Original scientific paper

Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) and Epidemic Diseases Vulnerabilities in Ghana: A Reflection on the Influenza Epidemic of 1918-1920

Samuel Adu-Gyamfi ; Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumase-Ghana
Lucky Tomdi orcid.org/0000-0002-0463-5797 ; University of Saskatchewan, Canada

Abstract

NCDs conditions such as hypertension and diabetes have featured in the top ten causes of mortalities and hospital admissions in Ghana for the past three decades. Since the outbreak of COVID-19 in the country, emerging evidence indicate that persons living with NCDs conditions, especially hypertension and diabetes suffered from severe COVID-19 complications and death. In the context of COVID-19 health outcomes and their association with NCDs underlining conditions, we ask: How has NCDs exacerbated health conditions of individuals during the outbreak of epidemic diseases? This research attempts to draw a linkage between NCDs and epidemic diseases vulnerabilities in Ghana, reflecting on the influenza epidemic also known as “Spanish Flu” of 1918 to 1920 of the Gold Coast (now Ghana). We argue among other things that traces of NCDs were observed in the Gold Coast but there is little evidence of an exacerbation of mortalities during the influenza epidemic, a reminiscent of COVID-19.

Keywords

Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), COVID-19, Influenza, Epidemics, Pandemics, Ghana,

Hrčak ID:

308032

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/308032

Publication date:

19.9.2023.

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