We’ll eradicate ‘Gone Too Soon’ in Ghana – Dr Nsiah Asare

Former Director General of the Ghana Health Service and Advisor to the President on Health, Dr Anthony Nsiah Asare said the NPP through and special Weighing Program for adults will reduce the ‘Gone too soon’ death rate from next year.

Speaking at the Nurses and Midwives Conference at Ho, last Sunday as the Guest of honor, the Advisor to the President, Nana Akufo-Addo, on Health, promised other policies for the health practitioners, should they retain the NPP in power.

“Beyond 2020, we will have Weighing for Adults on their day of birth to reduce the gone too soon. Young Adults die out of negligence of chronic diseases and this weighing which will be done together with their children will help eradicate the ‘gone too soon’. They will also queue, check their weight and also know how to prevent the stroke, prostate cancer and others”.

“We will also re-introduce the car Waiver policy for Nurses which was initiated by President Kuffour. We will, as well give nurses a befitting accommodation while paying those in the rural areas more than those in the urban areas. Another plan, is to have specialized courses for nurses and a degree course for all nurses.” He added.

Apart from the restoration of the Nurses allowance, Dr Nsiah Asare said, the 2018 batch of nurses who are being processed for employment will all have their salaries paid by end of May next year.

“You know, those who completed in 2018 are being posted and it is left with the 2019 batch, who are currently doing national service. We are processing all necessary details to the Finance sector and by the end of May after all placements are done early next year, salaries will be paid. You also know we restored the allowances for your younger ones, so nothing is too hard for the Akuffo Addo government to do. So, this is why we will need you all to vote for 4 more years to do more because we’ve done better than the NDC government who canceled your allowance.”

The Conference, held at the Ho Technical University Auditorium saw over 1500 Nurses and Midwives from the 21 districts of the Volta Region.

The over 3 hours program, saw various party leaders of the Regional NPP, including the Regional Minister, Dr Archibald Yao Letsa, talking about achievements of the NPP in the Health sector while on the ‘4 More 4 Agenda 111’, promising Exciting Opportunities for Nurses and Midwives.

By: Davis Nii Attuquaye Clottey

W/R: Government urged to prioritize training of nurses in diabetes

A Non-Governmental Organization, Rural Aid Alliance Foundation’s “RAAF” Programmes coordinator, Mr. Kenneth Kpodo has urged the Government of Ghana to prioritize and re-strategize to focus on training of diabetic Health personnels “Nurses” in the country.

According to him an estimate of 90% of people walking around being diabetic without health professionals being abreast with them needs equivalent of 90% of nurses would be able to diagnose these diabetic patients when they come in contact with.

Mr. Kpodo called on the Government of Ghana when his outfit Rural Aid Alliance Foundation, a Non-Governmental Organization partnered the Lions Club International to celebrate the 2020 World Diabetes Day in the western region as a way of celebrating health professionals “Nurses”.

The World Diabetes Day is said to be a day that the United Nations “UN” and the World Health Organization “WHO” set aside to advocate and awareness for the condition Diabetes. Meanwhile World Diabetic Day is celebrated annually.

According to Mr. Kpodo nurses are being celebrated this year’s World Diabetic Day because they are the only Health personnels that clients goes into contact with.

Again Rural Aid Alliance Foundation as part of its operational activities in the western region for the past 20 years, deals in public health related activities, building capacity of teachers, assist children in reading, alternative livelihood and also into child protection activities.

The theme tagged with the celebration of the World Diabetes Day in the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis was “Nurse and Diabetes”.

He therefore advised the general public to 30 minutes of vigorous exercise “walking alone” to reduce “type 2” Diabetes and change of an individual lifestyle.

Filed By: Benjamin Bray – Vision1 FM/Globe TV

W/R: No Health professionals trained in diabetes management

According to the Programmes coordinator for Rural Aid Alliance Foundation, Mr. Kenneth Kpodo western region and by extension to the Nation there are no nurses trained in Diabetes management, whereas these health professionals learn the basics on the job whereas others engage themselves in online courses.

Mr. Kenneth Kpodo made these remarks as Rural Aid Alliance Foundation partnered the Lions Club International to celebrate the 2020 World Diabetes Day in the western region in a way of celebrating health professionals “Nurses”.

Moreover Rural Aid Alliance Foundation marked the World Diabetes Day together with stakeholders on panel discussions at the Nurse AND Midwifery Training College at Sekondi of the western region.

