On 25th October 2023, GIZ Ghana Heart Initiative organized a work meeting on non-communicable diseases (NCDs) to which key stakeholders in the NCD landscape were invited including the Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana (PSGH). Also participating were representatives from the MOH, GHS, subject matter experts, CSOs/NGOs, and patient representatives among other multi-stakeholder groups of interested parties across the NCD patient journey.
The workshop aimed to identify needs and priorities of key stakeholder groups for prevention & management of selected NCD’s in the Ghanaian Health Sector​. In an interactive manner which included panel discussions and sub-group work sessions, participants brainstormed and contributed to potential project concepts and activities to improve the prevention, diagnosis, and management of the specified NCDs.
One key outcome discussed was the potential role of community pharmacies in the entire patient journey value chain. Also recognised were the consequences of socio-economic and psycho-social issues. At the end, an integrated approach for detection of NCDs was favoured with an emphasis on linkage to care through the utilisation of existing infrastructure and leveraging community health nurses and community pharmacy networks.