Day: March 12, 2023

Dr Marion Okoh-Owusu, the Western North Regional Director of Health, has appealed to the Government to provide medical stores for the region to help in the storage of critical supplies. It had become paramount for the new region to have it own medical stores to facilitate emergency responses and improve healthcare delivery, she said. Dr Okoh-Owusu made the appeal during the 2022 Annual Health Performance Review meeting at the Regional Coordinating Council on Thursday, on the theme: ‘Sustaining Health Gains through Community Partnerships.’ It took stock of the previous year’s performance, assessed the performance of facilities within the region, identified challenges and the way forward. District health directors from all the nine health directorates in the area, religious and traditional leaders as well as heads of departments attended. She commended the workers for their dedication to duty, that had advanced the gains in quality health care delivery. Post natal care registrants increased from 91 per cent in 2021 to 94.1 per cent in 2022 whereas antenetal care visits increased from 75 per cent in 2021 to 79 per cent in 2022. Malaria cases reduced from 27.1 to 22 per cent in 2021 to 2022, whiles maternal mortality ratio reduced from 75 per 100,000 life births in 2021 to 57 per 100,000 in 2022. Still-birth rate reduced from 5.8 to 4.0 within the years under review. The Regional Health Directorate had identified low family planning coverage, low TB case deduction, and low skilled deliveries as major challenges, Dr Okoh-Owusu said, and promised to develop strategies in addressing them. Dr Okoh-Owusu mentioned a new accident and emergency centre, furnished accommodation for all doctors, an ultra modern theatre for the Bibiani Government Hospital, and a new female block at Essam Government Hospital, among others, as the achievements in the year under review. On COVID-19 vaccination, she said fully vaccinated residents increased from 17.4 in 2021 to 62.8 per cent in 2022. Mr William Frimpong-Bonsu, Council member, Ghana Health Service, said health workers deserved recognition and that the Council would support Management to establish an award scheme to honour hard working staff in the region. ‘As a Council we are delighted that the Ghana Health Service has launched an Excellence Awards Scheme and has put in place a comprehensive framework to assess and award best performing staff, facility leaders as well as institutions at the various levels across the country,’ he said. He, therefore, appealed to organisations, corporate institutions, development partners, regional coordinating councils, MMDAs, and the media, to assist the region to launch its scheme for improved health care delivery.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The lack of health structures at the Sissalla West District of the Upper West Region is impeding access to health delivery, Dr Mathias Tengan, the District Director of Health, has said. There are 42 functional CHPS compounds, but 20 of them currently function without physical structures. Dr Mathias expressed the concern in Gwollu during the annual performance review of the Ghana Health Service, on the theme: ‘Implementing the health-in-all policy: A means to attaining sustainable and quality health service delivery in Sissala West District’. He said the provision of such infrastructure for those zones would ensure effective service delivery. The district, with a population of 65,296, has one hospital, six health centres and 42 functional CHPS zones, 20 of which currently function without physical structures, which were supposed to provide critical health services to the people from the remotest part of the country. However, the district made remarkable improvement in CHPS functionality from 32 to 42, improvement in TB case detection from eight in 2021 to 17 in 2022. Others include stillbirth and neonatal mortality, which saw a decline from 2.6 per cent in 2021 to 1.4 per cent in 2022, and 2.6 per cent in 2021 to 0.69 per cent in 2022, respectively. Adolescent pregnancy rate also saw a reduction from four per cent in 2021 to zero in 2022. There was zero maternal mortality, while under-five mortality rate reduced from 4.6 per cent in 2021 to 3.4 per cent in 2022. Dr Tengan said the excellent surveillance system led to the early suspicions of 18 AFP, 135 measles, 52 yellow fever, and 17 confirmed TB cases, which were dealt with. He said though anaemia was still a menace in the district, there was an improvement in haemoglobin checked at registration and at 36-weeks of gestation. ‘We were also fortunate when we hosted the Ghana Health Service National Council in the district, which led to some pertinent issues confronting healthcare delivery receiving attention,’ he said. Dr Tengan mentioned inadequate accommodation for health staff overcrowding at the District Health Directorate, lack of means of transport, inadequate delivery beds, and staff refusal to accept postings to the district as some of the challenges. ‘The lack of electricity and water in newly constructed health centres and CHPS compounds at Zini and Jeffisi are working against the staff in those communities,’ he said, and appealed to all stakeholders to support in addressing those challenges. Madam Ayisha Batong Hor, the District Chief Executive, gave the assurance that the District Assembly had prioritised effective healthcare and would do everything possible to reduce the challenges in the sector.