Day: August 24, 2021

Ho, Millions of Africans are at risk of contracting COVID-19 due to a lack of the most basic public health tools to protect themselves, including the essentials of soap and water. These measures, known as non-pharmacological public health interventions (NPIs), and including physical distancing or isolation at home to prevent transmission, are among the simplest and least expensive methods to slow the spread of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

Yet huge numbers of Africa’s roughly 1.4 billion people do not have access to these tools, researchers said.

“Hundreds of millions of people across Africa simply lack means for implementing NPIs to prevent SARS-CoV-2 transmission,” said Dr Timothy Brewer, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health Professor of Epidemiology and Professor of Medicine, and a member of the Division of Infectious Diseases, at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.

“These populations urgently need to be prioritized for vaccination to prevent disease and to contain the global pandemic.”

The findings, published this month in the peer-reviewed journal Epidemiology & Infection, as “Housing, sanitation and living conditions affecting SARS-CoV-2 prevention interventions in 54 African countries” -are from an international team, led by Brewer and colleagues at the University of Bristol, and including researchers in China, Ethiopia, Mexico, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the U.S.

As of now, COVID-19, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has resulted in some 7.3 million cases and 185,505 deaths across the continent.

Globally, nearly 210 million cases and 4.4 million deaths have been reported in more than 200 countries, although total mortality due to COVID-19 may be as high as 7 million deaths.

The global COVID-19 case fatality ratio approximates that of the 1918 H1N1 Influenza pandemic.

“SARS-CoV-2 spreads primarily by respiratory droplets generated by coughing, sneezing or talking,” Brewer said.

“Until effective vaccines are universally available, NPIs are the principal means by which governments prevent SARS-CoV-2 transmission in their populations.”

In addition to isolation of those infected and contact tracing and quarantine for those exposed, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends physical distancing, masking in public places and hand washing as important NPIs that countries should employ for COVID-19 prevention and control.

Laboratory-based and observational studies suggest that physical distancing and the wearing of face masks may reduce SARS-CoV-2 transmission by at least 80 per cent.

“These findings illustrate the substantial barriers many African households face in keeping safe from SARS-CoV-2 infection because of living conditions that preclude their ability to quarantine, isolate or maintain physical distancing and because of substantial obstacles to handwashing,” said Dr Jody Heymann, a UCLA distinguished professor of public health, public policy, and medicine who serves as director of the Fielding School’s WORLD Policy Analysis Center (WORLD).

“Crucially, the findings raise the urgency of getting vaccines rapidly to all countries in Africa, which lag far behind, and for addressing the underlying conditions of poverty that place populations at increased risk from respiratory virus outbreaks and pandemics.”

Across the 54 countries, approximately 718 million people live in households with more than six individuals at home. Approximately 283 million people live in households where more than three people sleep in a single room. An estimated 890 million Africans lack on-site water, while 700 million lack in-home soap/washing facilities.

“The pandemic has exposed structural inequalities in almost all spheres, from health to the economy, security to social protection,” said study co-author Yehualashet Mekonen, director of the African Child Observatory Program at the African Child Policy Forum (ACPF).

“Girls in the continent have particularly felt its impact with far-reaching consequences on their life trajectories including higher risks for early marriage, drop out from school and reduced access to reproductive health services.”

The researchers also made the point that despite the structural and resource issues faced by governments in Africa, some nations’ responses to COVID have been among the best in the world.

“Unfortunately, impoverished living conditions mean that it is almost impossible for many people in African countries to follow public health advice and protect themselves from the virus,” said co-author Dr David Gordon, with the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom.

“European and North American countries need to stop hoarding millions of doses of vaccines that they will never be able to use and make them available to people in Africa.”

Source: Ghana News Agency

Kumasi, Cleft is not a curse but a medical problem that could be treated, Professor Peter Donkor, the President of the Ghana Cleft Foundation said on Tuesday. Scientifically, Prof Donkor explained though the causes of cleft remained unknown, the nation had highly skilled surgeons to perform cleft surgeries.

Cleft surgeries, he added, were conducted free of charge and appealed to parents with cleft children not to hide their babies in homes but contact the Foundation.

Prof Donkor, also the Director of the Cleft/Craniofacial Clinic of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), gave the advice at a media workshop in Kumasi, organised by Smile Train, a non-governmental organization.

The Smile Train is organising the two-day workshop on the theme: “the role of the media in cleft awareness in Ghana” to empower Journalists, as key stakeholders, to intensify community awareness on cleft and other essential care and services.

