Category: Health Maintenance

The Tema Metropolitan Health Directorate has marked the 2024?Tuberculosis (TB) week with role plays in senior high schools.

The sensitisation and educational programme were aimed at getting the students to learn, educate their peers and the public on TB to ensure behaviour change.

The schools included Chemu, Tema Methodist, Olams, Manhean,Tema Technical, and Tema Presbyterian Senior High.

The programme saw the screeing of the students with some advice on health-related issues for their general well-being.

Health officials from the Tema General Hospital, Tema- Manhean Polyclinic and TMA Health Centre had a float from the General Hospital through communities Nine and Seven, and ended at the Methodist Day School in Community Eleven, where a short drama was performed by the students on the subject.?

The drama sought to debunk the perception that TB was a spiritual issue and the need to seek early care, as it was a medical condition that could be cured, especially when detected early.

Madam Joana Anorkor Lar
tey, the TB and HIV Coordinator at the Tema Metropolitan Health Directorate, said her outfit had, over the years, visited various communities, especially smoking joints, to sensitise and screen the people for TB.?

‘This year, the mantle has been given to the students to bring them up to date on the disease and equip them to own their health to effectively influence and change misconceptions about TB,’ she said.

Madam Lartey said the students were to work with the 2024 theme for World TB Day, which is: ‘Yes, We Can Stop TB.’?

The Directorate targeted 167 positive cases for 2023, but they were able to record 157, and attributed the shortfall to the lack of follow-ups and some patients being in the denial stage, she said.

The coordinator said in Ghana, about 39 people lost their lives daily to TB and 121 people fell ill each day and stressed the need for people to get tested, especially if their cough persisted for days after taking in cough mixtures.

Other symptoms included loss of appetite, sweating at ni
ght, sleeplessness, sneezing, and a sore throat.

She cautioned the public against buying antibiotics on their own and drinking concoctions to cure TB, but rather report to the hospital for proper diagnosis, treatment and care.

She encouraged the public to get enrolled on the National Health Insurance Scheme for easier treatment at the hospital.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Dr Joachim Ayiiwe Abungba, the Black Volta Basin Head, Water Resources Commission (WRC), has advocated transboundary cooperation between countries and communities for global water security.

He made the call during the commemoration of the World Water Day at Tumu at the weekend.

The event served as a platform for dialogue and collaboration, reinforcing the collective resolve to leverage water as a catalyst for community peace, prosperity, and sustainable development.

He spoke on the theme: ‘Leveraging Water for Peace,’ and stressed the pivotal role of collaborative efforts in mitigating water-related conflicts and fostering sustainable development.

‘Water has the power to start conflict or bring about peace. Tensions between communities and (between) nations can arise when there is a lack of water, if it is contaminated, or people have uneven or no access to it,’ he noted.

‘More than three billion people worldwide depend on water that crosses national borders, hence the need for international cooperation
among countries and communities.’

Dr Abungba indicated that as the world grappled with mounting water challenges, the call for enhanced transboundary cooperation and community-led initiatives emerged as a beacon of hope for achieving water security and fostering global harmony.

He reiterated the WRC’s commitment to fostering transboundary cooperation, particularly in the Black Volta Basin.

The Commission is the national focal institution facilitating dialogues towards establishing permanent mechanisms for transboundary water resources management.

Mr Fuseini Yakubu Batong, the Sissala East Municipal Chief Executive, said: ‘Water can spark and intensify conflict when access is denied and usage unfairly shared.’

He recognised the support of various stakeholders in enhancing access to potable water within the municipality.

The Fire Service, Community Water Systems, Sachet Water Producers’ Association, Sissala East Agricultural Directorate, Immigration Officials and community representatives among other stak
eholders participated.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Upper West Region tops all the 16 regions in the 2023 National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) population coverage, Mr Samuel Lobber Lekamwe, the Acting Upper West Regional Director of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), has announced.

He said 772,941 people, representing 81.9 per cent of the 943,448 projected population of the region, were covered by the NHIS within the year under review against its 81 per cent coverage recorded in 2022.

Mr Lekamwe added that the region remained the lead region in the country in Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in membership coverage.

He said the region achieved 772,941 of its target of 856,429 for 2023, representing 90.3 per cent.

