Category: Medicine

Tema, May 26, GNA – Dr. Alfred Gardemor, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) for Ghana Optometric Association (GOA) said although retinoblastoma is relatively uncommon, it can have devastating consequences for the children affected by it.

“If treated too late, it can lead to the loss of the eye, invasion of the brain, and death.

“Retinoblastoma is an eye cancer that begins in the retina — the sensitive lining on the inside of your eye. Retinoblastoma most commonly affects young children, but can rarely occur in adults. Your retina is made up of nerve tissue that senses light as it comes through the front of your eye,” Dr Gardemor stated.

Dr. Gardemor who is a Principal Optometrist and Head of the Optometric Center at the Nsawam Government Hospital said this at the fifth Ghana News Agency-Tema Regional Office and the Ghana Optometric Association fortnightly public sensitization initiative “GNA-GOA: My Eye! My Vision!

The fortnight initiative is a collaborative public education advocacy campaign to promote the need for people to access eye care and also to draw attention to vision health.

The GNA-GOA: My Eyes! My Vision! initiative also seeks to challenge the public and policymakers to focus on vision as a health issue, which forms a critical component of mankind’s wellbeing but is often neglected.

Speaking on the topic “Children’s Vision and Eye Health”, Dr. Gardemor explained that retinoblastoma may occur in one or both eyes, stressing that retinoblastoma has few, if any, symptoms at first.

“It may be noticed if a pupil appears white when light is shone into the eye, sometimes with flash photography. Eyes may appear to be looking in different directions. Treatments include chemotherapy, radiation, and laser therapy,” Dr Gardemor noted.

Dr. Gadermor explained that a child with heritable retinoblastoma has an increased risk of a pineal tumour in the brain.

“When retinoblastoma and a brain tumour occur at the same time, it is called trilateral retinoblastoma. The brain tumour is usually diagnosed between 20 and 36 months of age,” he said.

He said the safest way to save a baby’s life when diagnosed with retinoblastoma was to take out the affected eye to prevent the spread.

He advised pregnant women to be cautious of what they eat during pregnancy since it was a stage where a lot of changes occurred in the human body and the baby.

Speaking on the topic: “Proper administration of eye drops,” Dr. Remi Ninkpe, GOA President, explained that administration of eye medication must be systematic to promote good vision.

He said the optometrist’s prescription must be followed to ensure that, the process did not incur additional health issues related to the eye.

Dr. Ninkpe who is a Deputy Superintendent of Police and an Optometrist at the Police Hospital in Accra said it was important to wash hands with soap and water and clean with dry neat towels to remove every impurity before administering the drugs.

He said that it was also important to check the tip of the eye drop after removing the dropper cap to make sure it had not cracked or damaged adding that the tip must not be touched.

He mentioned that one or two fingers could be placed on the face about an inch below the eye to gently pull down to create a pocket between your lower eyelid and your eyeball.

DSP Ninkpe advised that a clean tissue must be used to absorb and wipe away any drops that spill out of eyes and onto the eyelids as well as face and hands must be washed with soap to clean stray eye drops.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Accra, May 26, GNA- The University of Ghana Medical Centre (UGMC) in partnership with Thyroid Ghana Foundation (TGF) has successfully conducted thyroidectomy at a subsidised fee for 15 patients to correct their thyroid disorders.

Thyroidectomy is surgical removal of all or part of the thyroid gland, which is located in the front of the neck. The thyroid gland releases thyroid hormone, which controls many critical functions of the body.

Some of the assessment and correctional procedures conducted include enlargement of the thyroid, overactive thyroid among others with five more waiting to be cleared by their specialists and anesthetics.

Dr Darius Osei, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of UGMC, who made this known at the launch of the 14th World Thyroid Awareness week and unveiling of the Thyroid Pin in Accra, said the partnership was to support needy patients who needed to undergo the surgery urgently.

The launch was on the theme: “Thyroid and Communication- It’s Not You, It’s Your Thyroid”.

The CEO explained that out of the 15 patients, 14 were female and a male. adding that they all had a sucessful surgery and encouraged others with the condition to go for the surgery.

The subsidised thyroidectomy package is a partnership between the UGMC and TGF which commenced in 2021 and seeks to support persons with serious thyroid disorders but did not have the means to procure surgery.

Dr Osei said, this year, the UGMC and TGF would have another surgery at a subsidised fee for the next batch of 20 needy thyroid patients who needed thyroidectomy urgently.

The subsidy given by the UGMC comes in the form of surgical intervention as that is the most expensive part, while the patients are provided for the medical aspect.

“At UGMC, this is the kind of care we are made to offer so we are encouraging persons with these conditions to direct their complains to us and care will be made available to them because we are a specialized hospital with the requisite tools to deliver”, he stated.

The event also saw participants sensitised on the myths and facts associated with thyroid as well as presentation on advocacy for noenatal screening for congenital hypothyroidism.

Nana Adwoa Konadu Dsane, the Founder of TGF, said the event was also to celebrate the survivors of the surgery and encourage others with similar conditions to take the bold step as it was doable.

