Health Minister Launches School Diabetes Prevention Campaign

  


Minister for Health, Hon. Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has reaffirmed government’s commitment to tackling the growing burden of diabetes among children with the official launch of the Sanofi Affordable Access to Diabetes Care and Kids & Diabetes in Schools (KiDS) Program.

Speaking at the launch, the Minister said the initiative signals “a collective resolve to act against one of the most pressing public health emergencies of our time.” He noted with concern the rising incidence of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes among children and adolescents in Ghana—conditions previously thought to primarily affect adults.

“Today, our children not only face the physical burden of diabetes, but also stigma, misinformation, and lack of support in the very environment they spend most of their time—our schools,” Hon. Akandoh stated.

 

The Minister highlighted progress already made since Ghana signed an MoU with Sanofi in April 2023 to implement the Affordable Access to Diabetes Care initiative. So far:

160 general practitioners have received specialized diabetes training.

Over 240 healthcare professionals, including nurses and lab scientists, have enrolled in global learning platforms.

Essential diagnostic equipment has been donated to underserved facilities.

Updated national diabetes management guidelines have been widely disseminated.

The newly launched KiDS program is being rolled out in 13 public schools across the country, with plans for a nationwide scale-up. It is built on three key pillars:

1. Support for children living with type 1 diabetes to manage their condition with dignity.

2. Combatting stigma and misinformation through education and empathy-building.

3. Preventing type 2 diabetes by promoting healthy diets, physical activity, and lifestyle choices among schoolchildren.

 

The program materials have been domesticated to reflect Ghana’s local food options and nutritional realities, making them more relatable and useful for children and parents.

> “We are not just launching a program—we are ushering in a new era of school-based health education and empowerment,” Hon. Akandoh declared.

 

He urged teachers, school leaders, and parents to embrace the initiative and help build a generation of informed, resilient children capable of living healthy, diabetes-free lives.

The Health Minister expressed gratitude to Sanofi, the Ghana Education Service, and other partners including the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, for their roles in shaping the initiative.

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