Mr Lekamwe announced this in Wa at the weekend during the Authority’s 2023 end-of-year performance review meeting held on the theme: ‘Eighty Per cent Population Coverage in All Districts – The New Targeting Metric’.

The Bono Region came second with coverage of 1,013,392 out of a total population of 1,269,837, representing 79.8 p
er cent while the Ahafo Region came third with NHIS coverage of 435,898 out of a population of 580,589, representing 75.1 per cent coverage.

For the district coverage, Wa Municipality came first by achieving 97 per cent of its 2023 annual target of 174,019, followed by Wa East District which achieved 96 per cent of its 72,216 target, while the Lawra Municipality achieved 77 per cent of its target of 90,918 falling at the bottom of the chart.

Mr Lekamwe commended the staff of the Wa Municipality and other good-performing districts for their part in ensuring the region sustained its gains in the NHIS coverage.

The NHIA Regional Director said 31 per cent of the total membership renewals of the scheme were through mobile renewals.

‘That means if the NHIA was not innovative, and with the kind of staffing situation we have, 31 per cent of the members we have today would not have been our members’, Mr Lekamwe explained.

He encouraged the public to take advantage of the *929# mobile renewal platform and the NHIA
mobile application to renew or register to benefit from the NHIS package.

He indicated that the NHIS prioritises the vulnerable groups in society by ensuring that such groups of people are registered for free.

He said 280, 182 of such people were registered within the year under review.

Mr Lekamwe indicated that the region had set for itself a target of 886,005 membership coverage for 2024, representing 91.8 per cent of the region’s population.

He explained that they would enhance their strategies to achieve their membership targets, intensify quarterly outreach programmes, intensify public education on e-platforms and enhance institutional registrations among others in 2024.

He said illegal fee charges by accredited health service providers was eroding member confidence, poor mobile networks affecting mobile registration and renewal, and poor road networks affecting community visitations and inadequate vehicles, among others, were some challenges affecting the work of the Authority.

Mr Titus Sorey, the
NHIA Northern Belt Director, commended the Upper West Regional office of the Authority for the success chalked and standing tall not only within the Belt but the country at large.

He assured the NHIA Regional Director and his team that the challenges confronting them would be attended to accordingly.

Mr Sorey urged the staff of the authority to increase their public education to empower the members of the scheme to challenge illegal charges at NHIA-accredited facilities.

‘Let’s inform our people, let them know what is covered and what is not covered because we know we cover about 95 per cent of the conditions.

How can you say this condition is covered but the medicine for it is not covered, what are you treating, it doesn’t just add up to me’, he said.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The second phase construction of the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS) main campus in Ho is more than 90 per cent complete.

The US$68 million China Phase-Two project would provide what is to be the largest nursing and midwifery school in West Africa, a state-of-the-art administration block, and other facilities including classrooms, libraries, and laboratories.

UHAS is running 22 undergraduate programmes and 14 postgraduate courses and using infrastructure way below the required standard, that elicited President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to cut the sod for the second phase project in September 2021.

The Government also provided counterpart funding of US$6 million for ancillary works.

Justice Mr Jones Mawulorm Dotse, the Chairman of the University Council, while opening the second session of the Eighth UHAS Congregation, announced the near completion of the project, and was hopeful it would be handed over in June 2024 as scheduled.

He expressed gratitude to the Republic of China for the as
sistance, and to the Government of Ghana for the counterpart funding, while appealing for the needed releases to enable utilities such as water and electricity extension to the school.

Professor Lydia Aziato, the Vice Chancellor, drew attention to other physical infrastructure projects that stalled at the various campuses, including the laboratory complex and the buildings for the School of Public Health at Hohoe.

She reminded the Government of the bad nature of the main campus roads, for which construction had been on hold for some time now, and said it continued to challenge access to the University and frustrated students and lecturers.

A total 478 graduated at the second ceremony – the majority being sandwich and postgraduates, bringing to 1,816 that passed out at the Eighth Congregation.

The Vice Chancellor said the University’s 12-year existence had added more than 8,000 professionals to the health workforce, and that management remained committed to growing its essence.

She said the university emb
arks on the practical nature of health training as a prime institution in the West African sub-region, and appealed for support from all quarters in sustaining the mandate.

The Eighth edition of the John Evans Attah Mills Memorial Leadership Lecture series, instituted to ‘immortalise’ the late President, was held the day prior, and had Rev. Mrs Joyce Aryee as speaker.