The panel discussion focused on Diabetes and the eye, Diabetes and the foot and Diabetes in pregnancy.

Mr. Kpodo emphasize that as government and health institution it is important to bring the training of nurses in Diabetes to form.

The theme tagged with the celebration of the World Diabetes Day in the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis was “Nurse and Diabetes”.

The programmes coordinator stated that primary Healthcare practitioners “Nurses” play a crucial role in all stages of managing good eye health as they facilitate early diagnosis and timely management of diabetic eye disease.

“As part of the training of the nurses where we have emergency nurses, midwives, we don’t have Diabetic nurse”, he added.

The RAAF Programme coordinator continued that eighty-nine percent “89%” of shortages in nurses are in the lower to middle income countries including Ghana.

He therefore advised the general public that 30 minutes of vigorous exercise “walking alone” is enough to reduce “type 2” Diabetes and and change of an individual lifestyle.

Mr. Kenneth Kpodo in his closing remarks entreated the Healthcare practitioners to make the difference for Diabetes.

Filed By: Benjamin Bray – Vision1 Fm

President Akufo-Addo commissions 40-year-old120-Bed Bekwai Municipal Hospital

The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Daankwa Akufo-Addo has commissioned the 120-bed ultramodern Bekwai Municipal Hospital, a project which started during the era of the late military Head of State, General I.K. Acheampong.

Commissioning the hospital, on Saturday, 7th November 2020, President Akufo-Addo stated that the ceremony is further evidence of his Government’s commitment to continue with and complete successfully major infrastructure projects that were inherited from previous governments, so that expected socio-economic benefits can be enjoyed by all.

“Having stalled in 2013, due to lack of funds, Government, through the dynamic, hardworking Minister for Health, Hon. Kwaku Agyemang Manu, Member of Parliament for Dormaa Central, successfully negotiated for funding from the United Kingdom Export Finance (UKEF) for the completion of the civil works, procurement of equipment with a three (3) year warranty period, and the training of required personnel for the operation of the hospital,” the President said.

Constructed at a cost of €22.33 million, the hospital has been fitted with an outpatient department; emergency unit; physiotherapy department; staff accommodation (16 housing units comprising 2, 3 & 4 semi-detached bedrooms); male & female wards; recovery ward; medical gas plant; 3 operating theatres; and offices.

Additionally, the hospital has a central sterilization department (CSSD) and laundry; medical stores; kitchen; relative’s lodge; water storage; mortuary; car park; supply & installation of medical equipment including user and application and maintenance training; supply of start-up medical consumables; and post warranty maintenance.

The President reiterated Government’s commitment to improving access to essential and quality health services through the provision of the necessary health infrastructure, equipment and logistics, including the deployment of appropriate technology, as part of the drive to attaining Universal Health Coverage (UHC).

“I want to reinforce the call to the administrators to embrace and strengthen the culture of maintenance. This edifice has been put at great cost to our nation, and we should be in the position, some ten years down the line, to see it still in good condition,” he said.

President Akufo-Addo continued, “It should not fall in the ways in which several institutions like this in Ghana have gone. The leadership of this facility must set the example for its periodic and constant maintenance, and will be held accountable for this.”

The President commended the Ministry of Health and the Ghana Health Service for the great efforts they and their teams have put into the completion of this hospital.

“We shall continue to sustain our agenda of building a robust, resilient and sustainable healthcare system for current and future generations. Indeed, with four more years for Nana and the New Patriotic Party, we will do even more for you,” he added.

Story: Sheila Satori Mensa

President Akufo-Addo commissions €14.5 million 60-Bed Hospital in Ketu North

The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, on Tuesday, 20th October 2020, commissioned the €14.5 million sixty (60) bed Ultra-Modern Hospital for Weta, in the Ketu North District.

The Hospital, according to President Akufo-Addo, is one of six (6) medical installations whose construction commenced three (3) years ago, and was constructed by Vamed Engineering GmbH of Austria at a cost of eighty million euros (€80 million), with funding provided by Raiffesen Bank of Austria.

The other five (5) hospitals are the 80-bed District Hospital at Somanya in the Eastern Region; the 80-bed District Hospital at Buipe, the 60 bed Hospital at Sawla, and the 30-bed Polyclinic at Bamboi, all these three in the Savannah Region; and the 60-bed Hospital at Tolon in the Northern Region.

“All of these facilities are completed, and will be duly commissioned by the end of end November this year,” he said.

