Social-Tema-West-inside tema

Assembly donates Mobility Aids to PWDs in Tema West

by with No Comment HealthNewsTema West

Ms Anna Naa Adukwei Addo, the Municipal Chief Executive for Tema West has donated mobility aids to Persons with Disability (PWDs) to empower them in their trading skills.

Addressing the gathering, Ms. Addo indicated that, the input of PWDs into Ghana’s growth was equally important and that the Municipal Assembly would continue to prioritize their needs in the municipality to function effectively.

The MCE said the Assembly would continue to create policies and opportunities for all by establishing members economically, to meet their needs, stressing, “our vision as an assembly is to empower these young men and women socio-economically and to integrate them in the society”.

She said from 2018 to 2022, through the collaboration of the Department of Social Protection, Community Development, and the Disability Fund Management Committee, the assembly registered 350 people living with disability in the municipality and was committed to assist PWDs to be self-sufficient without begging on the street for survival.

Receiving the items on behalf of beneficiaries, the representative of the Ghana Federation of Disability, Mr. Patrick Obeng expressed gratitude to the Assembly for the continuous support towards PWDs in the municipality.

He commended the Assembly for the relentless efforts to solve the problems of PWDs.

Mrs. Clara Sowah, Head of Department for Social Welfare stressed that everyone is relevant to and are entitled to be supported per the 1992 Constitution.

She advised PWDs to be smart and make use of the support they received to enable them to expand their businesses.

Mr. Samuel Awuku a beneficiary also thanked the Assembly, “God bless the MCE for her kind gesture and may God elevate and make the Assembly great”.

The event was graced by dignitaries from the National Council for Persons with Disabilities, Assembly members and dignitaries from across the municipality.

SOURCE: GNA

presidentakufoaddo-atmalariasummit

“Ghana Stands Ready To Beat Malaria” – President Akufo-Addo

by with No Comment Health

The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, says the effective execution of the National Strategic Plan for Malaria Control, as well as the introduction of other innovative strategies, means that “Ghana stands ready to beat malaria.”

Speaking at the Malaria Summit London 2018, on Wednesday, 18th April, 2018, on the sidelines of the ongoing Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, President Akufo-Addo stated noted that the fight against malaria in Ghana is an age-old one.

“According to the Ghana Health Service, malaria tops Out Patient Department cases, and is responsible for the death of three children, every day, in the country. Indeed, in 2016, 10.4 million cases of malaria were recorded in a population of some 30 million people,” he said.

The President continued, “Although the figure from 2016 represents an improvement over that of 2015, we recognise that a lot of work has to be done in reducing prevalence of malaria to the barest minimum.”

Reiterating the “solid, decade-long work and advocacy undertaken by my fair lady, Rebecca, Ghana’s First Lady, through her Infanta Malaria Prevention Foundation”, the President stated that this has reinforced his conviction that Ghana’s aim of reducing malaria morbidity and mortality by 75%, by the year 2020, is attainable.

Ghana’s goal, through the National Strategic Plan for Malaria Control, he said, is to achieve and sustain near-zero malaria deaths, and, ultimately, a malaria-free Ghana.

Key interventions of this Plan, the President outlined, include integrated vector management; malaria case management, including malaria in pregnancy; integrated community case management; seasonal malaria chemoprevention; integrated support systems, including  advocacy and behavioural change communication; surveillance, monitoring and evaluation; and the strengthening of health systems.

“Additionally, Government is providing tax exemptions on anti-malarial commodities, adopting measures to deal with antimalarial drug resistance, and implementing policies to mitigate the effects of climate change and environmental degradation, that impact on malaria transmission,” he added.

Ghana’s strategy, the President told the gathering, is based on innovation, as Ghana is one of the first countries to adopt the new generation of insecticides for indoor-residual spraying, as well being one of the three countries testing the new malaria vaccine.

