A digital health programme being implemented in Christian Health Association of Ghana (CHAG) facilities has more than doubled blood pressure control among patients living with hypertension, offering fresh hope in the fight against one of Ghana’s leading non-communicable diseases.
According to PharmAccess Ghana, the proportion of patients with controlled blood pressure has increased from just 26 per cent before the programme began to about 60 per cent among participating patients.
Speaking at the 2026 Annual Conference of the Christian Health Association of Ghana (CHAG) in Koforidua, Country Director of PharmAccess Ghana, Dr. Maxwell Antwi, said the initiative is transforming the way hypertension is managed by allowing clinicians to remotely monitor patients between hospital visits.
He explained that hypertension remains one of Ghana’s biggest public health challenges because many people are unaware they have the condition until complications such as stroke, heart disease or kidney failure develop.
“Many people living with hypertension are unaware of their condition. Even among those receiving treatment, blood pressure often remains poorly controlled,” he said.
Traditionally, he noted, patients visit hospitals every few months for routine reviews, leaving healthcare providers with little information about their condition between appointments.
“Our digital platform addresses this challenge. Patients measure their blood pressure at home and submit their readings electronically. Healthcare providers review the information in real time and can intervene whenever necessary instead of waiting until the next clinic appointment,” Dr. Antwi explained.
He said the programme enables clinicians to identify deteriorating conditions early, adjust treatment where necessary and provide timely advice before complications arise.
“The results have been encouraging. Before the programme, only about 26 per cent of patients had their blood pressure under control. Today, approximately 60 per cent of participating patients have achieved blood pressure control,” he revealed.
The digital monitoring platform is currently being used by clinicians in 22 CHAG health facilities across Ghana, where patients living with hypertension and diabetes receive continuous follow-up outside traditional clinic visits.
Although improvements in diabetes management have been slower, Dr. Antwi said the programme continues to evolve as more patients and healthcare providers adopt the technology.
The initiative forms part of a broader partnership between PharmAccess Ghana and CHAG aimed at strengthening healthcare delivery through digital innovation, quality improvement and sustainable health financing.
PharmAccess is an international development organisation established in 2001 to improve access to quality healthcare across Africa through digital technology and innovative financing. Since 2019, it has partnered CHAG on several initiatives designed to improve healthcare quality and patient outcomes.
CHAG, one of Ghana’s largest healthcare providers, operates 317 health facilities across the country and serves between eight and ten million patients annually, particularly in rural and underserved communities.
Dr. Antwi said the digital monitoring programme aligns closely with government’s recently launched Free Primary Healthcare initiative, which places greater emphasis on disease prevention, early detection and community-based healthcare.
Earlier at the conference, Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh announced that under the Free Primary Healthcare programme, health professionals will routinely visit homes, churches and communities to screen residents for conditions such as hypertension and diabetes before complications develop.
“This approach reflects exactly what Free Primary Healthcare seeks to achieve -people-centred, community-based healthcare supported by technology,” he said.
Dr. Antwi said digital health solutions will complement those efforts by enabling health workers to continue monitoring patients after diagnosis, reducing avoidable complications and improving long-term health outcomes.
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