Ghana begins work on new five-year National Cancer strategy

Ghana is set to develop a new Five-Year National Cancer Strategy (2026–2030) aimed at strengthening the country’s response to the rising burden of cancer, a disease now recognised as one of the leading public health threats in the country.

The announcement was made at the opening of the National Cancer Forum held at the Fiesta Royale Hotel in Accra from November 18–19, 2025.

Mr. Desmond Boateng, Chief Director at the Ministry of Health, delivered the keynote address on behalf of the Minister for Health, Hon. Kwabena Mintah Akandoh.

In the address, the Minister described cancer as a “formidable and urgent national challenge,” stressing that Ghana must adopt more coordinated, data-driven and inclusive strategies to curb the growing number of cases.

The upcoming strategy will replace the previous National Cancer Control Strategy, which covered the period 2012–2016.

For nearly a decade, Ghana has operated without an updated national roadmap, a gap that public health experts have consistently highlighted as a weakness in the country’s cancer response.

According to the Ministry of Health, the development of the new plan will be closely supported by the World Health Organization (WHO).

WHO will assist in conducting a comprehensive impact assessment to evaluate the state of cancer prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and palliative care in the country.

The findings, together with recommendations emerging from the two-day forum, will feed into a national cancer situational analysis, which will shape the main pillars of the 2026–2030 strategy.

In the speech read on his behalf, Hon. Akandoh emphasised that the Ministry of Health cannot tackle the cancer burden in isolation.

“The Ministry of Health will lead, but leadership in this effort must be collaborative,” Mr. Boateng stated.

“We must draw on the strengths of our service delivery agencies, teaching hospitals, research institutions, development partners, civil society organisations, NGOs, innovators in the private sector, and key non-health ministries and agencies.”

He further stressed the need to incorporate the experiences of cancer patients, survivors, caregivers and families, noting that their insights are essential for building a system that is humane, accessible and responsive to real-life challenges.

The Health Minister’s statement revealed that the new cancer framework will be anchored on four core principles: Equity, Access, Quality and Accountability.

It will also align with international best practices, including the WHO’s Integrated People-Centred Health Services approach and Sustainable Development Goal 3, which seeks to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all.

The Ministry highlighted gaps in early detection, limited diagnostic capacity, the high cost of cancer treatment, and disparities in access between rural and urban populations as areas expected to receive strong attention in the new plan.

By the end of the forum, stakeholders are expected to:

• Define a clear national direction for cancer control;

• Clarify the roles of government institutions, partners and private-sector actors;

• Identify priority strategies for improving prevention, screening, diagnosis, treatment and palliative care;

• Highlight sustainable financing mechanisms for long-term implementation.

  
  

The forum brought together a wide range of participants, including ministers of state, heads of health agencies, oncologists, public health experts, researchers, civil society organisations, NGOs, development partners and media representatives.

he multi-sector turnout reflected the Ministry’s emphasis on inclusiveness and shared responsibility.

Stakeholders described the forum as a critical step towards revitalising Ghana’s national cancer response, with expectations that the upcoming strategy will provide stronger coordination, better funding, and improved outcomes for patients.

Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith