Afrancho, Ashanti Region – PATH, alongside partners such as the Ghana National Olympic Committee, International Olympic Committee, Ghana Health Service, National Sports Authority, Ghana Education Service, and the Afigya Kwabre South District Assembly, actively participated in Ghana’s National Fitness Day to promote physical activity and health in the country.
This event, held in Afrancho, is part of the broader Community Sport and Health Cooperation Initiative in Ghana, making Afigya Kwabre South District a demonstration pilot for this innovative programme.
Ghana is among five countries implementing the Community Sport and Health Cooperation Initiative, which seeks to bridge the sports, health, and other sectors by fostering co-created, sport-based community programmes.
The initiative, led by PATH in Ghana, is designed to increase community participation in organised sports while promoting health and well-being, aligning with the World Health Organization’s (WHO) goal to reduce global physical inactivity by 15%.
First introduced in August 2022, Ghana’s National Fitness Day is held every second Saturday of the month. It aims to encourage Ghanaians to incorporate regular physical activity into their lives, highlighting the role of exercise in preventing non-communicable diseases (NCDs), such as heart disease and diabetes.
Research underscores that as little as 30 minutes of daily physical activity offers significant health benefits for cardiovascular health, body function, and mental well-being.
Physical inactivity continues to pose a challenge to health systems worldwide, with insufficiently active individuals facing a 30% higher risk of premature death.
Speaking with Miss Nasiba Yarya, the National Sports Authority representative in the Afigya Kwabre South District, underscored the impact of regular physical activity on public health.
“Promoting physical activity is a key strategy to prevent NCDs, enhance well-being, mental health, cognitive skills, and improve overall health,” she stated.
Miss Yarya added that the district had observed notable improvements among participants in the exercise initiative, remarking that many residents had become more active in their homes as well.
“It has created an awareness that people, even in their homes, have started exercising,” she said, urging other districts to adopt similar strategies to boost fitness and wellness locally.
Dubbed “WALK TO SHAKE OFF NON-COMMUNICABLE DISEASES,” the fitness day event brought together fitness clubs, schools, and other groups, who paraded through Afrancho’s main streets to promote the message of active living and healthy habits.
Mr. George Asamoah, a sports teacher at Akrofrom D/A JHS, expressed appreciation for the fitness day activities, which he said have yielded positive results among his students.
“This exercise, since we participated, has really helped my students,” he said, explaining that the students have experienced fewer illnesses and improved academic performance. “A healthy student can learn well,” he emphasised, urging the government to support physical education in schools.
“As a matter of urgency, government support for physical education would significantly benefit students’ learning outcomes.”
The WHO reports that in Ghana, 22% of adults and 81% of adolescents are not physically active, with inactivity posing a substantial risk for NCDs such as cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, diabetes, and certain cancers.
The National Fitness Day initiative, with the support of PATH and local organisations, aims to counter these trends by fostering a culture of physical activity among Ghanaians. As seen in Afrancho, community-based programs such as these are vital for raising awareness and promoting a healthier future.
Nana Yaw Owusu/Ashanti Region.
