Health Ministry and Sanofi Launch Programme to Combat Diabetes in Schools
The Ministry of Health (MoH), in collaboration with Sanofi, has officially launched the Kids and Diabetes in Schools (KiDS) Programme under the Affordable Access to Diabetes Care (AADC) initiative.
The programme aims to raise awareness about diabetes and promote healthy lifestyles among junior high school students, teachers, and parents across Ghana. It also forms part of a broader strategy to prevent diabetes through early education and improve access to care in underserved communities.
Delivering his speech on Tuesday in Accra, the Director in charge of Allied Health at the Ministry of Health, Dr. Ignatius Awinibuno, emphasised the urgent need to address the rising cases of type 1 and type 2 diabetes among schoolchildren.
He outlined three key focus areas of the programme: supporting children with type 1 diabetes to manage their condition confidently, reducing stigma and discrimination in schools, and preventing type 2 diabetes through healthy diets and lifestyle education.
According to him, the initiative will initially be rolled out in 13 public schools, with educational materials localised to suit the Ghanaian context.
The materials, reviewed by relevant government and health agencies, will be integrated into school curricula through teacher training workshops, beginning in the Greater Accra Region.
Dr. Awinibuno stated that the Ministry was committed to ensuring that diabetes education reaches every corner of the country and announced that the programme has been officially handed over to the Ghana Education Service and the Ministry of Education for nationwide implementation.
On his part, the Medical Director at Sanofi, Dr. Ardilles Adopo, highlighted the company’s dedication to supporting people living with diabetes, particularly children.
He emphasised that since 2023, Sanofi has made significant contributions to diabetes care in Ghana, including supporting the dissemination of national diabetes guidelines, donating diabetes equipment to four health centres, mentoring 160 general practitioners, and enrolling over 240 healthcare professionals in global diabetes training.
He further revealed that through the KiDS Programme, Sanofi and the Ministry of Health will provide education to 7,700 children, parents, and teachers. Additionally, 35 teachers have been trained to lead school-based diabetes awareness efforts.
The National Coordinator of the School Health Education Programme (SHEP) of the Ghana Education Service, Mrs. Theresa Oppong Mensah, stated that the initiative addresses a critical gap in schools, namely, the lack of awareness and support for children living with or at risk of diabetes.
She underscored the importance of collaboration among teachers, parents, and stakeholders, and emphasised the need to expand the initiative nationwide while empowering children to serve as agents of change.
“We at GES strongly believe that when children understand their health, they make better choices. When teachers are empowered, they create safer, more inclusive classrooms. And when parents are informed, they become key partners in their children’s wellbeing,” she stated.
She expressed gratitude to the Ministry of Health, Sanofi, and all development partners for their dedication to improving school health, and called for continued collaboration to scale the programme across the country.
“Together, let’s empower children to take charge of their health,” she concluded.
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