Day: July 2, 2024

The Vision for Alternative Development – Ghana (VALD-Ghana) has called on the Tobacco Control Inte-Agency Coordinating Committee to place a high priority on surveillance of tobacco industry operations to prevent it from breaching the Tobacco Control Legislation.

It said: ‘There is an obvious breach of the tobacco control legislation, which serves the interests of the cigarette business.

‘For instance, the continued sale of single sticks of cigarettes despite a ban, the rise of illegal tobacco products on the market, the arrival of tobacco products marked ‘Duty-Free’ at the country’s ports, and others all result in enormous benefits and incentives for the tobacco industry while the nation loses enormous amounts of money.’

This was in one of the three reports launched by VALD-Ghana at the maiden National Forum on Tobacco Taxation in Accra to support tobacco control in Ghana.

The reports are Ghana Tobacco Industry Interference Index 2023, Baseline Assessment of Tobacco Taxation in Ghana, 2024, and Novel and
Emerging Tobacco and Nicotine Products in Ghana, 2024.

The report said as required by the Tobacco Control Measures of Act 851, the Ministry of Health needed to collaborate extensively with civil society organisations (CSOs) and other stakeholders to draft a code of conduct as soon as possible to govern how public officials interact with the tobacco industry.

‘The creation and the enforcement of the code of conduct have been long overdue since the implementation of the tobacco control laws and regulations in 2012 and 2016, respectively. It will help avoid some needless interactions between government representatives and the tobacco business,’ it stated.

The report made a number of recommendations to the government which include the ban on all tobacco-related corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities and that the tobacco industry should be directed to publicly report or declare its CSR initiatives in the country; ‘This information is not currently available in the public domain.’

The government must
demand full disclosure on the website of the industry activities to include their market shares, revenue, and profits, tax exemptions, or any privileges it receives.

‘Similarly, government officials should be mandated to publicly share information on their dealings with the industry on platforms like their websites.’

The government should require the Ministry of Finance to examine tobacco product prices on a regular basis and to successfully control the cost and access of the products.

The report called on the media to augment the activities of CSOs, especially VALD-Ghana by putting the spotlight on the actions of the tobacco industry to expose their interferences and the overall harm of tobacco use by the population.

‘Periodically, the media capacity should be built to ensure that they demand of the governments a holistic implementation of the Framework Convention of Tobacco Control guidelines (FCTC) and the enforcement of local legislation like tax increment among others that target tobacco control,’ it
stated.

It said beyond the awareness campaign on the health implications of smoking, the government should develop a campaign plan for government officials, decision-makers/policymakers, and political actors on Article 5.3 FCTC to enhance their skills and knowledge.

‘This will help them to avoid conflict of interest and protect them against falling prey to the activities of the tobacco industry o inadvertently facilitating their activities to undermine the policies of the control of the products in the country,’ it stated.

The report appealed to the government to take a further step to terminate the recently suspended track and trace system contract between De La Rue and the Ghana Revenue Authority and open a fresh application process that should be independent, transparent, and devoid of tobacco industry involvement to effectively address illicit trade in tobacco product in the country.

‘We recommend periodic and extensive in-depth research to counter the industry and allies’ misinformation on emerging p
roducts like e-cigarettes as a safer alternative to traditional cigarettes.

‘The tobacco industry must be prevented from promoting these products as safer alternatives. Currently, the negative effects of these emerging products are alarming,’ it stated.

The report called on the Ministry of Health to officially write to heads of all educational institutions to take cognizance of the tobacco control law and the regulations and to desist from engaging the tobacco industry.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Women and residents at Kwadwo Addaikrom, a farming community in the Asunafo North Municipality of the Ahafo Region have appealed for a maternity ward at the Community-based Health Planning Service (CHPS) compound in the area.

That would help improve maternal care but also reduce the stress pregnant women go through during labour or delivery.

‘The resident midwife has converted her room into a labour ward where pregnant women go to deliver their babies’, Nana Kofi Anane, the Chief of Kwadwo Addaikrom told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in an interview during a visit to the community.

He said the people were worried about the condition of the CHPS compound which served more than 4,500 residents, and therefore appealed to the government and her development to come to their aid.

Nana Anane said the facility lacked modern and standard medical devices and equipment that met the health demand needs of the residents, an awful situation, that impeded quality healthcare provision in the community and adjoining settlem
ents.

In a brief background, the chief explained the CHPS compound was constructed and handed over for use around 2004, however, it was bedevilled with obsolete medical devices and equipment, worrying that for the past 20 years, it had not seen any renovation work.

The CHPS compound is the only health facility in the area which also served other residents in the Asutifi North District of the Ahafo Region.

Nana Anane said he personally constructed a pavilion, which now served as an Out-Patient Department (OPD), and a weighing centre for newborns, saying the lack of residential accommodation for the health workers was another major challenge.

He said due to the lack of washrooms, it was difficult for some of the patients to ease themselves whenever they visited the facility for healthcare, however, others used nearby bushes as places of convenience.

Nana Anane said the residents would forever be grateful if the government renovated and upgraded the CHPS compound to meet the growing population in the area.

M
r Abraham Kwabena Seipela, the Assemblyman for the area, appealed to NGOs, and corporate and religious bodies to come to the aid of the people and to tackle the development needs of the community.

He expressed worry that the lack of residential accommodation for the health workers hampered efficiency in the health provision.

The assemblyman said the facility needed urgent expansion and rehabilitation works to enhance the well-being of the cocoa farmers to improve cocoa productivity

Source: Ghana News Agency

The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) at the end of June paid GHS 587,236.00 to six hospitals providing care to vulnerable patients under its Free Dialysis Coverage programme.

