Ghana Stroke Cases Rise 52 Per Cent, Hitting Younger Adults

ACCRA, GHANA  —  Ghana stroke cases surge figures show a 52 per cent increase between 2020 and 2025, with people aged 30 to 49 increasingly affected, the Ghanaian Times reported on 5 November.

The country recorded 29,483 stroke cases last year, up from 26,780 in 2024, a rise of 10.1 per cent, according to figures presented at a webinar organised by the Stroke Association Support Network-Ghana (SASNET) and partners to mark World Stroke Day. The theme was “From Data to Action: Addressing Ghana’s Escalating Stroke Epidemic.”

Behind the Ghana stroke cases surge

Hypertension was identified as a major risk factor. A 2022 Ghanaian hospital cohort study found that 49.7 per cent of stroke patients died within one year of admission, according to the report.

Dr Wallace Ollenu, Programme Manager for Non-Communicable Diseases at the Ghana Health Service (GHS), said the service is updating its treatment guidelines for noncommunicable diseases, especially hypertension and diabetes, and intensifying screening, community engagement and public awareness.

The GHS is also training nurses in nurse-led follow-up and deploying patient navigators to link community members to treatment. “We have also found evidence that nurse-led follow-up improves control and treatment outcomes among stroke survivors,” Ollenu said.

Dr Mavis Sakyi, speaking on behalf of the Chief Director of the Ministry of Health, said the ministry would provide critical equipment to health facilities, strengthen referral systems, remove financial barriers and improve the distribution of health professionals. “The Ministry reaffirms its commitment to leading this response to ensure that nobody is left behind,” she said.

Why younger adults are at risk

Stroke happens when blood flow to part of the brain is blocked by a clot or when a blood vessel in the brain bursts. Brain cells begin to die within minutes, which is why rapid treatment is critical.

High blood pressure is the single most important risk factor for stroke. In many African countries, hypertension develops at younger ages than in high-income countries, and large numbers of people are unaware they have it until they suffer a stroke or heart attack. Other risk factors include diabetes, smoking, heavy drinking, high cholesterol, obesity, physical inactivity, salty diets and atrial fibrillation.

A stroke in a person aged 30 to 49 can have serious consequences for families. Survivors may lose their jobs or need long-term care, and households can be pushed into poverty by the cost of treatment and rehabilitation.

Health officials say the Ghana stroke cases surge among younger adults also reflects changes in lifestyle, including more processed food, less physical activity and long hours of sitting at work, alongside late detection of high blood pressure.

Know the signs and act fast

The GHS and partners urged the public to know their blood pressure and blood sugar levels, stay physically active and seek immediate medical attention when stroke is suspected.

They promoted the FAST approach: Facial drooping, Arm weakness, Speech difficulties and Time to act. Anyone who notices these signs in themselves or others should get to a hospital immediately. The report warned against assuming a stroke is simply tiredness, because delays can worsen brain damage.

Treatment for some strokes caused by clots, including clot-dissolving medicine, must be given within hours of the first symptoms, and requires a brain scan first. Many hospitals in Ghana do not have round-the-clock CT scanning or stroke units, which makes early arrival and strong referral systems even more important.

Preventing the next stroke

Most strokes can be prevented by controlling blood pressure. That means regular checks, a diet lower in salt and processed foods, physical activity, limiting alcohol, stopping smoking and taking prescribed medicines every day.

Adherence is a major challenge. Many people stop taking blood pressure medicine when they feel well, cannot afford refills, or face stock-outs. High blood pressure control usually requires lifelong treatment, and community follow-up by nurses and pharmacists can help patients stay on track.

Ghana’s National Health Insurance Scheme covers some hypertension and diabetes medicines, but patients often pay out of pocket for medicines not on the list, tests and transport. Removing these financial barriers, as the ministry pledged, could improve control.

Rehabilitation, including physiotherapy, speech therapy and occupational therapy, helps survivors regain function, yet services are limited outside major hospitals.

Community pharmacists, who see many people with hypertension between clinic visits, can check blood pressure, explain medicines and refer patients whose readings remain high.

The Ghana stroke cases surge reflects a wider rise in noncommunicable diseases across Africa. Health officials said turning data into action will require screening in communities, steady medicine supply and faster emergency care.

 

 

Why it matters: Stroke is striking Ghanaians in their working years, and most cases could be prevented by detecting and controlling high blood pressure.

 

 

Source: Ghanaian Times (Abigail Annoh),  November 2026.