Ghana launches food warning label campaign to combat NCD crisis

The Ghana Ministry of Health and civil society organization SEND Ghana have launched a mass media campaign to promote front-of-package warning labels on food products. The initiative aims to help consumers identify foods high in sugar, salt, and unhealthy fats to combat the rising crisis of non-communicable diseases (NCDs).

According to health officials, NCDs such as diabetes, hypertension, cancer, and cardiovascular disease account for approximately 43% to 45% of all deaths in Ghana. The campaign, themed ‘Healthy Eating for Active Living: The Role of Front-of-Package Warning Labelling’, seeks to bridge the information gap in supermarkets and neighborhood shops where packaged goods often lack clear nutritional guidance.

Dr. Hafiz Adam-Taher, Director of Technical Coordination at the Ministry of Health, emphasized the importance of targeting children to prevent unhealthy dietary habits from forming early in life. He also called on food manufacturers to provide more transparent information and urged the media to translate technical nutritional data into simple, actionable messages for households and schools.