The Weta, President Akufo-Addo told the gathering, is fitted with an administration department; outpatient and emergency department; inpatient wards for male, female and paediatrics; obstetrics & gynecology (maternity and child health); surgery including an intensive care unit; physiotherapy unit; pharmacy; diagnostic services including x-ray, laboratory and ultrasound; logistics buildings housing the CSSD, laundry, hospital stores maintenance workshops and power station, and medical gases production unit; mortuary; staff facilities including dining areas, changing facilities and housing units for critical staff.

To ensure that the hospital functions without any major obstacle, the full complement of electro-mechanical systems and medical equipment have been provided.

“To address the issues of maintenance and sustainability, the project scope included a two-year post completion maintenance and training programme. I will entreat the Ghana Health Service to liaise with the Contractor’s maintenance team to maintain effectively the hospital, and ensure that, after this period, maintenance works on this hospital are carried out routinely,” he said.

Reiterating Government’s commitment to providing quality, accessible and affordable healthcare in line with the Sustainable Development Goals, the President was confident that the completion of the projects in Somanya, Tolon, Sawla, Buipe, Bamboi and Weta will improve the stock of Infrastructural facilities, thereby improving equity gaps in geographical access to health services.

“I am delighted and honoured by your presence here, and I assure you that this project is a sign of greater things to come for Weta, Ketu North and, indeed, for the whole nation. Government’s commitment to the total development of Ghana is absolute,” he added.

Story: Sheila Mensa

First Lady takes Health Outreach to Tema

The First Lady, Mrs. Rebecca Naa Okaikor Akufo-Addo, yesterday took her health outreach to the Tema vicinity where she presented medical logistics to the Tema General Hospital and joined a free breast cancer screening exercise.

The hospital, which is the largest public referral health facility in Tema, received items including bed sheets, diapers, blankets, nose masks and sanitizers to enhance the delivery of healthcare.

Mrs. Akufo-Addo, in a brief statement before handing over the items to the hospital management, said the donation was made possible through the generosity of partners of ‘The Rebecca Foundation’.

She said the foundation, founded in 2017, to support the wellbeing of women and children in the areas of health, education and women’s economic empowerment, has recorded significant impact in the lives of Ghanaian women and children.
“Our footprints in health have been seen in all 16 regions of Ghana. Today is another opportunity for me to thank our remarkable partners and donors. They have made it possible for me, even in this COVID-19 times, to support our health sector,” she said.

She assured the hospital of the foundation’s support adding, “I am hopeful that these items will go to improve the quality of care here and make your work easier.”

Medical Director of the Tema General Hospital, Dr. Richard Anthony, said the impact of ‘The Rebecca Foundation’ in the country’s health sector can be felt by all especially, mothers and children. “Your Excellency, we can attest to your love for maternal and child health issues among several others, of particular mention are your campaign for the prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV, promotion of exclusive breast feeding, voluntary blood donation, and breast cancer awareness ,” he said.

Dr. Anthony also noted that the hospital staff benefited from the several interventions put in place by the government for frontline health workers in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We were one of the hospitals who received tremendous support from government also through the COVID-19 national trust fund. We pray for God’s enormous blessings for this kind gesture and appeal for more such benevolent act from your office,” he added.

He said through the effort of the First Lady and other stakeholders the hospital has been earmarked for an upgrade which will move it from a general hospital to regional hospital status.
“In 2016, during your visit to Tema General Hospital, a humble plea was made to you for the construction of a new hospital complex. Her Excellency a mother who has a listening ear worked assiduously behind the scene together with our MP for Tema Central, Kofi Brako, and others and we are anticipating the sod cutting for the state of the art hospital complex by President Akufo-Addo. The NPP Parliamentary Candidate for Tema Central, Yves Nii Noi Hanson, indicated that under the leadership of the NPP, the hospital has benefited from a new ante natal ward, a blood analyzer among others. “I want to assure both workers of Tema General Hospital and the people of Tema Central that we shall work and make sure that it is built in the next term of President Akufo-Addo.

Beyond that, we need your mandate to continue with the good works that we have begun and I can assure you that I, Nii Noi, together with the President when given the mandate we shall work and make sure your request for a new regional hospital is fulfilled,” he said.

At the free breast screening exercise in Tema West, organized by the Tema West MP, Carlos Ahenkorah and the Breasted One Foundation, Mrs. Akufo-Addo encouraged the women to take advantage of the free breast screening to have their breast examined.

She said it was important for the disease to be detected early as early detection helps in better treatment outcomes.