She expressed gratitude to the UGMC for the partnership and called on persons with the condition to visit the Centre for a subsidized thyroidectomy procedure.

Mrs Dsane outlined that in the coming days the Foundation would organise a food bazaar on May 28, 2022 to educate people with condition on their diet, on May 29, there would be a donation exercise and ‘My Journey So far’ a segment where survivors would share their experience to encourage others.

“On Monday there will be an engagement session with the Head of Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) Department, to sensitise survivors and persons with thyroid conditions on the role ENT play in the management of thyroid care,” she stated.

Reverend Professor Patrick Ferdinand Ayeh-Kumi, the Board Chairman of the Thyroid Ghana Foundation, in his keynote speech commended the UGMC and the TGF Founder for the support and hard work so far.

He said a lot has been heard about the treatment, diagnosis, among others but one important area that needs to be looked at is research.

Rev Prof Ayeh-Kumi asked the Government to support thyroid research to assist the Foundation make a difference in the lives of persons suffering from the thyroid disease.

He also asked for funding and lasting support to enhance advocacy.

Thyroid conditions, which require thyroidectomy include thyroid cancer, thyroid nodules among others. Thyroidectomy can be performed through an incision at the front of the neck, or through the mouth (scarless thyroidectomy).

Once the thyroid gland is removed, the person takes replacement thyroid hormone to keep the body’s functions in balance.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The AstraZeneca vaccine, developed in partnership with the University of Oxford, was one of the first vaccines available for use in the UK and around the world during the COVID pandemic.

More than two billion doses have been distributed to at least 170 countries, with around 50 million doses administered in the UK.

But most of those were first and second doses – only a little over 56,000 doses of AstraZeneca had been given as booster doses as of May 2022. The vast majority of third doses administered in the UK have been Pfizer (30.1 million doses) and Moderna (9.4 million).

So despite being an excellent vaccine, the use of AstraZeneca in the UK has declined across the pandemic. It’s also not used much elsewhere in Europe, or in the US where it has yet to be approved.

The reason for its limited use in high-income countries could be a combination of two factors. First, it’s likely that the mRNA vaccines (specifically those manufactured by Pfizer and Moderna) are perceived to be even more effective than AstraZeneca. And second, the vaccine’s reputation took a hit when some people who received this vaccine subsequently developed blood clots.

On the first point, some research has indicated the mRNA vaccines offer slightly higher levels of protection against previously dominant variants, including delta. A 2022 study from the Netherlands that measured antibody levels against SARS-CoV-2 following vaccination showed Pfizer and Moderna performed better than the viral vector vaccines (including AstraZeneca). But one caveat here is that the participants who received the mRNA vaccines were much younger than the AstraZeneca recipients. Immune responses typically wane faster in older populations.

The public fallout from the blood clot scares, associated with AstraZeneca but not with Pfizer or Moderna, also affected the vaccine’s rollout. The vaccine is still licensed for use in younger adults in the UK, who were deemed to be at higher risk of blood clots following the AstraZeneca vaccine. However, the UK’s Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation recommended that people aged 39 and under should be offered an alternative to AstraZeneca where possible.

These adverse events gained significant media coverage, and public confidence in the AstraZeneca vaccine was certainly knocked in the UK and beyond. For example, in April 2021, Denmark became the first European country to cease using the vaccine, with Norway following soon after. Around the same time, several Canadian provinces temporarily suspended the AstraZeneca vaccine for people under 55 as a precautionary measure. All of this came amid high levels of COVID in these countries and elsewhere, and at a time when global demand for COVID vaccines greatly outstripped supply.

These somewhat kneejerk reactions made waves further afield. For example, research my colleagues and I conducted in Ghana highlighted how people had observed the responses in Europe and North America. The result was increased hesitancy towards the AstraZeneca vaccine.

Despite all this, the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, the European Medicines Agency and the World Health Organization continued at all times to recommend the vaccine, based on its safety and effectiveness record.

An important vaccine for the developing world

The proportion of the Ghanaian population that has received one or more doses of any COVID vaccine is just over 30%. Our 2022 research in Ghana indicates that vaccine hesitancy rates among those currently unvaccinated ranges between 30%-50%, depending on the population surveyed.

An April 2022 briefing by the Ghana Health Service (not published online) indicated that 43% of the 28 million doses received in Ghana have been AstraZeneca. Of the vaccines administered in March 2022, 57% were AstraZeneca.

Among the reasons for a preference for AstraZeneca, there will be considerations around supply, cost and logistical issues. For example, the vaccine requires only regular refrigerator storage, compared with the mRNA vaccines which need to be frozen. For these reasons the AstraZeneca vaccine is vital for Ghana, along with many other lower-income countries. High local and global confidence is essential to ensure a successful vaccination campaign with high uptake.

The UK and many other high-income countries are likely to continue predominantly using mRNA COVID vaccines. However, much of the knowledge we have around “which vaccine is better” relates to previous variants rather than omicron. As the virus continues to evolve, so must the evidence base.