The NGO is the world largest cleft-focused organisation providing training, funding and resources to empower local medical professionals in 70 counties to provide free cleft surgeries and other forms of essential care in local communities.

Prof Donkor regretted that because babies born of cleft were often linked to witchcraft, wizardly or family curse, cases often turned to disrupt families, explaining that cleft was a defect that could easily be treated through surgeries.

Mrs Nkeiruka Obi, the Vice President and Regional Director, Africa, Smile Train explained the NGO started operation in the country in 2007, and it had supported the Ghana Cleft Foundation to conduct free surgeries for 2,146 children born with a cleft.

She expressed discomfort about the high level of public stigmatization and discrimination of cleft children.

Mrs Obi indicated her NGO’s commitment to conduct more surgeries for the children and called on the media to help identify these children in local communities.

She also called on the media to scale up community education on cleft to dispel the erroneous public perception and theories to control societal stigma.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Ho, The Ho Technical University will demonstrate the use of an innovative solar-powered irrigation system, becoming the first Technical University in the country to achieve the feat. The initiative, under the GIZ Green People’s Energy Project, seeks to develop the capacity of training institutes and technicians in solar-powered irrigation systems in Ghana.

The Project will install the systems in three tertiary institutions – the University for Development Studies, the University of Energy and Natural Resources, and the Ho Technical University.

Mr Raphael Wiese, Project Manager for the Green People’s Energy, at a joint sod-cutting ceremony held at the demonstration farm of the HTU’s Agro Enterprises Department, said the initiative was made possible with funds from the German Ministry of Economic Development and Cooperation.

He said it would enhance the capacity of the HTU to offer training to a broad range of stakeholders towards stimulating investments in renewable energies.

“We are proud and happy that we can now corporate with a technical university on that issue,” Mr Wiese said.

The project runs at an estimated cost of 143,000 Euros, which includes training for relevant staff, students and irrigation farmers.

Professor Ben Honyenuga, the Vice-Chancellor, said the choice of the HTU as one of the seeding grounds for the project showed repute and helped cement the Institution’s place as “the reference point for TVET education in Ghana and Africa.”

He said the solar-powered system would help address challenges with rain-fed agriculture and thanked the GIZ for supporting the development of agriculture through the enhancement of knowledge.

The Vice-Chancellor said the project aligned with the University’s strategic objectives, which was to impact communities in its enclave.

“We are telling everybody that the Ho Technical University is ready and so begin to warm up and get ready for the training.

“We all calling on all people in this Region, Oti and beyond, that, bring your staff here when the time comes,” he said, adding that irrigation farmers across, should consider the project a relief.

Prof. Honyenuga gave the assurance that the University would work together with the various partners to successfully implement the project, saying, “We are already looking beyond this project.”

He said the HTU would seek more collaboration with the GIZ on efforts to alleviate poverty, ensure sustainability and enhance living standards.

Mr Gilbert Asorwoe, Site Manager for Punptech, the company installing the systems, said all tools and materials were ready and would be completed in a month, following the discovery of a suitable site for the well.

He said the system incorporated high-quality German pumps and expected to encourage the use of solar-powered alternatives in irrigation farming.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Sekondi, The United States Ambassador to Ghana, Ms Stephanie Sullivan, has commissioned two giants health services intervention facilities to improve emergency response in the Western Region. The two facilities, made possible through collaboration with the USA Centre for Disease Control and others, are the Public Health Emergency Operations Centre and the Public Health Molecular Laboratory (Biosafety level II facility) with the state of the art technology to help in surveillance, real-time data and diagnosis and could respond to future pandemics.

The Ambassador at separate events to cut the tape for the official opening of the two facilities described the Western Region as “Ready to diagnose other diseases” with the provision of such a world-class medical intervention.

She noted that the COVID-19 pandemic made clear the need for effective local responses in disease control, adding, “these facilities may not be for COVID-19 alone but any such health care emergencies in the future.”

He noted how the Service had put in place an E- Surveillance system to enhance Regional Response healthcare in real-time.

Dr Aboagye said the COVID-19 pandemic had opened the “eyes” of the Service to challenges that needed to be addressed in health care infrastructure, adding, “this is one good response to public health in line with International Health Regulations.”

The Director-General mentioned that so far the country has 34 laboratories running tests in emergency areas out of which 16 were state-owned.

According to him, the Country currently has 6,500 active COVID-19 cases.

Dr Yaw Ofori Yeboah, the Western Regional Director of the Ghana Health Service, appreciated partners for such a massive capital, human and logistical investment into the health care needs of the people in the Region.