Story: Sheila Satori Mensa

President Akufo-Addo commissions 60-Bed Tepa Hospital

The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, on Wednesday, 30th September 2020, commissioned the sixty-bed Ahafo Ano Municipal Hospital, located in Tepa, in the Ashanti Region.

This hospital, initiated by former President John Agyekum Kufuor in 2008 as part of the ‘Ghana Hospitals Project’, is the third such Hospital commissioned by President Akufo-Addo following the opening of the Upper West Regional Hospital, in Wa, and the Ga East Municipal Hospital, in Accra, which is now one of the country’s foremost COVID19 Treatment Centres.

This Hospital, according to the President, has been long awaited in Tepa, and it is good that, today, the demand for a Municipal Hospital of quality has been realized, as residents and surrounding health facilities will now gain access to improved healthcare from the Ahafo Ano Municipal Hospital.

The “Ghana Hospital Project” involves the design, construction and equipping of one (1) Military Hospital, two (2) Regional Hospitals, and six (6) District Hospitals in Ghana, at a project cost of US$339 million. It falls under the broader objective of providing infrastructure for the delivery of effective healthcare to the citizenry.

Other hospitals being constructed under this Project are the two hundred and fifty (250) bed Regional Hospital in Sewua, Kumasi, in the Ashanti Region; the sixty (6) bed District Hospital in Twifo Praso, in the Central Region; the sixty (60) bed District Hospital at Nsawkaw, in the Bono East Region; the sixty (60) bed District Hospital in Salaga, in the Savannah Region; the sixty (60) bed District Hospital in Konongo, in the Ashanti Region; and the five hundred (500) bed Military Hospital at Afari, again, in the Ashanti Region.

All of these projects, the President stressed, all expected to be commissioned before the end of this year.

The Ahafo Ano Municipal Hospital has been constructed at a cost of thirty-six million United States dollars (US$36 million), and has been designed with several departments including administration; outpatient department (OPD); physiotherapy unit; pharmacy; radiology; laboratory; surgical suite (operation dep.); emergency & casualty; and obstetrics & gynecology (maternity and child health).

The rest are central sterile supply department; ambulance station; inpatient wards – 100 bed capacity; staff dining; kitchen & outdoor cooking area; medical gases production unit; laundry; mortuary; medical waste department; general stores; maintenance department; power station; relatives’ hostel; 20 staff housing units; and a mini market.

Additionally, the Hospital has been equipped with modern medical equipment, such as x-ray machines, ultrasound machines, fully equipped operating theatre, medical gases, and patient monitors. It also has a medical waste treatment plant, a power station, a water treatment plant, a central air conditioning system and an anaerobic sewerage treatment plant.

To the Chiefs and people of Tepa, President Akufo-Addo reiterated his commitment to improving access to essential and quality health services through the provision of the necessary health infrastructure, equipment and logistics, including the deployment of appropriate technology, as part of our drive to attaining Universal Health Coverage (UHC).

He urged administrators of the to embrace and strengthen the culture of maintenance.

“This edifice has been put at great cost to our nation, and we should be in the position, some ten years down the line, to see it still in good condition. It should not fall in the ways in which several institutions like this in Ghana have gone. The leadership of this facility must set the example for its periodic and constant maintenance, and will be held accountable for this,” he added.

Story: Sheila Satori Mensa

President Akufo-Addo presents 10,000 Hospital Beds to Health Ministry

The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, on Tuesday, 22nd September 2020, presented ten thousand hospital beds, under the Infrastructure for Poverty Eradication Programme (IPEP), to be distributed to hospitals across the country.

According to President Akufo-Addo, it is always disconcerting to see patients being treated in wheel chairs, in plastic chairs, and even on the floors because of the unavailability of beds.

“Government’s determination to see an end to this no-bed syndrome has resulted in the decision to procure these hospital beds and their associated accessories for distribution across the country, to augment the existing numbers in the country,” the President said.

To this end, he stated that “in total, one thousand, five hundred (1,500) pieces of critical care beds with overhead tables; two thousand (2,000) pieces of standard hospital beds with bedside lockers; four thousand (4,000) pieces health centre beds with bedside lockers; one thousand (1,000) pieces of children’s cot; and one thousand, five hundred (1,500) pieces of delivery beds have been purchased”.

At the ceremony held at Burma Camp, where the beds are being housed, President Akufo-Addo stated that the beds, which are to be distributed to all two hundred and seventy-five constituencies, are adjustable for better positioning of the patient’s head and feet.