“I am confident that the effective execution of this Plan and strategy would mean that Ghana stands ready to beat Malaria” he concluded.

source: presidency.gov.gh

banner-02

Stop dispensing over-the-counter prescribed tramadol – FDA warns

by with No Comment Health

Mr John Odai-Tettey, the Acting Central Regional Director of the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has cautioned over-the-counter medicine sellers to desist from either stocking or selling prescribed medicines like Tramadol to patients.
He pointed out that sellers who contravened the order would be made to face the full length of the law as the Authority intensified its surveillance and public education campaigns.
Mr Odai-Tettey gave the order on Wednesday at a day’s training workshop for over-the-counter medicine sellers across the Region to woo their unflinching support to end the increasing abuse of tramadol across the Region.
The goal among others was to educate them on the need to operate within the confines of the law with a clear understanding of what they could do and what they could not do regarding the class of medicines they could stock and sell for patients.
Mr Odai-Tettey advised that failing to dispense tramadol to patients was important to end the increasing abuse of the strong pain reliever which had become popular among the public, particularly the youth.
Instead, he urged over-the- counter medicine sellers to direct patients to the accredited pharmacies in their areas of jurisdiction.
Mr Odai-Tettey explained that Tramadol was a restricted medication used to treat moderate to moderately severe pain, but had become almost “a street drug” for the treatment of a normal pain like a headache, sometimes with approval from health practitioners.
He cited peer influence, curiosity, lack of parental control, easy access to tramadol, and negligence among others as the leading cause of the abuse or otherwise medically approved pain-relieving drug.
According to him, in addition to the euphoric and mood-enhancing effects sought by tramadol abusers, taking tramadol for non-medical purposes or in a manner different from that prescribed by a Medical Doctor could have negative and sometimes dangerous health implications.
These, he identified to include; disturbed sleep patterns resulting in insomnia, nausea, vomiting, constipation, light-headedness or dizziness, drowsiness, headache, loss of appetite, dry mouth and increased risk of convulsions or seizures.
The Acting Regional Director mentioned drivers, students, youth and manual workers  as the leading segment of the population hugely engaged in the abuse of tramadol, a situation he described as “alarming and dangerous” to achieving their future aspirations.
Mr Odai-Tettey reiterated his outfit’s commitment to their mandate to regulate  manufacturers, importation, exportation, distribution, use and advertisements of food, drugs, cosmetics, medical devices and household to protect the safety of the people.
He called on the public to stop buying non-prescribed medicine from unauthorised and untrained persons and cautioned that the health risk to the user could be severer and stressed the need for all stakeholders to join the fight in its import, distribution, sales and consumption of tramadol to drastically reduce the abuse of the drug that had driven many youth into taking it.
 
source: GNA

aids

HIV cases increase among teens in Tema

by with No Comment Health

Available information from the Tema Regional Health Directorate indicates that HIV cases among adolescents in the area have risen.

The Health Directorate in 2017 recorded a startling 500 per cent increment in HIV infections among adolescents aged between 10 and 19.

The figure shot up from 36 and 27 in 2015 and 2016 respectively to 143 between January and December 2017.

Mrs. Grace Eddy Amewu, Adolescent Health Focal Person at the TMHD, who disclosed this also said cases of abortion among adolescents in the metropolis increased.

The figure which formed 7.6 per cent of 1,881 HIV infections in the Metropolis comprised of 60 males and 83 females.

Mrs. Amewu noted that 139 out of the total were recorded in Tema Central compared to the 24 HIV infections documented in the area in 2016.

Tema West on the other hand recorded four cases over the three cases recorded in 2016, while Tema East recorded no HIV infection among that age group for the two years.

She added that high figure recorded in Tema Central which mostly came from the Tema General Hospital.

She has, therefore, called on parents and all stakeholders to strongly influence the choices of adolescents through positive role modelling.

Source: pulse ghana

foods for women

Super Foods for Womem

by with No Comment Health

Women’s Bodies Have Different Needs

Healthy eating is important for everyone, but certain foods are especially good for issues that affect women — like brittle bones, pregnancy, and breast cancer, to name a few. These “super foods” are rich with nutrients (often more than one!) that will help to protect your body and keep it working well, even as you age.

Edamame

edamame
These tasty soybean pods are full of fiber, good fats, and estrogen-like compounds called isoflavones. Isoflavones can be your friends during menopause. For example, they can help cool hot flashes. (If you’ve had breast cancer, though, you may want to avoid them.)

Kale

fresh kale
Packed into these green leaves are loads of vitamin K, which works with calcium and vitamin D to keep your bones strong and healthy. One serving has more than 20% of the daily recommended amounts of vitamins A and C.
 

