Novo Nordisk in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, Ghana Health Service, the Royal Danish Embassy, National Catholic Health Service and Palb Pharmaceuticals has commissioned two new diabetes support centres at the Holy Family Hospital, Berekum and Suntreso Government Hospital in Kumasi.

The new Centre at Suntreso Government Hospital is the second diabetes support centre in Kumasi, with the first one commissioned in November 2015 at the Manhyia District Hospital.


This brings to a total of eight of such facilities in Ghana established by Novo Nordisk and its partners.

Diabetes is one of the non-communicable diseases on the rise in Ghana.

It was estimated by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) that 518,400 Ghanaians were living with diabetes in 2017.

The IDF also projects that 257,600 people remain undiagnosed, posing an increased risk of complications for the people living with diabetes and have no knowledge of their condition.

The new Centre in Kumasi is expected to introduce diabetes screenings for early diagnosis, coordinate training of health care professionals and create accessibility to quality insulin and diagnostic equipment at affordable prices for thousands of people in Kumasi metropolis and beyond.

There will also be a key focus on patient education and raising the level of awareness of the populace about diabetes.

The opening of the Centre is a component of an initiative by Novo Nordisk in 2010 called The Base of the Pyramid project.

The main objectives of this project are to increase diabetes awareness, support early diagnosis to prevent complications, and increase access to treatment and trained healthcare professionals.

In connection with the launch, Medical Superintendent of Suntreso Government Hospital, Dr. Thomas Agyarko-Poku said: “The partnership is very much in line with the aspirations of the hospital and will improve health outcomes within the hospital’s catchment area and beyond”.

Speaking on the BOP project, Vinay Ransiwal, General Manager, Middle Africa Novo Nordisk, mentioned “Novo Nordisk is committed to having strategic partnerships with relevant stakeholders in the health sector which involves educating patients, training healthcare professionals and strengthening healthcare systems”.

Elaborating on the future steps he said “The focus will be on furthering education and capacity building in diabetes treatment. Our view is that public-private partnerships are key to do this, particularly in countries, where people living with diabetes are insufficiently diagnosed and treated.”

Diabetes is unfortunately increasing on the African continent with millions of people being affected by the disease today. This is mainly due to ageing, expanding population and rapid urbanization with its associated unhealthy diet and reduced exercise.

“Chronic diseases such as diabetes are posing an increased threat to our health and our communities. Unfortunately, diabetes is often detected too late or not at all, but we hope that with the launch of this new diabetes support centre, we can increase awareness about the disease, diagnose earlier and improve treatment for people with diabetes in Kumasi”,’ said Dr. Emmanuel Tinkorang, Regional Director of Health Services Ashanti region.

One of the key issues with delayed diabetes diagnosis is the increased risk of complications such as kidney damage, heart disease, blindness, neural damage leading to amputations and an overall reduced life expectancy.
These late stage complications are also the most costly to treat and can impact the financial situation of an entire family as well as halting overall economic development.

“We are pleased to witness a strong partnership between one of the main healthcare companies in Denmark and Suntreso Government Hospital in Kumasi. It is an example of how we can build additional healthcare capacity, transfer medical knowledge and improve lives for people with diabetes in Ghana. I sincerely hope that this collaboration together with increased awareness can help limit cases of diabetes.” Her Excellency Tove Degnbol, Danish Ambassador to Ghana.

Despite the increasing burden of diabetes in both Ghana and the African continent, many diabetes cases can be prevented through healthy lifestyle choices such as a balanced diet and daily exercise.

About Novo Nordisk

Novo Nordisk is a global healthcare company with more than 95 years of innovation and leadership in diabetes care. This heritage has given us experience and capabilities that also enable us to help people defeat obesity, haemophilia, growth disorders and other serious chronic diseases.

Headquartered in Denmark, Novo Nordisk employs approximately 43,100 people in 79 countries and markets its products in more than 170 countries.

Source: ultimatefmonline.com