He told the gathering that these beds will allow for better movement of patients, as well as periodic change to the pressure points on the body, thereby, improving the patient’s blood circulation whilst she/he is in bed, adding that “they maximise comfort for patients who will use them for extended periods of time, and their customisable features will make it easy to adjust specific parts of the bed.”

Whilst urging users and hospital staff to take good care of these beds, which have come at significant cost to the taxpayer, President Akufo-Addo stressed that “with four (4) more years for Nana and the NPP, we will do more for you, because we are motivated by a vision of ensuring that the basic infrastructure in education, health and social services is equitably distributed throughout our nation, to provide relief and encouragement to all sectors of our society. That is how we build a united Ghana”.

IPEP
It will be recalled that, in the run-up to the December 2016 elections, the implementation of IPEP was a campaign promise of the New Patriotic Party.

This pledge was to provide each of the 275 constituencies with the cedi equivalent of US$ 1 million to tackle issues relating to infrastructural development and poverty eradication in rural and deprived communities.

Indeed, the implementation of the programme commenced with the launching of One-District-One-Warehouse component in Ejura, in the Ashanti Region, followed by the unveiling of the One-Village-One-Dam programme at Kuuyoukou in Lawra, in the Upper West Region.

“One of the fruits of this policy was seen by all Ghanaians in February this year, when I commissioned and distributed three hundred and seven (307) state of the art ambulances, i.e. one ambulance per constituency, and the remaining thirty-two (32) to the National Ambulance Service,” he added.

Thus far, these ambulances, the President indicated, have been of immense help to ensuring an effective Emergency Medical Service (EMS) system, and improving our country’s emergency response capabilities.

Indeed, the Ministry of Special Development Initiatives, which is implementing IPEP, together with the Coastal, Middle Belt and Northern Development Authorities, have, so far, seen to the construction of 1,000 community water systems; 1,000 public and institutional water closet toilets; 50 prefabricated grain warehouses; 560 small earth dams; 50 rural and peri-urban markets; 26 clinics with bungalows for the medical staff; and 5,014 constituency specific projects.

Story: Sheila Satori Mensa

Chinese Government hands over medical supplies to Ghana

The Chinese Government on Wednesday, presented its second batch of medical supplies, to the Ministry of Health, to support Ghana in the fight the COVID-19 pandemic.
The supplies were made up of 20,000 N-95 protective face masks, 350,000 surgical masks, 10,000 disposable coverall, 15,000 each of medical googles, and disposable gloves and 3,000 disposable shoe covers.

Dr Zhou Jing, the Charge d’affaires of the Chinese Embassy, handed over the supplies to the Ministry represented by Dr Bernard Oko-Boye, the Deputy Minister of Health at a short ceremony in Accra.

According to Dr Zhou the Chinese Government was the first to send medical supplies via chartered aircraft to 18 African countries including Ghana, to assist in ensuring the safety of especially frontline healthcare workers at the initial stages of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The subsequent gesture by the Government of China, he said, was a reciprocity of the global solidarity shown the country when it was hard hit by the pandemic at the early stages.
He said China’s situation was improving quickly with no single case of domestic infection for the past one month now, except for the new cases being imported into the country due to incoming flights, and the country had also witnessed improved economy growth by a 3.2 per cent in the second quarter, from its initial fall by 6.8 per cent in the first quarter of the year.

Dr Zhou commended the government of Ghana and its Agencies for working hard to manage the spread of the virus and said the Chinese Government would make the COVID-19 Vaccine that was being developed, readily accessible and affordable to all when they were ready for use, and urged countries to remain in solidarity in fighting the common global enemy.

Dr Oko-Boye, thanked the benefactors for the donation and the partnership that existed between the two countries and said although Ghana was confident of winning the war against the COVID-19 quickly, it needed strong partnership in ways to protect its citizens from the importation of the virus.

“That is why Ghana insists on a negative PCR test before getting on board a plane, and the subjection of ones’ self to an Antigen test,” to tell the current COVID-19 status of a person and their capability of transmitting the virus to others if tested positive.

According to Dr Oko-Boye the current number of active cases of 564 persons as at the last update, was inspiring and encouraging and urged Ghanaians to continue to observe all the safety and hygiene protocols including the mandatory wearing of face masks and the social distancing rule, to help sustain the gains made.

The Deputy Health Ministry, however, warned Ghanaians against complacency, saying, the war was not yet over and “COVID-19 is among the few situations where one man’s precaution is not enough, but everyone must be interested in the safety of others, as one person’s recklessness, could ruin all the important things put in place.”

