Category: Medical

The African Vaccination and Child Health Promotion week, 2024, was on Tuesday launched in Accra with an appeal to parents to ensure that children up to two years old received the right dosses of vaccines required to protect them against Vaccine Preventable Diseases (VPD).

Mr. Naziru Tanko Mohammed, the Deputy Program Manager of the Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI), Ghana Health Service (GHS), said presently, there were inequalities in vaccination coverage with high numbers of left-out children in peri-urban and urban districts.

He said in urban districts like Ga Central, Ablekuma, Oforikrom, Kwabrim, Prampram among others, parents hardly completed the vaccination schedules for their children.

‘If you received only one dose of a vaccine which is to be administered in four doses, your child will still be at risk,’ he said, encouraging such parents to ensure their children completed the process.

Mr. Mohammed said Ghana currently administered eleven vaccines against 14 VPDs in routine immunization and t
hat the EPI was considering establishing mobile vaccination centres in markets and public places to reach out to more children in urban centres.

The Chief of Staff, Mrs. Akosua Frema Osei Opare, who launched the childhood vaccination week, said from the moment of birth, vaccines played a critical role in safeguarding the survival of newborns and infants.

Through the routine immunization schedule, Ghana provides protection against diseases such as Tuberculosis, Diphtheria, Pertussis, Measles, Polio, Meningitis, Yellow Fever, Tetanus, among others.

Mrs. Opare said vaccination ensured that the youngest and most vulnerable population was shielded from dangerous diseases.

‘Early vaccinations lay the foundation for a lifetime of health and well-being, setting the stage for future growth and development of a child,’ she said.

She called on the public to support the national vaccination efforts saying, ‘vaccination is not just an individual responsibility…it is a collective endeavor that benefits society. By ach
ieving high vaccination coverage across all age groups, we create a herd immunity.’

The Chief of Staff said the concept of herd immunity underscored the importance of investing in immunization to save lives and prevent outbreaks and that every family, group, and organisation had a stake in immunization and other child health interventions.

Dr Patrick Kuma-Aboagye, Director General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), reaffirmed the government’s commitment to prioritising the well-being of children in all aspects of its work and advocacy.

That, he said, would be done by investing in effective interventions, collaborating across sectors, and advocating policies that prioritised child health.

‘We can create a country where every child can grow up healthy, happy, and thriving,’ he said.

The African Vaccination Week is celebrated in April every year to strengthen immunization programmes in Africa.

It seeks to increase the awareness of the importance that every person’s (particularly every child and woman) has
the right to be protected from vaccine-preventable diseases.

It also aims at keeping immunization high on the national and regional agendas through advocacy and partnerships, with an over-arching slogan ‘Vaccinated communities, Healthy communities’.

This year’s campaign is under the theme ‘Healthy Childhood: Invest in Your Child for a Better Future’.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Cervical cancer (human Papillomavirus HPV) vaccination is to be mainstream into the routine vaccination programmes in Ghana to make it accessible to all women and girls from the appropriate age.

Dr Naziru Tanko Mohammed, Deputy Programmes Manager, Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) in a presentation at a Media engagement on Vaccine uptake in Ghana said plans were afoot to roll it out by close of the year.

Cervical cancer is the second most common female cancer among women between the ages of 15 to 44 years and has a high prevalence rate in Ghana and reports show that over 57 percent of Ghanaian women visiting Korle-Bu teaching hospital had cervical cancer.

According to the Global cancer observatory, cervical cancer was the third highest in cancers in 2020., recording the second highest number of new cases after breast cancer in Ghana.

The Cost of a single cervical cancer dose vaccination ranged from Gh250 to Gh500 in public. hospitals and between Gh1000 and Gh1,500 in private hospitals, slowing down
coverage of vaccination of the disease.

He said globally vaccinations had proved to be one of the surest and safest ways to prevent complications and fatalities of many diseases citing the successes in the routine vaccinations of the childhood killer diseases in Ghana.

‘Vaccines are not theories; they actually work to prevent many diseases and fatalities and has been helpful in eliminating most childhood diseases in children under five years and therefore we must take all vaccinations seriously to enhance our health’ Journey.

Dr Mohammed was making a presentation on Ghana’s Expanded Programme on Immunisation: ‘The Journey So far’ at a two-day training workshop for journalists on Uptake of Vaccines in Ghana.

Organized by the Africa Media and Malaria Research (AMMREN) in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Ghana Health Service (GHS) it was to improve journalists understanding on vaccines and how they work.

Dr Charity Binka, Executive Secretary, AMMREN, noted that vaccines had sav
ed many lives, yet myths, misinformation and disinformation were creating barriers for the public to fully accept vaccinations ‘that is why the media has a critical role to play in educating the public on the vaccine uptake in Ghana.’

