Category: Medicine

Accra, Feb. 16, GNA – Dr Leticia Adelaide Appiah, the Executive Director, National Population Council, says the country needs consistent reproduction health education to reduce teenage pregnancy.

Such an activity will support young girls to delay first sexual intercourse and reduce teenage pregnancy as teenage mothers are guided and supported to become effective, nurturing, and bonding parents.

Dr Appiah said this at a development dialogue on the topic ” Teenage Pregnancy and School Enrollment” in Accra.

The dialogue was organised by the Institute of Statistical, Social, and Economic Research (ISSER) funded by the Agricultural Development Bank.

Research has revealed that from 2016–2019, school dropout in primary was 23,050, 12,972 in Junior High, and 4,292 in Senior High.

Investment in teenage pregnancy prevention, she stressed, would remove barriers to education and improve enrolment for sustainable development.

She called for a widespread public education campaign in support of contraceptive use, including responsible parenting, religious and traditional authorities, and media support.

That, she stated, was non-negotiable because adolescents needed information and access to protect themselves from teenage pregnancy.

“Education plays a critical role not just in improving our lives but also in helping accumulate economic and social capital in communities, which removes the stress of poverty.

“The stress of poverty is more than a lack of food.It is a death sentence that results in a significant reduction in life expectancy,” she said.

“We need to encourage our young girls to take spelling tests as they prepare to change the world, not to take pregnancy tests as they prepare to change diapers,” according to Dr Appiah.

Reverend Professor Adobea Yaa Owusu, the Immediate Past Director of the Social Division, ISSER, said research had revealed that the presence of both parents was associated with a delay in sexual activity and unwanted pregnancies.

She said active involvement in setting boundaries for teenagers and adolescents, especially in early sexual indulgence, had contributed to positive outcomes.

Prof Owusu called for support for Family-Life Education in schools by training specialists to offer premarital education to young children.

Dr Abraham Frimpong Baidoo, Programme Officer, Safe Motherhood, Family Health Division, Ghana Health Service, said teenage pregnancy among adolescents was fundamental to achieving positive health outcomes and Sustainable Development Goals.

From 2020–2022, the number of abortions among young girls between the ages of 10 and 19 was 24,108.

He said the Service had rolled out interventions to educate young girls on the consequences of adolescent pregnancy and called for a concerted effort to manage the situation.

Prof Peter Quartey, Director, ISSER, called for responsible parenting to address issues of teenage pregnancy, especially in the wake of economic challenges in the country.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Accra, Feb.16, GNA – The Ghana Education Service (GES) has donated 100 life jackets and learning materials to the Atigagorme and Wayokope communities in the Sene East District in the Bono East Region. 

Dr Eric Nkansah, the Director-General of GES, said the donation was an interim safety and security measure for the school children, after eight pupils died while crossing a river from Atigagorme to attend school at Wayokope.

This is in a statement by Mr Yaw Opoku Mensah, the Deputy Spokesperson, Ministry of Education, copied to the Ghana News Agency in Accra.

Dr Nkansah said the Ministry of Education would soon construct a school in the island community after inspecting a piece of land donated by the community.

“We are deeply saddened by the occurrence, and as leaders, it is our duty to ensure that such bad news never befalls our children again. 

“ To address the challenge, the Ministry is constructing a school in Atigagorme within the shortest possible time.

“As we wait for the completion of the school, I plead with all parents and teachers to ensure that our children wear the life jackets we have donated,” he said.

The Director-General disclosed that he was in talks with the District Chief Executive (DCE) of Sene East to recruit and post teachers in the community to address the challenge of inadequate teachers in the area.

Dr Nkansah consoled the surviving children who were on the boat when the incident occurred and assured them of the continuous support of GES to ensure they were safe and secure.

Mr Nathan Baflo, the Assemblyman for Old Nkomi Electoral Area, commended GES for the donations and pledged to ensure that the school children used the items when crossing the river.

“We are grateful to the GES for the proactive measures they have taken since the incident occurred. Indeed, the lack of life jackets for the school children has been a major challenge, and I am happy that we have received these new 100 jackets today,” he said.

Mr Kofi Gyimah, the DCE, Sene East, applauded the Director-General for the donations to prevent future occurrences and aid effective learning and teaching.

On Tuesday, January 24, 2023, eight school children who were among 20 traveling to school from Atigagorme to Wayokope drowned when the boat capsized.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Accra, Feb 15, GNA – Ninety students of Ayikuma Memorial Municipal Assembly (MA) school in Accra, have for the first-time experienced science laboratory experiments and practical lessons in computing.

That occurred when a group of five post-graduate Institute of Distance Learning students of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) – EduAid, sent the Junior High School two and three students of Ayikuma Memorial on an educational tour at Achimota School.

The group comprises Theodora Monney, Phyllis Owusu, Priscilla Twum, Manuella Mireku and Daniel Osei-Agyeman, all Development Management students.

The facilities visited by the students’ included libraries, science and Information and Communication Technology labs, sporting centres, house of residence, dining halls and place of worship.

Among others, they were made to engage in a series of scientific experiments on what they had studied in the classroom and used computers at Achimota basic school for practical lessons.

The visit to the academic facilities of Achimota, formed part of “The Mind Project,” which is aimed at working on the minds of the deprived students and motivating them to pursue academic excellence despite the challenges they faced.

The elated students, who interacted and shared academic experiences with their counterparts at Achimota basic school told the Ghana News Agency that it was the first time they had experienced such facilities.