He said the donation by the Chinese Government re-echoed the fact that the war was not over yet, and appeal to the media to the sustain education and advocacy against COVID-19 related stigma and timely reporting of cases to save lives.

Story: Sheila Satori Mensa

VP Bawumia Commissions 3RD Zipline Project Site, Hint’s of More…

The third national site for the world’s largest drone medical supply operation has been commissioned by the Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, at Vobsi near Walewale in the North East Region.

Just like the other facilities located at Omenako in the Eastern region, Mpanya in the Ashanti region and Sefwi Wiawso in the Western North region, this facility supplies on demand, blood and other essential medical consumables to hundreds of facilities in the five northern regions. The Vobsi facility undertakes on average, 90 life-saving flights a day, according to officials of Zipline Ghana Limited.

Commissioning the facility on Saturday, 12th September, 2020 Vice President Bawumia said the many stories of saved lives is an affirmation of Government’s decision to introduce the revolutionary service into Ghana, despite fierce criticism from the opposition.

“The decision of the government to adopt this revolutionary service of using drones to deliver on-demand, emergency medical commodities has not only made Ghana the host to the biggest medical drone delivery system on the continent, but has also significantly improved access to basic emergency medical commodities by health facilities. It is therefore most appropriate that we refer to it as ‘Fly-To-Save-A-Life Project’.

“I have been informed about the joy of one Dr Issabella Amese, the Medical Superintendent at the Baptist Medical Centre at Nalerigu, who urgently needed 4 units of “O” frozen fresh plasma (FFP) at 3:21am to save the life of a woman who was in a critical condition, and how Zipline intervened just in time. Indeed, we have a true and functioning ‘Fly-To-Save-A-Life Project.’

“The hospital was in short supply of blood and the only hope for this woman to survive was Zipline. Thankfully, Zipline got the necessary clearance from the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority and immediately flew the much-needed blood product at that time from this very distribution center to the hospital. Today, the woman who was at the verge of death is alive and doing so well.

“Stories such as this motivate us to continue to provide leadership for our people and investment in their lives, so that we do not lose valuable lives as a result of non-availability of critical medical commodities. Indeed, every life matters,” Dr Bawumia disclosed.

The impact of the Zipline service cannot be over-emphasised, the Vice President maintained.

“There are many instances where our health professionals have openly testified how this technology is contributing to boosting their morale, with the full assurance that even in very difficult moments, like shortage of blood products during emergencies, Zipline will deliver just in time.

“As at today, over 120,000 medical products have been delivered to several health facilities across the country from the various distribution centers. What this means is that many lives have been saved with this technology. That is why we should remain resilient and focused in attending to the needs of the people who put us in positions. They look up to us, and we have to remain committed to improving their quality of life.

Expansion

Lauding the Ministry of Health, Ghana Health Service, Zipline and other key stakeholders for the “great work done so far”, Dr Bawumia hinted that discussions had already began towards expanding the drone services to other deprived and hard-to-reach communities.

“In the light of the many success stories we are hearing from the beneficiary communities, and our obligation to ensure that national resources and critical services are fairly distributed to all people living in Ghana, we may soon consider the need to expand this service by Zipline to all parts of the country, particularly the hard-to-reach areas.

“My understanding is that at the full capacity of the 4 distribution centres, Zipline will be able to serve about 2,000 health facilities within their range. However, we know that there are many more health facilities in this country which also need to benefit from this amazing service.

“Currently, there are many health facilities in the Upper West, Volta, Oti, Savannah and Bono East Regions, and other deprived facilities along the coast which do not benefit from this life-saving service. It is our hope that soon we will be able to reach out to meet their medical emergencies.

“What we have now is just the beginning. We have to start from somewhere, hoping that in the shortest possible time, many more health facilities across the length and breadth of the country will also enjoy this service. We are looking at a possible eight sites, so we have full national coverage. I urge all stakeholders to work together to ensure this becomes a reality as soon as possible.”
The Akufo-Addo government, he continued, is “fully committed to fixing the challenges that confront us as a country. Anybody who goes around the country would see the development taking place in the area of education, health, agriculture, and virtually every area of the economy.

“Therefore, when we say our records are far superior, for which we ask for 4 more to do more, the overwhelming evidence is there to show. With what this government has done within just 4 years, I have no doubt in my mind that Ghanaians will renew our mandate come December, just so that we could do more for them.”