She said participants at the workshop had been carefully selected from across all the 16 regions in Ghana to churn out well-informed and fact-based education to the public using their varied mediums to demystify vaccines and improve vaccination coverage.

Dr Binka mentioned that vaccines had proved to be a way to go in preventing many diseases and fatalities mentioning the covid-19 vaccines and the malaria vaccines which had saved many lives and charged the journalists to set the agenda on vaccinations and immunisations to educate the public.

‘Take charge of this campaign because people take what the media says seriously and as the gospel truth’ she added.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Madam Sherifa Sekyere-Tijani, Nkwanta South Constituency Parliamentary Candidate of the New Patriotic Party in the Oti Region, has urged the public to prioritise their health needs and go for regular check-ups.

She said this would ensure a healthy body than living on the assumption that they are well because of being able to move freely without noticeable or visible conditions.

She said regular check-ups help individuals to know their health status and to maintain a healthy life.

Madam Sekyere-Tijani, who is also the Deputy Managing Director of the State Housing Corporation, made the appeal when she organised a health screening exercise for the residents of Bonakye and its surrounding communities.

The initiative, supported by NLA Good Foundation in collaboration with Lafiya Clinic, was held at the main market of Bonakye.

The free medical screening event was met with overwhelming participation from members of the community and its catchment areas, who turned out in their large numbers to avail themselves
of the screening from basic check-ups to special screening.

The individuals, who partook in the screening, were given the opportunity to address their health concerns in a supportive and caring environment.

‘The success of this initiative will not have been possible without the dedication and hard work involved. I, therefore, extend my appreciation to the dedicated members, who contributed in various capacities to ensure the success of the event,’ she said.

Madam Sekyere-Tijani reminded them of her commitment to ensure the welfare of the constituents and urged them to give her the mandate to serve the people of Nkwanta South, come December 7.

The residents, who took part in the health screening, thanked Madam Sherifa-Tijani for organising such an exercise in the community because it had helped them to know their health status and encouraged them to mainstream regular check-ups.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Mama Hodzige II, Divisional Queen mother of Klik or-Agblorgame, has appealed to individuals and corporate organisations interested in the development of the girl-child to support her ‘Menstrual Hygiene Project’ with menstrual pads.

Engaging with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in an interview at Klikor in the Ketu South Municipality of the Volta Region, Mama Hodzige, said she conceived the idea after realising that many girls absented themselves from school duing menstrual periods.

‘Some of the girls in my community are not regular in school and my interactions with them shows their parents can not afford to get them sanitary pads when they are in their menstrual flow.’

‘I decided to do this small project to support them with sanitary pads’, she added.

She said, ‘menstruation is not a choice’, so everyone should ‘get committed to support the girl-child’ to stay in school and learn.

Mama Hodzige II, also the Ketu South Municipal Director of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), asked those inter
ested in the Project to call +233 24 355 3461 for their support.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Mr Eugene Addo, father of the two-year old boy who was viciously attacked by a dog at Madina Warehouse in Accra, has appealed to the public for financial support to pay his son’s medical bills.

The two-year-old boy was attacked by a mixed shepherd breed dog, last week Monday midnight at Madina and tore part of his anus and the flesh around that area as well as the testicles, leaving the toddler in a critical condition.

A corrective surgery had been performed at the affected parts, but the stool had been diverted to the abdomen to allow for passage.

Mr Addo said he was told by one of the Doctors attending to the son that he would need at least GHC 20,000 to enable his son to undergo six additional corrective surgeries for the child’s survival.

He told the Ghana News Agency that he was also expected to make payment of GH 2,700 per week for three weeks for an electronic device, supporting the child’s treatment.

According to him, he is currently struggling to pay for medical bills and feeding, saying ‘as we
speak, I do not have anything on me to pay for the bills, as a young security man, my salary is only GHC 500 and myself, my wife and the child depended on that money for the whole month until the unfortunate incident happened.

Mr Addo said the owner of the dog and his wife had so far supported them with GHC 4,000 but had refused to continue with the financial support.

‘When we called my Boss, who is the owner of the dog, to inform him about subsequent payment, he told me that he would not be able to make further payment and that he had done his best,’ he stated.

He was saddened as the Doctor had confirmed to him that growing up, his son would not be able to grow a beard, pubic hair and other features as an adult and would not be able to bear children.

‘I am sad, it is unfortunate that my son must go through this situation. I could not help it when the news was broken to me,’ he stated.

He was aggrieved that though they had reported to the Police, there had not been any investigations yet and the dog was
still in the house.