Asparagus

Want another way to get your bone-building vitamin K? Asparagus has you covered. Nosh on half a cup, and voila: You’ve got a third of what you need for the day. It’s also full of folate, which helps prevent birth defects like spina bifida.

asparagus
Want another way to get your bone-building vitamin K? Asparagus has you covered. Nosh on half a cup, and voila: You’ve got a third of what you need for the day. It’s also full of folate, which helps prevent birth defects like spina bifida.

Grapefruit

fresh grapefruit
It’s all about about the “flavonoids,” which help lower the likelihood of certain kinds of strokes in women and may also help your heart. (Oranges work, too, but grapefruit has less sugar.) Grapefruit may not be a good combo with your medication, so check with your doctor before you put in on the menu.

Papaya

papaya cubes
Its red-orange color comes from beta carotene (the stuff in carrots) and lycopene (also in tomatoes and watermelon). Lycopene lowers your chance of getting cervical and breast cancers. It’s an antioxidant, too, and keeps cholesterol and blood pressure at healthy levels to help ward off heart disease.
 

Plain, Low-Fat Yogurt

plain yogurt in bowl
You need more calcium when you’re over 50. Yogurt has loads of it — just 8 ounces will give you more than a third of your calcium for the day. Look for the kind enriched with vitamin D, to help your body use the mineral better.

Sardines

grilled sardines
These little guys are swimming with healthy fatty acids, vitamin D, and calcium. Their omega-3 fats can improve the quality of breast milk, and sardines are good for babies whose mothers ate them while they were pregnant. They also have less mercury than most other fish.
 

Avocado

sliced avacado
Yes, they’re full of fat, but it’s the good fat. In fact, studies show avocado-rich diets can help get rid of belly fat and protect your eyes and skin. They may even help lower “bad” cholesterol levels and boost the “good” cholesterol.
 

Sweet Potato

sweet potato wedges
Copper, fiber, vitamin B6, potassium, iron … sweet potatoes are the total package. Best of all, they’re chock-full of beta carotene, an A+ source of vitamin A. During pregnancy and breastfeeding, it makes sure your babe’s little lungs are healthy and strong.

spiniach leaves
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Spinach

Folate is your friend. On top of its prenatal perks, it lowers your chances for getting dementia, heart disease, and colon cancer. Spinach has folate in spades, and lutein, too. This antioxidant protects the lens and retina in your eye and may even ward off a few wrinkles.

beef liver and onions

Beef Liver

It may not be at the top of the list of foods you crave, but beef liver is an excellent source of folate and folic acid, beating out top vegetarian contenders like spinach and black-eyed peas by a big margin.

lean beef
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Lean Beef

Speaking of beef, red meat packs a punch when it comes to iron. And after age 18, you need lots of it — more than men do! Beef is iron-rich, and it also gives you a zinc and vitamin B boost. But don’t go overboard. There’s a chance that eating lots of red meat might lead to uterine fibroids.

Beans

plain white beans
They have lots of protein, without the fat (and often the expense) that comes with meat, and they’re high in fiber. They can lower your blood pressure, blood sugar, and heart rate — all things that can lead to heart disease, the No. 1 killer of women in the United States.

IMG_2905

Baby In China Born 4 Years After Parents Died In Car Crash

by with No Comment Health

A baby has been born in China to a surrogate mother four years after his parents died in a car crash, Chinese media reported.
The couple, who died in 2013, had frozen several embryos hoping to have a child through IVF.
After the accident, their parents fought a protracted legal battle to be allowed to use the embryos.
The boy was born in December to a surrogate from Laos and The Beijing News first reported the case this week.
The newspaper explained how the lack of precedent for a case of this kind had forced the deceased couple’s parents through a legal minefield before the surrogacy could proceed.
At the time of the accident, the embryos were stored safely in a Nanjing hospital, frozen at minus 196 degrees in a liquid nitrogen tank.