Gary Joku, a form three student, who also is the Head Prefect of Ayikuma Memorial expressed gratitude to the organisers and said he had been encouraged to continue with the desire to further his second cycle education.

“We do science and ICT, but we’ve not seen nor had physical experience with the things we’ve seen here before. This is my first time. It is encouraging and I’ve learnt a lot,” Joku told GNA.

Miss Theodora Monney, team leader, EduAid, said the initiative, which was part of their course requirement was to impact the lives of students in deprived communities.

“As part of our course requirement, we are supposed to undertake a project to impact a community. So, we thought it wise to adopt Ayikuma Basic School and bring the students to Achimota School to come have a feel of high school and what is ahead of their immediate environment,” she said.

She believed that the initiative could provide the necessary exposure to students of deprived communities before they transition from basic schools to second cycle schools.

Ms Monney appealed to the public to reach out to schools in the deprived communities and support them with various amenities that would make their lives beyond the classroom a better one.

Ms Owusu, a member of the team, said that beyond the tour, they would be organising a series of mentorship programmes for the students to assist them with their post-junior high school academic and career choices.

The mentorship programme, she said, was to assist students from deprived schools to be mentally prepared, make informed choices and excel in any field of endeavour.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Accra, Feb. 16, GNA – The Study UK campaign, delivered by the British Council in partnership with the UK government’s GREAT Britain campaign, has announced the launch of the GREAT Scholarships 2023.

The GREAT Scholarships offer students from Ghana the opportunity to undertake postgraduate taught studies in the UK from autumn 2023.

Thirteen universities have partnered with the British Council and the UK government’s GREAT Britain campaign to offer thirteen scholarships as part of the programme.

These universities are Keele University, Bangor University, Ulster University, University of Bolton and University of East Anglia.

Others are University of Derby, University of St Andrews, University of Essex, University of Sussex, University of Westminster, University of York, University of Kent and University of Hull.

The GREAT Scholarships aim to widen access to UK education in Ghana and celebrates the diverse range of institutions in the UK that offer a vast number of courses for students to choose from.

With over 2,000 of Ghanaian students choosing to study in the UK each year, the GREAT Scholarships aim to build on the strong links between the UK and Ghana and continue to welcome all Ghanaian students to the UK.

Each scholarship is worth a minimum of £10,000 towards tuition fees for a one-year postgraduate course in the UK for the 2023-24 academic year.

Students intending to apply for the scholarships must have received an offer of entry from one of the participating universities and must satisfy all entry requirements for the chosen course as stated by the respective university.

For more information about the GREAT Scholarships, please visit: https://study-uk.britishcouncil.org/scholarships-funding/great-scholarships or contact: Afia.YeboahAgyeman@britishcouncil.org

Source: Ghana News Agency

Anlo-Afiadenyigba (VR), Feb. 16, GNA – Residents of Anlo-Afiadenyigba in the Keta Municipality of the Volta region have been urged to pay attention to their health issues over any other activity.

“Your health is more important than anything else, make use of the few health facilities we have here to know your health status for a healthy living.”

Dr Senanu Kwesi Djokoto, the acting Volta Regional Director of Health made this appeal during a short fundraising ceremony at Anlo -Afiadenyigba purported towards the construction of a CHPS Compound in the area.

On the theme “Improving Primary Healthcare, the role of community Stakeholders,” the move would further enhance quality healthcare delivery in the area.

Dr Djokoto further urged the residents to get vaccinated against the Coronavirus disease and any other disease capable of destroying their health.

Togbui Kadzohlo lV, the ‘Dufia’ of Anlo -Afiadenyigba, and Chairman of the event, in a remark, noted that it was necessary to have additional health facilities to aid the increasing population rate in the area.

“We need another health facility in addition to our Health centre at Anlo Afiadenyigba in other to reduce undue pressure on the health workers there.” he said.

Togbui Kadzahlo lV also tasked residents living both home and abroad to come on board to show concern and play their roles as community stakeholders geared toward development.

Mr Gilbert Keklie, the assembly member for the area who led the fundraising event, disclosed to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that it was urgent for the area to have additional health facility, pledging his full support for the project.

He also appealed residents from the area to support the laudable initiative for their own benefit.

A five-member committee was also formed to spearhead the contributions and donations

Some chiefs, health workers, assembly members, Heads of institutions and others took part in the event.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Accra, Feb. 16, GNA – A total of 22 babies were born in two hospitals in Accra on Valentine’s Day, February 14, 2023.

Seventeen of them are females.

Out of the eleven babies delivered at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, a set of twins and four others were females and five males.

At the Mamprobi Hospital, seven of the babies were females and four males.

They were all delivered between the hours of 12 midnight and 2 midday.

Madam Cecelia Nyamekeh Quao, a Midwifery Officer at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, told the Ghana News Agency in Accra that the mothers and the babies were healthy and in good condition.

Mrs Mary Boateng, a mother of one of the babies, expressed joy saying: ‘‘I will name my daughter Valentina because she was born on Valentine’s Day.’’

Ms Isabella Lamptey, another mother, said she was happy she had delivered on the day of love.

Valentine’s Day, a day to show love and appreciation to family and friends coincides with the National Chocolate Day in Ghana, which is intended to promote the consumption of Ghanaian chocolate and cocoa products to boost the economy and improve health.

On this Day, people give gifts, spend quality time with families and friends.

Some babies born on the Day are named Valentine for males and Valentina for females.

Source: Ghana News Agency