He called on institutions, individuals and the public to support his family to pay for their son’s medical bills.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Tamale West Hospital has taken delivery of quantities of antimalarial drugs to boost health care delivery for patients at the facility.

The drugs, estimated at GHc182,000.00, included Lonart, P-Alaxin, and GSUNATE amongst others.

Bliss GVS Pharma, a drugs’ manufacturer, donated the drugs to the Tamale West Hospital.

Mr Ibrahim Mumuni Seidu, Medical Representative of Bliss GVS Pharma, who handed over the drugs to the authorities of the Tamale West Hospital in Tamale, said the gesture was to commemorate this year’s World Malaria Day as well as help in the fight against the disease in the country.

Mr Seidu said, ‘Bliss GVS Pharma is committed to improving the quality of lives of the people in the places where we serve and do business. We annually do this donation during the World Malaria Day to hospitals around the country.’

He added that ‘This is an effort from Bliss GVS Pharma to try to eradicate malaria from Ghana and the world at large because we understand the impact malaria has on people’s lives.
This donation will provide much needed treatment to people who visit this facility and other places.’

Dr Billah Bagamsah, Head of Pharmacy, Tamale Central Hospital, who received the drugs, expressed gratitude to the company for the gesture, saying the drugs had come at the right time to ensure quality health care delivery to the people.

He said, ‘Malaria is among the top three mortalities in the hospital. So, this donation will really go a long way to curb or to reduce the incidence of malaria in the hospital.’

He added that ‘Pregnant women and children under five years are the most vulnerable groups. So, we’ll be targeting them. If you check our OPD attendance, currently, as the rain has started, the OPD attendance for malaria is increasing and with these products, it will help the hospital treat this illness.’

Source: Ghana News Agency

A two-year-old boy mauled by a dog in Accra has undergone a successful surgery, Dr. Hope Glover Addy, a Pediatric Surgeon, Korle- Bu Teaching Hospital, told the Ghana News Agency on Monday.

Dr. Addy said plastic surgery had been performed at the anus, the affected part, and the stool diverted to the abdomen to allow for smooth passage.

The two-year old boy was attacked by a mixed shepherd breed dog last Monday night and got part of his anus and the flesh around that area as well as the private part chopped off, leaving the toddler in critical condition.

The mother had left him in a baby court to use the washroom when the incident happened.

Dr. Addy said despite the success of the first surgery, chances of survival of the toddler would depend on the final surgery, which was yet to be performed.

He said: ‘The boy is injured, part of the anus and the skin around the place have been chopped off so, we have diverted the stool from the anus to the abdomen.

‘If the place clears up, we will remove the plastic s
urgery to see what we can do, whether to patch up the raw area, then after that we can think of subsequent surgeries… bringing another vault back to the anus.

‘If he does not get any overwhelming infection, the place will heal normally…and with the anus, there are some muscles that enable one to control the passage of stools. If we test again and we realise that the muscles are not working very well , it means the child may not be able to control the amount of stool that would come out of the anus so he will just be walking and the stool will just be coming out, unless we find out other procedures to help him not to soil himself,’ he explained.

The paediatric surgeon said the injuries were severe, requiring intensive treatment, with significant financial burden on the parents.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Studies have confirmed more than three million people nationwide living with various mental health conditions, the Coalition of NGOs in Health has said.

The coalition said the rising cases of mental health were worrying and alarming, and therefore called on all stakeholders to pool ideas and resources together and help bring the situation under control.

Mr Raphael Godlove Ahenu, the Chairman of the Bono Regional chapter of the Coalition who made the call urged the government to prioritise mental health, identify and tackle the immediate and remote causes contributing to the surge in mental health conditions.

In an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Sunyani, Mr Ahenu said most of the mental health conditions could be partly attributed to emotional problems emanating from marriages, broken homes, extreme poverty, and sexual exploitation and abuse.

He was speaking to the GNA after the coalition held its first quarter meeting for the year and to discuss pertinent issues in the health sector in the
region, saying ‘inwardly many people are going through emotional trauma.’

Mr Ahenu said proactive measures ought to be put in place to arrest the rise in substance abuse among the youth, saying, if nothing was done, many of the youth would become lunatics.

He also expressed worry about the soaring cases of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) and attendant deaths at major health facilities, saying studies showed NCDs contributed about 43 percent of deaths nationwide.

Mr Ahenu said cases of diabetes and hypertension were high due to poor eating habits, lack of regular exercises and unhealthy lifestyles of many Ghanaians and encouraged everybody to do regular medical checkups to know their health condition.

He said the coalition planned to undertake health outreach exercises to intensify public awareness creation on substance abuse, alcoholism, and called for support from the Ghana Health Service and civil society organisations to achieve useful outcomes.