There is an increasing body of evidence that “mixing and matching” vaccine types is safe and effective, and may even generate stronger or broader immune responses over time. In this light, there could be a role for AstraZeneca or other vaccines such as Novavax, alongside mRNA vaccines.

In the longer term, we need a vaccine that can protect against multiple variants or even all coronaviruses.

For many high-income countries in 2022, the mRNA vaccines are the vaccine of choice, rather than AstraZeneca. The mRNA vaccines are also being manufactured in sufficiently large volumes to make supply much less of an issue than it was earlier in the pandemic. These are all important factors for national decision-makers. However, it’s important to emphasise that the AstraZeneca vaccine is a safe and effective product, and remains a vital tool to underpin the global response to the pandemic.

Source: The Conversation

ASA Savings and Loans Limited on Wednesday, May 18, 2022, organised a health screening exercise for its customers of Sekondi Business centre in the Western Region of Ghana.

The free health medical screening exercise covered several types of diseases where beneficiaries had Malaria tests, Hepatitis B tests, BP tests, Sugar level Tests, as well as general screening.

As many as 130 people benefited from the health screening exercise that cost GHS4,150. At the health screening, provisions were made for all people that needed medicine to solve a health problem.

According to the Head of the Medical Team, DR. Helena Gaisie, the most occurring diseases after the screening were Malaria and Blood Pressure.

The customers who were having such problems, especially High Blood Pressure were counseled on the disease and advised on what they can do to stop or minimize its effect.

They were counseled to cut down on eating too much sugar, salt, and drinking Alcohol. They were also advised to do exercises, eat a good diet and consume plenty of water while adding enough rest.

At the end of the screening, the Area Manager for the company, Mr. Samuel Odoom said there was a need for the Health Screening as it forms part of the company’s Corporate Social Responsibilities.

He added that the gesture is to help the needy as has been done by the company in the past. He urged the private sector to make a conscious effort to meet the needs rather than the wants of their stakeholders through CSR.

He emphasizes that there are more things the company has planned to do as its CSRs.

Speaking to the media, the customers that benefited from the free medical health screening expressed appreciation to ASA Savings and Loans Limited for the great initiative, emphasising that it has helped them know the health issues bothering them.

They gave the assurance that they will take the advice of the medical personnel by making their health a priority.

Source: Modern Ghana

Some football administrators have slammed the Ghana Football Association (GFA) over the wrong timing of the release of the verdict of the match-fixing scandal involving Ashantigold and Inter Allies.

Last week, the Disciplinary Committee of the GFA demoted the two clubs to Division Two, while some players who were also found guilty were also handed various bans.

Speaking to the Graphic Sports in an interview, one of the administrators who pleaded anonymity was disappointed at the time the GFA released the verdict as he believed it could ruin the ongoing league.

“This verdict, whether good or bad, has come at a very bad time because now we have just about five matches to play.

“You ban Ashgold, now Ashgold is no longer a Premier League club; they have been demoted so what happens to the five remaining matches because they cannot parade themselves as a Premier League club”, he noted.

He said based on this decision, Ashgold could decide not to play the rest of the matches, because whether they play or not, they will still be relegated.

In a hypothetical situation, he also questioned what was likely to happen to the other clubs who had already played Ashgold, should they decide to pull out of the league.

“If Ashgold decide not to play again, what happens to those that have already earned points from them?,” he asked.

He described the unfortunate situation as a potential danger and stated that the announcement should have come at the end of the season instead of hastily announcing the ban which could further cause problems for the integrity of the league.

A football administrator, Kofi Manu, had earlier expressed similar sentiments when he argued that the GFA’s haste in announcing the verdict had destroyed the league because the timing for the announcement was inappropriate.

“The timing of the GFA’s DC verdict on the Ashantigold SC vs Inter Allies FC match-fixing scandal is bad, they have destroyed the league,” he told Oyerepa FM.

Source: Modern Ghana

Anderlecht attacker Francis Amuzu has emphatically said he will play for Belgium instead of Ghana.

The promising forward who was born in Accra, has played for Belgium’s youth teams.

The Ghana Football Association [GFA] has been pursuing him because he has yet to make his senior team debut for Belgium.

However, the young winger has said he has no desire to represent the West African country.

The 22-year-old insists on working hard to earn a call-up to the Red Devils before the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

“They call my broker every day, but I keep it off,” Amuzu told Het Nieuwsblad.

“Look, I was born in Ghana and when I’m there, I feel at home there because of the African atmosphere. My sporty heart lies with Belgium. With Belgium you can go very far at such a World Cup, with Ghana there is a real chance that you will be out quickly.”

A transfer abroad might increase his chances of playing for the Red Devils. “I have a career plan and we’ll see. I had hoped that I would already have more playing minutes at Anderlecht, but then I also have to show myself.”

Amuzu has nine goals and three assists in 37 appearances this season for Anderlecht.

Source: Modern Ghana