MoH and GES roll out nationwide diabetes education in schools

The Ministry of Health has partnered with pharmaceutical company Sanofi to launch a new diabetes education initiative targeting schoolchildren, teachers, and parents across the country.

Known as the Kids and Diabetes in Schools (KiDS) Programme, the initiative forms part of the Affordable Access to Diabetes Care project.

It is expected to reach some 7,700 children, parents, and teachers with educational materials aimed at addressing the growing number of diabetes cases among young people in Ghana.

Dr Ignatius Awinibuno, Director in charge of Allied Health at the Ministry of Health, said the programme responds to the rising incidence of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes among school-aged children.

Delivering a speech on behalf of the Minister for Health at the launch on Monday, June 24, 2025, Dr Awinibuno outlined three main goals: to support children with type 1 diabetes in managing their condition confidently, to reduce stigma and discrimination in schools, and to prevent type 2 diabetes through education on healthy diets and lifestyles.

According to Dr Awinibuno, the programme will begin in 13 public schools, using teaching materials that have been adapted to suit the Ghanaian context and reviewed by the appropriate government and health institutions.

“The initiative will be integrated into the school curriculum through teacher training workshops, beginning in the Greater Accra Region,” he said.

He also stated that the Ministry has officially handed the programme over to the Ghana Education Service and the Ministry of Education for nationwide implementation.

Dr Ardilles Adopo, Medical Director at Sanofi, said the company has so far trained 35 teachers to lead diabetes awareness efforts in schools.

He added that since 2023, Sanofi has supported Ghana’s diabetes response by helping to distribute national guidelines, donating equipment to four health facilities, mentoring 160 general practitioners, and enrolling more than 240 healthcare professionals in international diabetes training.

Mrs Theresa Oppong Mensah, National School Health Education Programme Coordinator at the Ghana Education Service, described the programme as a timely intervention that fills an existing gap in school-based health education, particularly for children living with or at risk of diabetes.

She called on teachers, parents, and all stakeholders to work together to expand the initiative and empower children to become peer educators on healthy living.

Officials from the Ministry of Health, the Ghana Education Service, and representatives of Sanofi attended the launch event at the Ministry of Health.

The programme is part of a wider national strategy to promote early education on non-communicable diseases and improve access to healthcare in areas where services remain limited.