Mr Ahenu said maternal and child mortality remained ano
ther daunting challenge in the country that required urgent attention to help the nation to the goal three of the Sustainable Development Goals.

The global goal three enjoins nations around the globe to put in place measures for enhanced good health and wellbeing for all by 2030.

Mr Ahenu therefore, advised pregnant women to attend regular antenatal and post-natal clinics and endeavour to give birth at health facilities.

He said the coalition in the region had set up projects and funding raising committees to mobilize funds for its activities in the health sectors and called for support from corporate bodies, religious organisations and wealthy individuals.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Reverend Albright Banibensu, a Consultant Counselling professional and the immediate past National Vice President of the Ghana Psychological Association, has asked men experiencing Erectile Dysfunction (ED) to seek psychological help.

He told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that although some ED conditions were medical, the majority of the cases were psychological and advised men with the condition not to shy away from counselling and clinical psychologists to avoid abusing drugs.

Erectile Dysfunction according to John Hopkins Medicine is a persistent inability to achieve or maintain penile erection sufficient for satisfactory sexual performance.

Controllable risk factors are overweight, lack of exercise, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and smoking.

Rev. Banibensu said in Ghana, erectile dysfunction was highly triggered by increased stress, and misinformation on sexuality causing performance anxiety.

‘Economic pressures, workload, long travel distance to work, housing problems and noise pollution,
all expose men to ED. There is so much noise in the environment, which makes it difficult for men to focus or concentrate during sex,’ he said.

Rev. Banibensu said that among most Ghanaian couples, ED was the third cause of marital problems, leading to divorce in some cases.

He said misinformation on sex and advertorials on aphrodisiacs in the media was a major concern and urged men to be circumspect about their sexuality.

Dr Kelvin Owusu, a Wellness Consultant Doctor at Violet’s Medical Center, a Private Health facility in Accra, said the uncontrolled and continued use of alcoholic and non-alcoholic aphrodisiacs in the form of bitters, dried herbs and pills may worsen erectile dysfunction conditions.

He said the composition of those aphrodisiacs could also predispose men to health complications like kidney and liver dysfunction or failure.

‘When it comes to sex, the best aphrodisiac is exercise and healthy living, your sexual performance is dependent on your heart health, if your heart is healthy, your
sexual performance will improve naturally; taking medication to last long during sex puts pressure on the heart and can lead to death while in the act,’ he said.

Dr Owusu said ED was also the body’s way of signalling men to check and improve their health, eat well, exercise regularly and get enough rest, adding ‘Your sexual performance is part of your holistic health; once you are healthy, your waist will do the job’.

He said everyone at some point in life would experience ED depending on what they were going through, and that research had also shown that penetrative sex would only last from three to six minutes.

The International Index on Erectile Function (IIEF) says in 1995, there were over 152 million men worldwide, who experienced ED and projects that by 2025, approximately 322 million men will have ED, an increase of nearly 170 million with Africa largely affected.

Dr Owusu said Non-Communicable Diseases like hypertension and diabetes expose men to ED due to complications or poor treatment of the di
seases, explaining that ‘hypertension will cause ED, the treatment of hypertension may cause ED, but ED caused by the medication can be corrected.’

Selling sex enhancers is a growing business for many, especially drinking bar operators and herbalists.

Some individuals also prepare their own concoctions.

Kwame Amanfo, a public servant, told the Ghana News Agency he had his own mixtures to enhance sexual pleasure.

‘… not the ones advertised on the market, I have herbs, I prepare by myself with alcohol and it is very effective,’ he said.

A commercial driver, Master Karkari, said ‘There is this medicine I take, it’s from China, the medicine is super when you take it, you can have sex with women till the next day and you will still be hard.’

Mr Kingsley Boamah, a pharmacist at A Blacks Pharmacy, Ablekuma, said in Ghanaian society, the social expectation that a man had to be strong in bed-and last longer during sex-had landed many in health crises.

‘Some men take the drugs to increase the size of their manho
od, most of the men, who buy aphrodisiacs here tell me how they feel disgraced when unable to perform well in bed,’ Mr. Boamah said.

Dr Kenneth Klufio, a Specialist Urologist at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH), said his facility recorded many cases of priapism among men who used aphrodisiac.

Priapism is a painful erection that lasts for several hours when blood remains in the penis and can not drain.

He said five to eight men reported with ED daily during consultations and encouraged men, who experience ED to report to the hospital because there was help available to manage the condition.

‘ED affects the quality of life, a person’s happiness… seek help,’ Dr Klufio said.

Source: Ghana News Agency