Such trends have allowed easy communication and interaction between populations at different ends of the world and have allowed many individuals to share hitherto unknown information and lifestyle with the broader global community, some of which contribute to the risk of CVDs. Today, over 3 billion people across the world have access to internet with more than 250 million residing in Africa ( 18). Also by 1990, with the internet being in existence for only 7 years, just 3 million people across the world had access to it with more than 70% of this number residing in the US alone ( 17). For instance, the charge for a three-minute New York-London call has decreased tremendously to about $0.30 today from $300 in 1930 ( 16). These have brought to fore the concept of globalization. In effect, as Maiyaki and Garbati ( 15) point out, globalization “has bridged geopolitical divides and led to the rapid adoption of liberal economic policies, opening up hitherto circumscribed markets, with attendant interdependence of national economies”. Several factors have been identified as accelerating the phenomenon of globalization some of which include, the rapid turnover of new technologies and its adoption by populations of different background and cultures, advancement in communication and transportation, and its widespread availability. This is generally understood to include two inter-related elements: the opening of international borders to increasingly fast flows of goods, services, finance, people and ideas and the changes in institutions and policies at national and international levels that facilitate or promote such flows ( 14). Globalization, the increased interconnectedness and interdependence of peoples and countries, has reduced the world into a “global village”. The rising burden of CVDs and associated conditions or risk factors on the African continent has been partly attributed to megatrends such as globalization which is driving an epidemiological transition. Projections indicate that Africa’s CVD burden will continue to rise and by 2020 will double the burden of 1990 ( 13). Overall, more than 50% of CVD-related deaths in Africa occur among persons 30-69 years of age, which is 10 years or more below the equivalent group in the developed world ( 12). In Africa, the prevalence of Rheumatic Heart disease-the most important form of acquired CVD in children and adolescents remains the highest globally (15-20 per 1,000 population) ( 11). In 2012 alone, there were nearly half a million deaths due to stroke in Sub-Saharan Africa and this represented 4.4% of all deaths in the region ( 10). In 2010, Stroke was the leading CVD cause of death and mortality in Africa. Although, Africa has the lowest CAD death rates, Cerebrovascular accident (stroke) death rates are comparable to those in Western high-income countries ( 9). CVDs also account for about 7-10% of all adult medical admissions to hospitals within Africa, with heart failure alone representing around 3-7% ( 8). CVD-related deaths account for nearly 9.2% of all deaths and also the leading cause of death among those aged over 45 years in the African region ( 7).

In other regions, the rates were steady or declined. Between 19, Sub-Saharan Africa remained the only part of the world where CVD-related deaths increased ( 6). In sub-Saharan Africa, the region regarded to comprise of the youngest population globally ( 5), the pattern of CVD-related morbidity and mortality has been rather interesting. Interestingly, about 80% of CVD-related deaths as well as 87% of CVD-related disabilities worldwide are known to occur in low and middle-income countries ( 4). The World Health Organization (WHO) predicts that there will be nearly 20 million CVD-related deaths globally in 2015 ( 3). Of these deaths, an estimated 7.4 million were due to CAD and 6.7 million were due to stroke ( 1). In 2012, an estimated 17.5 million people died from CVDs, representing 31% of all global deaths ( 2). CVDs are now regarded as the number one cause of death globally and are projected to remain so for many years to come ( 1). Accepted for publication Jul 31, 2015.Ĭardiovascular diseases (CVDs): Diseases of the heart or blood vessels, which include Coronary artery disease (CAD), Stroke, Peripheral arterial disease and aortic disease, have assumed significant importance in the global public health arena. Keywords: Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) health globalization Ghana

Health impacts of globalization