Story: Sheila Satori Mensa

First Lady donates TO Ho Municipal Hospital

The First Lady of the Republic, H.E. Mrs Rebecca Naa Okaikor Akufo-Addo has donated assorted medical items to the Ho Municipal Hospital, as part of the Rebecca Foundation’s mission to support the health sector.

Making the presentation, Mrs, Akufo-Addo said The Rebecca Foundation, has since 2017 been working to complement government’s efforts to improve the health sector with specific focus on the health of Ghanaian women and children.
According to her, The Rebecca Foundation has donated medical equipment and consumables, to all sixteen regions in the country, renovated health facilities including the Osu Government Maternity Home, sponsored surgeries and fully funded the construction of a Paediatric Intensive Care unit and a Mother and Baby unit at the and the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra and the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi.

She emphasised that the health of women and children will always be her priority and expressed the readiness of the Rebecca Foundation to work with other organizations and individuals to deliver quality healthcare to women and children.

Receiving the items, which included bed sheets, diapers, blankets, nose masks, Sanitizers, and hospital beds, the head of the Ho Municipal Hospital Dr Lawrence Kumi said the institution was grateful to the First Lady for the donation, stating that it was very timely as the facility is in need of assistance to enhance its health delivery.

Present to witness the donation were the Volta Regional Minister, Hon. Dr. Archibald Yao Letsa, Deputy Volta Regional Minister Hon. Johnson Avuletey, MCE for Ho Central Hon. Prosper Pi-Bansah, former Vice Chairperson of the NPP Mrs. Agnes Okudzeto, and Executive Director of the National Vocational Training Institute (NVTI), Mrs. Mawusi Awity

Story: Sheila Satori Mensa

First Lady commissions another Health Center at Kwame Anum

First Lady of the Republic, H.E. Mrs. Rebecca Naa Okaikor Akufo-Addo yesterday commissioned a Health Centre at Kwame Anum in the Ga South Municipality of the Greater Accra Region.

The 16 bed facility which was constructed with funding by the Infanta Malaria Prevention Foundation is fitted with an out -patient department, a delivery room, labour ward, a reproductive and Child health area, two consulting rooms, a pharmacy, a laboratory and administrative offices and will provide services to a population of about 30,000 spread within the Obom Domeabra constituency of the Ga South Municipality with about 8,500 patients expected to be attended to in its first year.

The Kwame Anum Health Center will also provide lifesaving and essential services such as immunization against the 13 childhood killer diseases, maternal, child health and nutrition.

Present to witness the commissioning of the facility were the MCE for Ga South Hon. Stephen Nyarni, MP of Obom Domeabra Constituency Hon. Parliamentary Candidate for the NPP Philip E.K Doe and the Chief and leaders of Kwame Anum.

In a speech to formally open the Health Centre, Mrs. Akufo-Addo said the initial idea of Infanta Malaria Foundation was to rehabilitate the already existing CHPS compound but after consultation with the community and health Service leaders, decided to construct a much needed Health center.

She said the Infanta Malaria Prevention Foundation of which she is co-founder is a group of remarkable women who came together to pool like-minded friends with a mission to support the development of women and children by paying particular attention to their health and executing Community Based Health Planning and Services as an important strategy especially for the prevention and treatment of malaria.

Since its establishment before 2017, Mrs. Akufo-Addo said, Infanta Malaria Prevention Foundation has put up three CHPS compounds in Kobedi in the Sunyani West district of the Bono Region, Adenkrebi in the Ga East Municipality of the Greater Accra Region and Nyanshegu in the Sagnarigu District of the Northern Region.

The First lady, promised to continue to use both the Infanta Malaria Prevention Foundation and the Rebecca Foundation of which she is Executive Director, to assist in improving on the health of Ghanaians especially women and children.

She expressed gratitude to the Ga South Municipal Chief Executive Mr. Joseph Stephen Nyarni, The Ghana Health Service, and the Chiefs and Elders of Kwame Anum for their support throughout the execution of the project.

It will be recalled that on Tuesday, 21st May 2019, First lady of the Republic and co-founder of Infanta Malaria Prevention Foundation Mrs. Akufo-Addo cut sod for the construction of the Kwame Anum Health Center in the Ga south municipality of the Greater Accra Region.

Story: Sheila Satori Mensa

Confirmed: Over 18,000 Ghanaian Nurses get financial clearance by Ministry of Finance

The document available bares tha, the Ministry of Finance headed by Honorable Ken Ofori Attah has just released a press statement on subject matter of the recritment of Ghanaian Nurses.