He said the facility was commissioned at an opportune time, bearing in mind the emergence of bird flu and Ebola in the neighbouring Ivory Coast.

Dr Yeboah said the Service, through its collaborators, would continue to work more to strengthen public health.

Mr Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah, the Western Regional Minister, said the government had planned programmes for the health care sector, including Agenda 111 to ensure quality health care even in the remotest part of the country.

The Western Region, he said, stood to benefit from six of such planned projects.

However, the Regional Minister entreated the US Ambassador to help lure investors in the pharmaceutical sector to begin turning their attention to the Region for investment.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Tema, Dr Stephen Ayisi Addo, Programme Manager, National AIDS/STI Control Programme (NACP), has urged the management of establishments to be guided by the Internal Labour Organization’s code of practice on HIV/AIDS in formulating a HIV policy for their institutions. He said a properly structured workplace policy based on the ILO’s code would serve as a guide in handling employees who might contract the virus.

Dr Ayisi Addo said this at the fifth Ghana News Agency stakeholder engagement at Tema.

The event provides a platform for state and non-state actors to address national issues and to recognize the editorial contribution of reporters towards national development.

Dr Ayisi Addo spoke on the topic: “Workplace policy on HIV/AIDS, who enforces it: Legal basis for churches demanding HIV/AIDS test from would-be partners? Role of partners of an infected individual.”

He said there were 10 key principles of the ILO Code of Practice on HIV and AIDS and the World of Work, starting with the acceptance that HIV/AIDS was a workplace issue as the workplace could play a vital role in limiting the spread and its effect.

He said the objective of the ILO code was to provide a set of guidelines to address the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the world of work and within the framework of the promotion of decent work.

It covers key areas of action including prevention of HIV/AIDS; management and mitigation of the impact of HIV/AIDS on the world of work; care and support of workers infected and affected by HIV/AIDS; elimination of stigma and discrimination based on real or perceived HIV status.

The other principles, he noted, include non-discrimination, explaining that there should be no discrimination or stigma against workers on the basis of their real or perceived HIV status as casual contact at the workplace did not carry any risk of infection.

Gender equality, he said, was also key and vital to the prevention of the spread of HIV infection.

Dr Ayisi Addo said among the ten principles was the creation of a healthy work environment, which should minimize occupational risk and be adapted to the health and capabilities of workers.

He indicated that a good HIV/AIDS policy, according to the ILO code, also needed the cooperation and trust of employers, workers, and governments through social dialogue, adding that there must be no HIV screening for purposes of employment.

“Testing for HIV at the workplace should be carried out as specified in the Code, should be voluntary and confidential, and never be used to screen job applicants or employees,” he said.

He noted that existing ILO instruments on confidentiality must be applied in respect of revealing personal data, which included a worker’s HIV status.

Dr Ayisi Addo stressed that it could only be disclosed to others in a health setting which was referred to as shared confidentiality. “If I am taking care of a patient and referring to another person, my colleague must know to provide the right medication this is for purpose of continuity of care.”

He said workers with HIV-related illnesses should work for as long as medically fit in good conditions and that they must benefit from affordable health services as well as statutory and occupational schemes.

Dr Ayisi Addo noted that social partners were in a unique position to promote HIV/AIDS prevention efforts through information, education and support for behaviour change.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The App called ‘My Flood Risk Accra’ developed under the Developing Risk Management Approaches for Climate and Health Risks (SAGABI) could be accessed on Google play and the apple store.

It gives information on flood response, recovery and insurance measures that could be taken to minimize impact.

Mr Mohammed Adjei Sowah, the Chief Executive Officer of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly, who disclosed this at a closeout session of the SAGABI, said it was jointly developed closely with the Ghana Meteorological Agency and three key Municipalities.

The SAGABI, which was a strategic Alliance between GIZ and Allianz joined forces with BIMA forming the Strategic Alliance GIZ, Allianz, BIMA sought to develop suitable risk management approaches for the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area.

The project also aimed at enabling underserved consumers to access simple and affordable mobile-delivered insurance and health services as well as to increase overall insurance awareness and health literacy.

Mr Sowah said through the project a contingency plan guideline and monitoring tool for cities, and urban resilience training manuals on disaster management had been developed.

“We have witnessed in this year, catastrophic disasters around major cities in the world. In the Upper West Region, roads have been washed away cutting of key food security routes and sections of our country with dire consequences on livelihoods and communities,” he said.

Source: Ghana News Agency