Ghana Marks World Physical Activity Day with a Call to Action
The Ministry of Health, in collaboration with TNYOU Fitness, launched the 2025 World Physical Activity Day and the 10th anniversary of TNYOU Fitness on April 3, 2025. The event, held at the Ministry of Health, brought together stakeholders from various sectors, including government, academia, civil society, and the private sector.
In his keynote address, Chief Director Alhaji Hafiz Adam emphasized the importance of physical activity in promoting health, preventing non-communicable diseases, and enhancing overall well-being. He noted that Ghana continues to experience a rise in lifestyle-related diseases, such as hypertension, diabetes, and obesity, which can be significantly reduced through regular physical activity.
According to the recently launched Ghana STEPS Report, about 9.9% of Ghanaians do not meet the World Health Organization’s recommended physical activity level of at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week. Significantly, more women (14.6%) than men (5.5%) are not meeting this recommendation.
The Ministry of Health has developed policies and strategies to promote physical activity, including the Dietary & Physical Activity Guidelines (2013), NCD Policy (2022), and Ghana STEPS Report (2023). However, the Chief Director emphasized that more needs to be done to address the rising burden of non-communicable diseases in Ghana.
The event also marked the launch of “The Ghana Walk,” a health walk scheduled for May 10, 2025, to raise awareness and promote regular physical activity among Ghanaians. The Ministry of Health and TNYOU Fitness are calling on all stakeholders to support this initiative and work together to reduce physical inactivity in Ghana.
In his welcome remarks, Dr. Ignatius Awinibuno, Director of Allied Health at the Ministry of Health, emphasized the importance of collaboration and stakeholder engagement in promoting physical activity in Ghana. He encouraged all participants to actively engage in the discussions and share their perspectives on how to promote physical activity and reduce non-communicable diseases in Ghana.
