The Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) has sounded a warning that without intensified efforts and increased investments, the nation is at risk of failing to attain health-related targets outlined in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.

Samuel Kobina Annim, the Government Statistician, highlighted this concern during the presentation of the 2022 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey (GDHS) in Accra. Emphasizing the report's findings, he underscored that meeting the targets of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) two (zero hunger), three (good health and well-being), and five (gender equality) demands heightened efforts and increased resources.

He emphasized that health improvements, viewed from access and behavior perspectives, constitute a shared responsibility between individuals and the state. Encouraging the government and relevant stakeholders to utilize insights from the survey for informed decision-making, he also highlighted the significance of acknowledging the role of an individual's health behavior.

He pointed out that concerning health-seeking behavior, approximately one-third (32.4 percent) of women aged 15 to 49 visited a health facility or health provider in the six months before the survey, whereas one-fifth of men in the same age range (20.4%) did the same.

Giving further highlights of the survey, he indicated that there is evidence of retrogression for some health indicators over time – citing that childhood vaccination coverage remains lower than in previous surveys. Currently, 75 percent of children are vaccinated against all basic antigens, which is a decrease from 79 percent in the 2008 GDHS.

The 2022 GDHS also shows a slight increase in the percentage of children with no vaccinations, from 1 percent in the 2008 GDHS to 2 percent in 2022. Sexual violence increased by 1.1 percentage points between 2008 and 2022.

Also, regional variations are stark across several health indicators, as childhood mortality rates by region vary in range considerably. For instance, regions with the highest under-5 mortality rates for the ten-year period before the surveys are Oti and Savannah – 72 and 63 deaths per 1,000 live births, respectively; while Ahafo and Greater Accra Regions have the lowest under-5 mortality rates – 29 and 20 deaths per 1,000 live births, respectively.

The report further shows that health and education remain key drivers in addressing health challenges at the individual level. Health indicators that increase with the maternal education and household wealth quintile are malaria and stunting in children under 5 years; while, conversely, obesity increases with education and wealth.