bat

Nipah Virus detected in Africa, doctors urged to be alert

by with One Comment Health

Health officials in Ghana have been asked to intensify their surveillance following the detection of antibodies of a virus, known as the Nipah Virus in parts of Africa.
A Wildlife Veterinary Specialist, Dr. Richard Suu-Ire, speaking at a forum by the Ghana Veterinary Medical Students Association in Kumasi, said the virus is likely to cause a pandemic across the world if the necessary measures are not put in place.
Fruit bats are usually carriers of Nipah Virus and other highly fatal zoonotic viruses including the Ebola virus. Dr. Suu-Ire believes an intensified surveillance by Ghanaian authorities will prevent any outbreak.
“5 years ago, we discovered anti-bodies of Nipah. This is a very deadly virus and actually is predicted to be the virus that it is likely cause the next pandemic. It was only occurring in South East Asia, but we have proven beyond doubt that this virus is now in Africa so our medical colleagues, have this in mind, it is not just Ebola, but it can be Nipah virus,” he said.
About Nipah virus
Nipah virus (NiV) infection is a newly emerging zoonosis that causes severe disease in both animals and humans.
The natural host of the virus are fruit bats of the Pteropodidae Family, Pteropus genus.
NiV was first identified during an outbreak of disease that took place in Kampung Sungai Nipah, Malaysia in 1998.
On this occasion, pigs were the intermediate hosts. However, in subsequent NiV outbreaks, there were no intermediate hosts.
In Bangladesh in 2004, humans became infected with NiV as a result of consuming date palm sap that had been contaminated by infected fruit bats. Human-to-human transmission has also been documented, including in a hospital setting in India.

owusu bempah

Rev. Owusu Bempah appointed to Gender Ministry’s Cancer Board

by with No Comment Health

Controversial preacher and Founder of Glorious Word Power Ministry, Isaac Owusu Bempah, has been appointed to the Cancer Board of the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection.
The 16-member Board was inaugurated by Gender Minister, Otiko Afisah Djabah earlier today [Monday].
Most of the Board members are Breast Care advocates, senior members of academia in the country and health professionals.
They include President and Founder of Breast Care International, Dr. Mrs. Beatrice Wiafe Addai, who will Chair the Board; Deputy Health Minister, Tina Mensah; Charity Binka, a lecturer at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA); Management, Communication and Environmental consultant, Joyce Aryee, and Baffour Awuah, a Radiation Oncologist at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), among others
One name that however caught the eye was that of the outspoken preacher, Owusu Bempah.
Owusu Bempah is widely known for his controversial statements and prophecies deemed outrageous, many of which have sparked heated conversations on social and traditional media.
In 2017, he predicted among other things that a former president and former first lady would die unless Ghanaians “intercede on their behalf.”
He also stated that another coup d’état was imminent in the country.
Although not all his ‘prophecies’ have happened, the reach and impact of his statements on Ghanaians have pushed many people to criticize Owusu Bempah, accusing him of thriving on the doom he creates.
Nana Addo thanked Owusu Bempah after election victory
Owusu Bempah is believed to have played an important role in the victory of the NPP at the 2016 polls through his prophecies and spiritual support and guidance.
Shortly after being declared President, Nana Akufo-Addo in acknowledging the many individuals who had supported him and the NPP, singled out Reverend Owusu Bempah for praise.
Controversy looming?
The President has already come under fire from critics who have spoken out against the size of the government and the appointment of persons seen to be unfit for certain positions.
The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has also accused the NPP of presiding over a “friends and family” government.
This latest appointment is sure to earn some backlash from some sections of the public, particularly from the opposition.
What does the Cancer Board do?
The cancer board was instituted in order to help the ministry design and implement advocacy programmes to create awareness of cancer.
The Board is mandated to help solicit funding from corporate bodies, development partners and other international philanthropists to supplement government’s efforts to curtail the impact of the disease.
Full list of the 16 Board Members
Dr. Mrs. Beatrice Wiafe Addai President and Founder of Breast Care International – Chairperson
Tina Gifty Mensah, Deputy Health Minister
Bernice Adjei, Nurse and Teacher
Martha Adwoa Essien, Chief Executive Officer of Eat Rite Food Affairs
Charity Binka, lecturer at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA)
Kingsley Nyarko, senior lecturer at the Department of Psychology at the University of Ghana.
Rev. Isaac Kwaku Fukuo, District Minister Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Tema North
Isaac Owusu Bempah, General Overseer of the Glorious Word Power Ministry
Atta Addy Abban Offei
Joyce Aryee, Management, Communication and Environmental consultant
Cynthia Baffour, Teacher
Mrs. Ekua Annan, Breast Care International (Advocate)
Dr. Tony Opoku Agyemang, lecturer at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology
Mr. Osei Boakye, Professional law student/Journalist
Baffour Awauh, Radiation Oncologist at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital
Sibaway Zakarya, a Director at the  Afro Arab Company Limited
 
