Tobacco-related diseases kill more than 6,700 Ghanaians yearly – UNDP

Tobacco-related illnesses kill more than 6,700 Ghanaians every year, according to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Investment Case for Tobacco Control Report.This account for three per cent of all deaths in the country.Mr Ebenezer Ad Adams, Vice Chair of Ghana NCD Alliance (GhNCDA) made this known at the National Forum on Tobacco Taxation in Ghana organised by the Vision for Alternative Development - Ghana (VALD-Ghana) with support from Tax Justice Network Africa.It was on the theme: 'Strengthening the Evidence for Effective Tobacco Taxation for Health and Development,' to underscore the critical intersection of public health policy and evidence-based research.The forum was aimed at addressing the social, health, environmental, and economic impact of tobacco use through effective taxation while enhancing stakeholders' capacity to prevent the tobacco industry interference in health policies.Mr Ad Adams said the GhNCDA had a mission and that it would help to contribute to reducing tobac co-related illnesses such as non-communicable diseases and disabilities to create a healthy Ghana free of diseases.'It is vividly clear that no successes can be chalked if we lose focus on tobacco and its allied accomplices, and that the Alliance looks forward working closely with VALD-Ghana in addressing the tobacco-related issues,' he stated.He congratulated Mr Labram Musah, the Executive Director of VALD-Ghana and his team for the laudable initiative.Source: Ghana News Agency