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Increase taxes on tobacco, alcohol, sugary products — WHO
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has urged countries to increase taxes on tobacco, alcohol, and sugary drinks to protect public health.
At a virtual press conference on Tuesday, held during the launch of WHO’s two new global reports on taxes on sugary drinks and alcoholic beverages, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, said the organisation is supporting countries to sustain health services and mobilise domestic resources to reduce aid dependency.
“One of the most effective tools available to governments is health taxes on tobacco, alcohol, and sugary drinks. Such taxes have consistently been shown to reduce consumption of harmful products, prevent disease, and ease the burden on overstretched health systems,” he highlighted.
Dr Ghebreyesus said that health taxes generate reliable revenue that governments could invest in health, education, and social protection.
In 2024, WHO launched its “3 by 35 Initiative,” aimed at supporting countries to increase the real prices of tobacco, alcohol, and sugary drinks through health taxes by 2035.
Dr Ghebreyesus stressed that health taxes are not a “set it and forget it” solution, noting that they must be carefully designed and regularly adjusted to remain effective.
The two new global reports show that in most countries, taxes on alcoholic beverages and sugary drinks remain too low, poorly structured, infrequently updated, and rarely aligned with public health objectives. They indicate that alcoholic beverages and sugary drinks have become more affordable over time, even as noncommunicable diseases, injuries, and related healthcare costs continue to rise.
The taxation approach aligns with Ghana’s efforts to boost revenue for health financing amid rising noncommunicable diseases. In 2023, Ghana implemented a 20 per cent tax on sugar-sweetened beverages, including sodas, energy drinks, and sweetened juices, through the Excise Duty Amendment Act. The measure sought to curb consumption and promote health.
The WHO cited evidence from several countries demonstrating the impact of well-designed health taxes. In the Philippines, a major tobacco and alcohol tax reform in 2013 increased revenues more than fivefold, enabling the expansion of national health insurance coverage to over 15 million poor families.
In Lithuania, a sharp increase in alcohol taxes in 2017 was followed by an almost five per cent reduction in all-cause mortality the following year. In the United Kingdom, a sugary drinks tax introduced in 2018 reduced sugar consumption, generated £338 million in revenue in 2024 alone, and was linked to lower obesity rates among girls aged 10 and 11, particularly in deprived communities.
WHO said that in 2024, countries including Malaysia, Mauritius, Slovakia, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam introduced or increased taxes on tobacco, alcohol, and sugary drinks. In 2025, India introduced a new excise duty on tobacco, while Saudi Arabia implemented a tiered excise tax on sugary drinks, with higher rates for products containing more sugar.
WHO said it looks forward to supporting more countries, including those in Africa, to design and implement effective health taxes as part of broader efforts to protect public health and build resilient, self-financed health systems. -GNA
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Oxfam in Ghana donates medical equipment and essential drugs worth GH¢1.5 million to Kasoa Polyclinic
Oxfam in Ghana has donated medical equipment and essential drugs worth about GH¢1.5 million to the Kasoa Polyclinic to strengthen maternal and reproductive healthcare services in the municipality.
The presentation, which took place on Tuesday, June 24, 2026, at the premises of the clinic in Kasoa, formed part of the sustainability and legacy activities under the Power to Choose (P2C) Project.
The donated items included delivery beds, maternity beds, oxygen cylinders, neonatal resuscitation equipment, blood pressure monitors, newborn weighing scales, suction machines, delivery kits, essential medicines, medical theatre wear and other critical supplies to support quality healthcare delivery.
The Power to Choose Project is a seven-year initiative being implemented by Oxfam in Ghana in partnership with the Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana (PPAG), WiLDAF Ghana, SEND Ghana, Norsaac and PARDA, with funding from Global Affairs Canada through Oxfam Quebec.
The project seeks to improve sexual and reproductive health and rights for young people, particularly adolescent girls, young women and young men living in vulnerable and marginalised conditions.
Addressing nurses and management of the hospital, the Country Director for Oxfam in Ghana, Mohammed-Anwar Sadat Adam, said the project, which began in 2021 and will run until early 2028, is being implemented in seven countries across Africa, Latin America and the Middle East.
He said Ghana and the Democratic Republic of Congo are the two African countries benefiting from the project.
Mr. Adam noted that the project has already trained about 102 health workers in areas including youth-friendly services, emergency obstetric and neonatal care, family planning, gender-based violence response, respectful maternity care and inclusive healthcare delivery.
He said Oxfam and its partners conducted assessments at beneficiary facilities and identified equipment needs to help improve healthcare delivery.
According to him, the donation would create safe spaces where young women and girls could seek healthcare services without fear or stigma and would improve health outcomes in the community.
Mr. Adam thanked the Government of Canada, the Ghana Health Service, the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Ghana (SOGOG), World Health Ghana and other partners for supporting the implementation of the project.
He urged the beneficiary facilities to ensure that the equipment is properly used and maintained to serve the community for many years.
A speech by the Municipal Health Director for Awutu Senya East, Dr. Stanley Kweku Yaidoo, which was read on his behalf by the Municipal Accountant, Rev. Dr. Askari Thomas, described the donation as timely and important.
He said quality healthcare delivery depends on manpower, financial resources and equipment, adding that healthcare workers cannot effectively deliver services without the necessary tools.
Dr. Yaidoo thanked Oxfam and its partners for selecting Kasoa as one of the beneficiary facilities and assured them that the equipment would be put to good use.
The Acting Medical Superintendent of Kasoa Polyclinic, Dr. Papa Kojo Arthur, expressed appreciation to Oxfam for its continuous support over the years through training and capacity building.
He said the equipment would greatly support the effective management of patients, particularly in maternal and child healthcare.
According to him, the donation would help reduce maternal and perinatal mortality in the municipality.
The donation formed part of efforts to strengthen the capacity of youth-friendly health facilities in eight implementing districts across five regions of Ghana to continue providing quality and accessible sexual and reproductive healthcare services beyond the lifespan of the project.
By: Jacob Aggrey
The Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts (MoTCCA) has announced that an electronic copy of Ghana’s revised National Cultural Policy is now available online for free access by the public and stakeholders in the creative sector.
In a statement issued on June 22, the ministry said the revised policy was officially launched on June 9, 2026, at the National Theatre of Ghana in Accra.
According to the ministry, the decision to upload the document on its official website is aimed at ensuring widespread dissemination, increasing public awareness and promoting the effective implementation of the policy.
The ministry encouraged sector practitioners, stakeholders and members of the public to visit its website and read the document.
“The Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, in the spirit of the Black Star Experience, remains committed to a transparent, inclusive and collaborative approach to building the better Ghana we want,” the statement said.
It added that it looks forward to the active participation of stakeholders in implementing the policy for the benefit of the country.
The ministry urged the public to take advantage of the free access to the policy document and familiarise themselves with its contents.
By: Jacob Aggrey