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Temperature increase resulting in heat in the country is one of the major contributors to food losses, Ms Catherine Krobo Edusei, Managing Director and Founder of Eden Tree, has said. Ms Edusei, told the Ghana News Agency at a day’s seminar on food loss organised by the Embassy of Denmark in Accra that a high volume of produce especially fruits, vegetable and tubers were perishing due to excessive heat. The seminar brought together Ghanaian and Danish stakeholders in the production and post production value chain to discuss solutions to the challenge of food loss. A study commissioned by the Danish Embassy on food loss in the agriculture value chain and market opportunities in Ghana showed a great potential to boost employment, generate foreign earnings and ensure food sufficiency.? It is said that about 50 percent of produce in some selected value chains is lost through postharvest food losses and waste before the produce reaches the consumer. Ms Edusei said although there were other causes, the challenge of temperature could be addressed by setting up cold chain facilities at farm gates. ‘Although, the cost for running these facilities is too high, farmers should be offered incentives to keep their produce at cold chains to reduce losses. We need good partnerships and a special policy and implementation strategy and this can transform the sector,’ she said. Mrs Adusei said as temperatures continued to surge, government ought to introduce an agriculture insurance scheme to help small holder farmers bounce back in the event of a disaster.? Madam Francisca Martey, Deputy Director in charge of Research and Applied Meteorology, ?Ghana Meteorological Agency, told GNA that the increase in temperature was real, describing it as a problem affecting agriculture production greatly.? She said that GMet had observed that the day and night temperature had seen a surge and called for a comprehensive approach to deal with the situation. Mr Tom Nørring, Ambassador of Denmark to Ghana, said food loss was core of the Sustainable Development Goal one, two and three, hence the need to take concrete steps towards meeting the goals. He stated that postharvest losses were partly due to the lack of investments in cold chains, low efficiency in livestock production, and underscored the need for coordination and better regulation. Mr Nørring said food loss had detrimental costs on value chain actors, including farmers, transporters and especially consumers. ?Danish companies, he stated, were well positioned and ready to collaborate with Ghanaian agro-producers to find sustainable solutions to food loss.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Former President John Dramani Mahama has promised to institute investigations into the killing of eight persons during the 2020 elections. A statement issued by Mrs Joyce Bawa Mogtari, the Spokesperson for the former President, copied to the Ghana News Agency, said Mr Mahama had, therefore, assured the families of all who lost their lives during the tragic incident not to despair. The eight lost their lives from gunshots, allegedly fired by military personnel during the elections, it said. ‘Insha, Allah, when we come into office, we will investigate the killings, bring the perpetrators to face the law and pay the appropriate compensations,’ Mr Mahama, aspiring Presidential Candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), was quoted as saying during his campaign at Techiman North. He was in the Bono East Region to meet delegates of the Party ahead of NDC’s May 13, presidential primaries. The statement said though considered the frontrunner and Party officials asking him not to campaign, the former President had decided to visit all 275 constituencies and interact directly with the branch and constituency executives. Mr Mahama had, since nominations were opened by the Party, launched his campaign and toured the Volta Region. Currently, he is on a two-day tour of the Bono East Region and would continue to the Bono and Ahafo regions.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Ada-East District Environmental Health Department has cleared expired goods from various shops and markets in the district. The items included soft drinks, tomato pastes, alcoholic drinks, milk powder, cocoa powder, and pharmaceutical products, The operation, which was undertaken in collaboration with the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), is to ensure food safety and protect the community from the consumption of expired foods. Mr Frank Abima, the Head of Department, Environmental Health, announced this during an Ordinary Session of the Ada-East Assembly. He said the Assembly had hints around the Christmas period, last year, that there were a lot of expired products on the markets. He said the concerns triggered a full operation, conducted by the Department and NADMO, where personnel visited shops and markets at Kasseh, Ada Foah, and Big Ada, and all expired products were confiscated. Mr Abima said although the Food and Drugs Authority did not have an office in the district, the Authority liaised with the Assembly to promote food safety. He cautioned the traders to be cautious when they moved outside the district to buy items to sell and admonished consumers to check the expiry dates on products before buying.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Mrs Mariam Agyeman Gyasi Jawhary, a Private Legal Practitioner, has advised Ghanaians to continuously promote religious tolerance for national development. She said religious tolerance was expressed by the acceptance of religious pluralism, which gave legitimacy to the existence of religious differences in society. Mrs Jawhary said this at the Ahmadiyya Muslim Women’s Association’s (Lajna Imaillah) Centenary Peace Symposium in Accra. The symposium, which brought together Muslim women groups, representatives of religious bodies, Non-Governmental Organisations and peace building institutions, was on the theme: ‘Religious Tolerance and Peaceful Co-existence.’ Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states: ‘Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion: this right includes the freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom either alone or in community with others and in private or public, to manifest his religion or belief in worship or observance, practice and teaching.’ The Lawyer said tolerance would find fertile land to grow when extremism and intolerance were eschewed. She said: ‘Islam rejects compelling anyone to adopt or leave a religion; it explicitly allows non-Muslims to express, practice and teach their religious beliefs.’ Mrs Jawhary noted that a particular religion could engender many positives in individuals and societies, however, it also had the undeniable negative of engendering and nurturing intolerance among people of different faiths. ‘I hasten to add that the negatives are the result of some persons twisting, adopting and propagating certain interpretations of religious belief for various reasons, including self-aggrandisement, encouragement of superstitions, exploitation of people for commercial and economic reasons as well as power,’ the Lawyer added. Mrs Zuweira Lariba Abudu, Minster for Gender, Children and Social Protection, in a speech read on her behalf, said the country had a long history of religious diversity which allowed for co-existence among the various religions. She said despite occasional tensions and conflicts, the society had largely embraced religious diversity and tolerance, and many religious organisations were given common platforms to collaborate on projects aimed at promoting peace, development and social welfare. Mrs Abudu said the Government and the Gender Ministry with its partners had been supportive of religious tolerance and cooperation by organising programmes and activities to promote violence-free societies. The Minister said they also promoted policies and frameworks at empowering all persons to achieve their full potential and to live peacefully with themselves, as well as peaceful co-existence. Professor Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang, a former Minister of Education, noted that tolerance provided an opportunity to learn from others by listening, appreciating, respecting and understanding the views of others which would foster peace. She urged the citizenry to showcase their religion through the relationship with each other and caring, especially for the disadvantaged, in health or in education. ‘We live in a country where the highest percentage of people are religious. My prayer is that it shows in the way we relate to each other,’ Prof. Opoku-Agyemang said. Hajia Anisa Nasirudeen Iddrisu, President, National Sadr of Lajna Ima’illah Ghana, called on the youth to pursue and embrace peace for development of the nation. She said the world was struggling to establish perfect peace, hence, the need for the message of peace to be spread continuously. She appealed to the Government to enhance security in the country. Naa Akua Ntwaban IV, Paramount Queen Mother, Oau Traditional Area, called on all women to play their roles in the bringing up responsible children and promote peaceful. She called for the teaching of peace in schools. Institutions and organisations such as the Kofi Annan Peacekeeping Traning Centre, Interfaith Wowen’s Network, Federation of Muslims Women’s Association, Chance for Children and the West African Network for Peacebuilding, pledged their support to promote peaceful co-existence in the country. The Women’s Association of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission was established on December 25, 1922, to foster unity, promote spiritual and moral education, and advance the welfare of women and children globally. Lajna Ima’illah is established in over 200 countries with its headquarters in the United Kingdom.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Three goals from Faith Ladies FC was enough to snatch the maximum points from Berry Ladies in match-day 13 of the Malta Guinness Women’s Premier League played at the Carl Reindorf Park at Dansoman.? A goal each from Jennifer Kankam Boadu, Mafia Nyame, and Emmanuella Johnson ensured that Faith Ladies dominate Berry Ladies to keep their maiden league title ambition on track.? Faith Ladies’ prolific striker Kankam Boadu opened the scoring in the third minute before Mafia Nyame doubled the lead to end the first half 2-0.? From recess, Faith Ladies played exhibiting dominance and an intention to add more goals despite leading Berry Ladies.? This yielded results when Johnson added the team’s third in the 90+1 minute to end the game on a high note.? The win puts Faith Ladies on 24 points after 13 matches, whilst Berry Ladies remain in the fifth position with 18 points in the Southern zone league log.? Faith Ladies’ Afia Boadu Twumwaa was named the Nasco best player for her sterling performance at the left back.? Betway Ghana is a development partner of the Malta Guinness WPL.?

Source: Ghana News Agency

Mr. Samson Deen, the President of the Africa Paralympic Committee (AfPC), has called for the inclusion of Para-Sports in the agenda of the Specialised Technical Committee (STC) of the Africa Union Sport Council (AUSC). Mr. Deen made the call when he paid a working visit to the Moroccan Ministry of National, Primary Education of Sports (MNPES) to discuss development of Para-Sports in Africa. Mr. Deen also used the opportunity to discuss and shared ideas with the representatives of the MNPES Mr. Abderrazzak Akkari, who is the Director of Sports. Among the issues discussed were the inclusion of Para Sports, bidding and hosting, participation and organisational strategy. He said the AfPC would need the support of the majority of the AUSC Member States to support the inclusion of the agenda in the next sitting of the Specialized Technical Committee. The AfPC, which owns and organises the African Para Games on the continent had taken measures to partner with the African Union Sport Council (AUSC) to include para-sport in its bidding and hosting of the African Games, as a standalone event after the Olympic event. Mr. Akkari and Hamid Al Ouni, President of the Royal Moroccan Federation of Sport for Persons with Disabilities presented a souvenir as a token of appreciation to the AfPC President. They expressed gratitude for the excellent cooperation. Ghana is set to host the First African Para Games, Accra 2023, which was slated for 3-12 September 2023 in Ghana, but could see the date for the commencement of the event pushed further backwards after the AUSC communicated with its members a new date had been proposed for the African Games 8-23 2024. Mr. Deen would pay a courtesy call on the Minister of Sports of Egypt on Monday, March 13, 2023 before returning to Ghana.

Source: Ghana News Agency