purchase affordable high-quality Sanofi analogue insulin products.

The partnership also provides for the deployment of diabetes management solutions in four diabetes centres in Ghana where 500 healthcare professionals will benefit from a targeted medical training programme.

It will provide patient support initiatives and measures designed to help strengthen the country's health system and make diabetes care more accessible to patients in remote areas through regional centres.

Mr Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, the Minister of Health, speaking at the signing ceremony, said diabetes was a major public health challenge that required all to come on board.

Multi-sectoral action, including partnerships between governments, healthcare providers, civil society organisations, and the private sector was encouraged, he stated.

Globally, an estimated 422 million people live with diabetes, the majority of them in low-and middle-income countries, and 1.5 million deaths are directly attributed to diabetes each year.

Studies conducted in Ghana estimate diabetes prevalence between 2.6 per cent to 9 per cent.

The Ghana Health Service records an average of 200,000 cases of diabetes at health facilities annually.

Mr Agyeman-Manu said the numbers could be much higher, considering the poor health-seeking behaviour of Ghanaians and the limited screening opportunity available in the country.

He said with that trend, diabetes could become one of the leading causes of death by 2030.

He said there was high financial burden on persons living with diabetes though the direct cost of care was covered by the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).

This is due to the chronic nature of the disease.

'Indeed, the Sanofi/Ministry of Health Affordable Access to Diabetes Care Programme is a timely intervention necessary to enhance the management of diabetes in Ghana as persons diagnosed with the disease have a greater chance to equitable, comprehensive, affordable and quality care for better outcomes,' the Minister stated.

Ms Olivier Charmeil, the Sanofi Executive Vice President of General Medicines, said Sanofi under the partnership would co-develop a digital solution to help physicians, nurses, pharmacists, and community healthcare workers to better support more than 5,000 people living with diabetes in Ghana.

'Our ambition to deliver better care and improve the quality of life of those living with diabetes knows no borders.

'We see this as a shared responsibility with healthcare systems, and we are committed to fully playing our part.

'In this context, we are proud to work closely with the Ministry of Health in Ghana and look forward to taking the learnings from this alliance forward in other countries.

' More broadly, we continue to examine various healthcare access models to determine, which approaches best meet specific local needs and opportunities,' Ms Charmeil said.

Dr Yacoba Atiase, Head of the Diabetes Centre, Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital and Senior Lecturer at the University of Ghana, speaking on the diabetes disease burden and unmet need in Ghana, said the disease was increasing and must be looked at critically.

She called for intensified public education on how to prevent diabetes, especially type 2 diabetes, and the need for early testing.

Dr Atiase said that was important because, unlike the other predominant diabetes, type 2 diabetes could be prevented.

Source: Ghana News Agency