A press release signed by its acting CEO, Dr Dacosta Aboagye, said the hospitals submitted their respective list of chronic dialysis patients that received treatment in June marking the first month of the implementation of the Government’s critical support to the patients.

The statement said the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) was paid GHS 96, 236.00, Cape Coast Teaching Hospital (CCTH) received a sum of 77, 578.00 cedis, Efia Nkwanta Regional Hospital (ENRH) also received GHS 92, 308.00

It said the Ho Teaching Hospital (HTH) was paid GHS 83, 470.00, the Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH) received 57, 938.00 cedis and the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) was paid GHS 179, 706.00.

The statement said the hospital was expected to manage the funds and ensure that all patients, who may have paid out-of-pocket during the month
of June were fully reimbursed according to the approved amount for the various categories.

It said patient categories to be reimbursed were patients aged 18 and below and 60 years and above.

They will receive all eight (8) free dialysis sessions per month under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) from June to December 2024.

Persons aged 19 to 59 years seeking treatment at KATH, CCTH, ENRH, HTH, and TTH except KBTH, will receive two (2) dialysis sessions per month.

Adult patients (19 to 59) receiving treatment at KBTH will receive a subsidy for two (2) dialysis sessions per month, meaning the NHIA will cover 50 per cent of the cost of the two sessions.

The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) in June this year announced the introduction of Free Dialysis Coverage for some vulnerable patient categories.

The arrangement was approved by Parliament within the NHIA’s Allocation Formula for 2024.

Under the arrangement, selected healthcare providers were to receive payment for treating dialysis pa
tients up to the tune of GHS 4.4 Million, made up of GHS2 Million from the Allocation Formula and GHS 2.4 Million from the NHIA’s Corporate Social Responsibility Budget for this fiscal year.

The initiative is to enhance access to and affordability of dialysis treatment for patients.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Hive Ecosystem, an organisation committed to empowering community initiatives and enhancing environmental sustainability, has constructed a mechanised borehole for residents of Nanton Kpawumo in the Sagnarigu Municipality of the Northern Region.

The facility has a polytank to store enough water to address water shortages experienced in the area, which adversely affects women and schoolchildren.

It is also to improve water, sanitation, and hygiene practices in the area to prevent waterborne disease outbreaks.

Mr Abdul-Wahab Osman, a representative of Hive Ecosystem in the Northern Region, who inaugurated the facility at a ceremony in the community, said it formed part of the organisation’s shared vision of creating positive change and enhancing the quality of livelihoods in communities.

He said the facility was a commitment to enforcing collaboration and corporate social responsibility in community development.

He said clean and accessible water was the cornerstone of healthy communities and sustainab
le development, adding the facility would elevate the living standards of the people and empower them.

He urged residents to own the facility by ensuring that it was properly taken care of and regularly maintained to continue to serve them.

Mr Abdul-Fataw Yahaya, Assembly Member of the Taha-Kpawumo Electoral Area, in the Sagnarigu Municipality, said the provision of the facility was a great relief for the community as it had ended their daily struggles in search of potable water.

Madam Fuseini Ayishetu, a resident of Nanton-Kpawumo, narrated how they competed with animals at the community dam for water, saying ‘With the inauguration of this facility, we can now have access to potable water. Our children will not miss lessons in school because of water shortage.’

She expressed gratitude to Hive Ecosystem and pledged their commitment to protect and maintain the facility to ensure it continued to serve them.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Dr Patrick Kuma-Aboagye, Director General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Monday launched the GHS 2024 Excellence Awards to recognise the exceptional performance of individual health workers and institutions.

The Award, which is the second of its kind, seeks to attract and retain health professionals in deprived areas and serve as a motivational tool for those underperforming to aspire toward future recognition and rewards.

Speaking at the Awards launch in Accra, Dr Kuma-Aboagye said nominations for the awards at the various service levels started Monday 1st July 2024 and would end on Tuesday, 23rd July 2024.

He said the Award Scheme was anchored on four key principles: public participation, equity, transparency, and sustainability in three categories thus, Individual Staff Awards, Institutional and Leadership Awards, and Special Awards.

He said many health workers, especially those in remote areas, provided dedicated and compassionate services under challenging conditions, yet their remarkable efforts
were often not publicly acknowledged or appreciated.

‘While some health workers occasionally exhibit untoward behaviour and are rightfully disciplined, it is crucial to recognise and celebrate those who demonstrate outstanding dedication and innovation in their work,’ the Director General said.

He encouraged health workers and institutions in GHS to actively participate in the awards process and make the most of the opportunity to be recognised and celebrated for their dedication and commitment to work

Mrs. Araba Kudiabor, Chairperson of the Awards Planning Committee, said the GHS Awards Scheme was set up to inspire, acknowledge, and reward health workers and institutions for their outstanding contributions to healthcare delivery.

She said this year, the Service aims to honour 2,372 individuals and institutions at the district level, 280 individuals and institutions at the regional level and 25 individuals and institutions at the national level.

She stated that the nomination process had been digitalized
to streamline and simplify the nomination and evaluation processes.

Mrs. Kudiabor said the Awards formed an integral part of Ghana Health Service’s broader performance management initiative.

‘ It represents our collective appreciation for the tireless efforts of our health workers.’

The theme for this year’s awards is ‘Sustaining Partnerships for Effective and Efficient Healthcare Delivery’.

Source: Ghana News Agency