Professor Mills established the UHAS by an Act of Parliament (Act 828 in December, 2011) and operationalised in September 2012, with 154 students.

It is envisioned to become a pre-eminent research and practically oriented health educational institution dedicated to community service.

The main campus, including the central administration, is in Ho with a second campus located in Hohoe.?

Professor Fred Newton Binka became the foundational Vice Chancellor of UHAS and served in that capacity until July 2016, when he was succeeded by Professor John Gyapong.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Euracare Specialist Hospital, a healthcare facility in Ghana and Nigeria, has extended a $50,000 support in discount to three deserving patients in Ghana to undergo life-changing surgeries.

This generous gesture is part of Euracare’s commitment to making quality healthcare accessible to all, regardless of financial constraints.

A statement issued in Accra by the Hospital said the recipients were carefully selected based on their medical needs and financial circumstances.

Each of these patients were struggling with a debilitating condition that required intervention, but the cost of treatment had been a barrier to accessing the care they deserve.

It said with Euracare’s support, these individuals had the opportunity to undergo the surgeries they desperately needed, without the burden of excessive financial strain.

Dr. Benjamin Sarkodie, the Medical Director of Euracare Ghana, said, ‘At Euracare, we believe that healthcare is a fundamental human right, and we are dedicated to ensuring that no one is denied
the medical care they need due to financial limitations.’

He said recognising the importance of surgery in improving the quality of life for our patients, they were proud to offer these discounts as part of their ongoing efforts to give back to the community.

‘Two of these patients had Arteriovenous Malformation (AVM) of the brain while the 3rd patient had carotid carvenous Fistula (CCF),’ he adddd.

He said all procedures were successfully done by the Euracare treatment team in Ghana, led by Prof Sarkodie and the patients had since been discharged.

He said the initiative stood as a testament to Euracare’s steadfast dedication to serving the community, transcending the boundaries of the hospital.

‘Grounded in the belief that prioritising the health and well-being of our community can catalyze significant positive change, Euracare remains committed to playing its part in building a healthier and happier society,’ he added.

He called on other organisations to support those in need and collaboratively contr
ibuting to shaping a future that is not only healthier but also brighter for all.

Source: Ghana News Agency

BasicNeeds-Ghana has asked healthcare service providers to look beyond the physical needs of pregnant women and provide them with psycho-social support to enhance their mental well-being.

Mr Peter Yaro, the Executive Director of BasicNeeds-Ghana, said it was important for maternal and child welfare clinics to also include counselling support services for mothers and children.

He said this was crucial because a project undertaken by his outfit revealed that mental health issues during pregnancy and childbirth were real and needed much attention.?

Mr Yaro made the call in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) on women and mental health in Accra.

He said, ‘The package of services for pregnant women and mothers must transcend just antenatal visits, distribution of vitamins to supporting them with psycho-social care and needs that can help them cope especially with postpartum depression.’

Postpartum Depression (PPD) is a medical condition that many women experience after having a baby. It is a strong
feeling of sadness, anxiety (worry) and tiredness that lasts for a long time after giving birth.

People with mental health issues have signs of feeling anxious or worried, feel depressed or unhappy, have emotional outbursts, sleep problems, weight, or appetite changes, become quiet or withdrawn than usual, substance abuse, feel guilty or worthless.

Globally, the prevalence of maternal mental health problems is estimated to range from 18 per cent to 38 per cent.

In low and middle-income countries (LMICs), including Ghana, the prevalence rate is reportedly higher ranging from 15 per cent to 57per cent (Lund et al., 2014).

Studies have shown that the weighted mean prevalence rates is 15.6 per cent during prenatal period and 19.8 per cent for postnatal period.

In Ghana, a post-partum depression prevalence of 8.6 per cent, 3.1 per cent and 41 per cent have been reported among women who delivered at the primary, secondary and tertiary levels.

?

Mr Yaro explained that pregnant women and newly delivered mother
s experienced depressive conditions and the challenges of having new babies, which needed more clinical attention to improve their well-being.

He said women, due to their unique needs, were vulnerable and as such there was the need to pay closer attention to their mental health.

The Executive Director called for social protection schemes targeted at vulnerable women and children, adding that some of the schemes currently available with all the good intentions usually missed out on targeting.

