President John Dramani Mahama has cautioned Ghanaians against eating heavy meals late at night, describing the habit as a key contributor to the country’s growing burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
Speaking at the launch of the Free Primary Healthcare Programme at the Shai Osudoku District Hospital on April 15, 2026, the President urged citizens to adopt healthier lifestyles, including earlier meal times and increased physical activity.
He stressed that the new policy would prioritise preventive education to help Ghanaians understand the risk factors associated with NCDs and make better lifestyle choices.
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Highlighting common habits, President Mahama criticised excessive food intake and sedentary living, noting that some people consume large portions of heavy meals such as fufu and banku late at night without adequate physical activity.
“By seven o’clock, eat your dinner and don’t eat again. If you are hungry, take something light like tea. Don’t eat heavy food in the evening,” he advised.
The President linked such dietary patterns to the rising incidence of conditions, including breast cancer, cervical cancer, hypertension, stroke, cardiovascular diseases, and kidney failure.
He noted that NCDs have become the leading disease burden in Ghana, driven largely by modern lifestyles characterised by limited physical activity and increased consumption of high-calorie foods.
“With the Free Primary Healthcare Programme, we are trying to prevent non-communicable diseases before they escalate,” he said.
President Mahama explained that the initiative is designed to shift Ghana’s healthcare system from a treatment-focused model to one centred on prevention, early detection, and community-level care.
He clarified that the programme would complement the National Health Insurance Scheme, with basic services such as screening and treatment for common conditions provided free at Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) compounds.
More complex cases, he added, would be referred to higher-level facilities where patients could access care using their NHIS cards.
To support implementation, the government plans to deploy health professionals and volunteers—including national service personnel and unposted nurses—to primary healthcare facilities nationwide, with priority consideration for recruitment.
The programme is expected to be rolled out across 150 districts, supported by the distribution of about 24,000 pieces of medical equipment to strengthen frontline healthcare delivery.