Source: citinewsroom.com

medication error

Senchi deaths: FDA reveals ‘medication errors’ are not punishable

by with One Comment Health

A man who injected four patients with contaminated penicillin leading to their death at the New Senchi Health Centre, may go unpunished if ongoing investigations reveal the injections were administered through an error.
The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) explains that a system which aims at improving healthcare delivery and to prevent medication errors encourage health workers to report them when they occur and hence does not punish them for same.
George Sabblah, a Pharmacists at the Pharmocovigilance Department of the FDA explained on PM Express, a current affairs programme on the Joy News channel (MultiTV) that if “investigations reveal that it is an error, we will look at what caused this error, then we try to prevent it from occurring in the future.”
He explains further: “Medication errors may be due to health care professional factor. Assuming a health care professional is supposed to give drug ‘A’ [but] ended up giving drug ‘B’, that is a medication error and this error may be due to the fact that the two drugs are looking very similar.”

The four victims had gone to the facility for skin infections but the retired disease control officer, James Yeboah, is said to have administered contaminated injections.
Mr Yeboah is alleged to be operating a private clinic at the facility.
Mr Yeboah’s work at the facility is concealed from the Asuogyaman District and the Eastern Regional Health authorities and is believed to have gotten the blessings of some persons at the Centre.
The FDA has dispatched its Pharmacovigilance team to the area to assist with investigations.
Police in the Eastern Region have also begun criminal investigations into deaths.
 
Story credit: Ghanaweb

trust

The Trust Hospital goes digital; introduces EMR software to streamline operations

by with No Comment Health

The Trust Hospital has introduced a new operational technology, dubbed ‘Electronic Medical Record’ (EMR) that allows the hospital to operate electronically for easy access to patients’ records and updates, as well as to increase revenue.
The EMR also serves as a network system that connects all six clinics and three hospitals dotted across the country. This was done through a fibre-optic technology to allow easy monitoring and communication between branches without physically moving from one clinic to the other.
Dr. Darius Osei, General Manager of the Trust Hospital said: “We have now been able to optimise communication flow between hospital departments, physicians and nurses. We actually reduced the human dependency in some cases, and then improved patient outcome in terms of reduced medical errors. It also enabled paper-free transactions in some cases”.
Since the EMR software – which records and maintains a history of patient visits – is networked, authorised doctors in any of the Trust’s facilities are allowed access to patient’s history, and therefore proper diagnosis and prescriptions are made in a timely manner. This is done by assigning a unique identification number to each patient.

Dr. Darius Osei, General Manager of the Trust Hospital

“What this means is that when you visit a Trust Hospital or Clinic at Dansoman today, and you next visit another facility at Adenta in a month’s time, all that will be required is your patient number and any of the authorised doctors or health professionals can take care of you with your history in mind.
“The only thing that changes is your visit number, which corresponds with the days you visit the hospital. However, you have a unique hospital number which means anywhere it is punched – whether by your surname or your first name – it pops out your folder. So, what the next doctor will do is just build on your history because he also has access to your information,” he said.
In terms of management’s operational efficiencies, Dr. Osei noted that it has significantly reduced physical monitoring by executives. “By the click of just a button, it is easy to access all information and updates of the happenings in all our clinics and hospitals. This has reduced our rounds from one hospital to the other for information,” Dr. Osei said.
According to him, the need to upgrade the operational software was due to demands of user-friendliness, flexibility and a commitment to bring only the best available services to their clients.
The EMR has been piloted at the Tema branch of the Trust Clinic to identify challenges and mistakes it may come with. It is expected to roll out by next week in all the other clinics and hospitals. The hospital aims to put the software into full operation by the middle of this year.
Dr. Osei added that the EMR has had a positive impact on the hospital’s revenue generation and eco-friendliness. For example, the Tema branch where it is being piloted has stopped printing folders for patients.
He noted that the hospital will, however, keep old records for some years, so that they serve as a back-up. The EMR is regulated by the Data Protection Commission, which advised the hospital on how to effectively protect patients’ data from hackers. The hospital also has a firewall system that protects patients’ data from hackers.
 
Source: myjoyonline.com