Mr Yaro mentioned that maternal and mental health problems were major public health issues and urged the citizens to visit hospitals when experiencing the signs and symptoms.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Western Regional Directorate of the Ghana Health Service (GHS) has presented awards to some healthcare facilities and staff in recognition of their hard work and dedication in the provision of healthcare services in the Region.

The awards were to reward the recipients for their outstanding contributions in providing and prudently managing comprehensive and accessible health services, with special emphasis on primary health care in accordance with approved policies of the Ministry of Health.

The awardees were Half-Assini Hospital, who was adjudged the Best Performing Facility in Peer Review, and Wassa Amenfi East District Hospital and Axim Hospital won the Best Performing Facilities in Ghana Integrated Logistics Management Information System (GhILMS) Utilisation.

The rest were Wassa Amenfi Central District Hospital and Agona-Nkwanta Polyclinic who were both awarded as the Best Performing Facilities in Debt Servicing.

They all received plaques as their prizes.

Three staff also received the Regional Dir
ector’s Special Awards, and they are; Madam Joyce Nketsiah, a Midwifery Officer at Asankran Breman Health Centre in the Wassa Amenfi West, Madam Matilda Arhin, Principal Nursing Officer at the Takoradi Hospital, and Mr Emmanuel Amoako, a Senior Community Health Nurse at Mpohor.

They reviewed citations and digital television sets.

Citations were also presented to Ellembelle District Health Directorate as the Best Performing District in CHPS Implementation and Disease Surveillance, Wassa East as the Best Performing District in Expanded Programme of Immunisation (EPI), and Tarkwa Municipal as the Best Performing District in Reproductive and Child Health Services.

Others were Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan as the Best Performing in Tuberculosis Programme, and Mpohor as the Best Performing in Nutrition Services.

Dr Yaw Ofori Yeboah, the Western Regional Director of the GHS, speaking at the 2023 annual performance review of the Directorate, held in Takoradi, said the awardees had sacrificed, innovated, and exhib
ited resilience to provide a wide range of services to improve on the health needs of the people.

He said because of them, the Western Region was a relatively healthier place to live.

He asked them to be devoted and committed to their core mandates to help the region and the country realise its goal of achieving Universal Health Coverage.

Dr Patrick Kuma Aboagye, the Director-General of the GHS, in a speech read on his behalf congratulated the award winners.

He said: ‘I know the great effort you and your teams have put into the health service delivery space, and in spite of the challenges, I see successes, growth, and achievement and I salute you all sincerely.’

According to him, though healthcare service providers made many sacrifices, ‘we can still beat our hands on our chest and say we deliver health services through thick and thin.’

Source: Ghana News Agency

Construction works on the laundry block of the Atua Government Hospital in the Eastern Region have been left unfinished for over 10 years, showing no signs of progress.

The project, initiated under the leadership of Mr Michael Teye Nyaunu, former Member of Parliament for Lower Manya Krobo, has been neglected and left vulnerable without any clear plan for its future.

When the Ghana News Agency reached out to the hospital management, it said it could not give any public statements on the project without prior approval from the Ghana Health Service.

Meanwhile, a source at the hospital informed the Ghana News Agency that there was a shortage of laundry space, leading to a negative impact on their services.

However, the source was hesitant to speak due to concerns about potential repercussions from higher authorities.

Hospital laundry services offer a variety of essential tasks for healthcare facilities, such as sorting, cleaning, sanitising, and disinfecting used linen.

These services ensure fresh and clean
linen for patients to enhance their healing process and to prevent infections.

As per the source, the neglected project is causing significant inconvenience in the laundry task.

‘Because of the situation, we have been washing in a small room, which is affecting our work,’ the source said,? adding; ‘Due to that, we have resulted to using a domestic washing machine, which takes a longer period to wash, making it difficult for us.’

The hospital officials believe that once completed, the project would greatly enhance their laundry services and even install a state-of-the-art laundry machine for a dedicated drying space, establish an iron room, and provide office space for the laundress.

It appealed to stakeholders, including the Ministry of Health, Ghana Health Service, and non-governmental organisations to provide support for the hospital’s laundry facility to expedite its completion.

In 2014 Mr Ebenezer Okletey Terlabi, the incumbent Member of Parliament, Lower Manya Krobo, made a promise to establish a la
undry facility for the hospital but despite his donation to the hospital, there had been no progress on the project.

Source: Ghana News Agency