About VAST-Ghana
VAST Ghana is a civil society organization in Ghana that advances public health and sustainable development through policy advocacy, research, and strategic engagement.
The organization's primary focus is on NCDs and their risk factors. Primary priority areas include tobacco, alcohol, food, sugar-sweetened beverages, physical activity, air pollution, climate change, and road safety. VAST Ghana's advocacy work targets the structural drivers of disease through evidence-based policy reform.
Vision
We envision a society where all people have the optimal standard of health.
Mission
To promote sustainable health by mobilizing, informing, and empowering everyone through health promotion, research, and advocacy.
Goal
To accelerate progress toward a sustainable future by advocating for policies on tobacco, alcohol, food, SSB, physical activity, and climate justice.
Background & History
VAST-Ghana was established in May 2024 and is led by its Executive Director, Mr. Labram Musah. With extensive experience in public health advocacy and tobacco control, Mr. Musah has positioned the organization as a key player in tobacco control efforts within Ghana and beyond.
Mr. Labram's involvement in tobacco control advocacy spans over two decades. He played a pivotal role in Ghana's adoption of the WHO FCTC in 2004, positioning the country among the earliest African adopters. His leadership was instrumental in the domestication of the WHO FCTC, contributing significantly to the passage of the Tobacco Control Measures within the Public Health Act of 2012 (Act 851) and the Tobacco Control Regulations of 2016 (L.I. 2247).
Strategic Objectives
- To inform, train, and advocate for policies on NCD prevention and control
- To advocate for policies on taxation, food policy, sugar-sweetened beverages, road safety, and climate change
- To promote physical activities, health, and well-being
- To mobilize and support community participation in governance and development
- To hold government accountable and prevent corporate interference in public health policies
- To conduct research, provide consultancy, and monitor policy implementation