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BREAKING NEWS: Min. Of Finance Issued Clearance For The Recruitment of Over 18,000 Ghanaian Nurses -CHECK OUT
By Myafricatoday -August 22, 20200

The document available bares tha, the Ministry of Finance headed by Honorable Ken Ofori Attah has just released a press statement on subject matter of the recritment of Ghanaian Nurses.

In a press release signed by the deputy Finance Minister and MP,Mrs Abena Osei Asare,the Ministry has issued financial clearance for the health ministry to employ over 18,000 Ghanaian trained nurses.

These over 18,000 Ghanaian nurses are supposed to begin work latest by April 2021 to help improve the health delivery system of Ghana.

This recruitment is being done specifically for the 2018 year group or batch of Nurse Assistant Clinical,Nurse Assistant Preventive, Diploma Nurses,Degree Nurses and Midwives. In all,18,455 nurses will be recruited.

See press statement below:

Shama district welcomes new hospital as President cuts sod for commencement

The Parliamentary Candidate for the ruling New Patriotic Party “NPP” in the Shama Constituency of the Western Region, Hon. Samuel Erickson Abakah has hinted that the Shama and its environs are previlege to have new modern 100 capacity bed District Hospital.

Although they were having district hospital which was under construction. Meanwhile the new District Hospital has proved that in all diverse ways, H. E Nana Addo is ready to help every Ghanaian as health is concerned, he said.

Hon. Abakah emphasize that daily activities of Shama constituents may not function when their health status is being decreased where it may wave their financial standings.

The first time parliamentary candidate who is seeking the mandate from Shama constituents the upcoming December polls stated that, after the completion of the new District and its adjoining communities will ease long distance traveling by indigenes to have access to healthcare.

Hon. Lawyer Samuel Erickson Abakah therefore urged Shama constituents within the District to rally behind good works of H. E. Nana Akufo-Addo and New Patriotic Party including him to give them another four “4” term to do more.

He made this known in an exclusive interview with Vision1 FM Western Regional Correspondent Benjamin Bray when the president of the Republic of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo-Addo on his two days visit od-cutting for a 100 bed capacity modern District hospital for Shama District.

According to president of the republic of Ghana his visit on infrastructure development was delayed due to the outbreak of novel Coronavirus pandemic in Ghana. Meanwhile the opportunity came for him to tour the western region with two days visit.

Speaking at the sod-cutting ceremony, H. E. Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo-Addo emphasize that the money procured for the 100 bed capacity modern District hospital for Shama District is ready and there will be no delayment of the project with an amount of Thirty-Two Million Euros “32M€”.

The New Patriotic Party’s 2020 presidential candidate categorically told the contractor, “POLY GHANGDA” to employ skilled and unskilled workers within the Shama District.

Acting President at the Shama Traditional Area, Nana Kwamena Wiano II and Prez Akufo-Addo

“I’m overwhelmed to be in the Shama District to uplift the infrastructure development which was started in the elsewhere administration of John Agyekum Kufour.”, he stated.

The President of the Republic of Ghana therefore urged Ghanaians to vote for in the upcoming December 7th Election and also told Shama Constituents to vote massively for the New Patriotic Party “NPP” Parliamentary Candidate, Hon. Samuel Erickson Abakah who is a Legislature.

In welcome address the Acting President at the Shama Traditional Area, Nana Kwamena Wiano II said, the president of the republic of Ghana Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo-Addo then a candidate in the 2016 promised them to uplift the status of Shama polyclinic into district hospital.

According to him, Shama District and its environs are unique in terms of having one district, one Constituency and one tradition.

Nana Kwamena Wiano II, urged both the government and the Chinese contractor “GHANGDA” to fastrack the construction of the 100 bed capacity modern District hospital for Shama District.

It is on record that traditional rulers in the Shama Traditional Area offered 10 acres of land to the government of Ghana together with the Ministry of Health and the Shama District Assembly at cost free for the construction of the new modern 100 capacity bed hospital.

Filed By: Benjamin Bray – Vision1 Fm

First Lady commends MOH, GHS for mutually beneficial partnership

First Lady of the Republic H. E. Mrs. Rebecca Naa Okaikor Akufo-Addo has described the partnership between The Rebecca Foundation and state agencies like the Ministry of Health and the Ghana Health Service (GHS) as one which has been immensely beneficial to the good people of Ghana, especially women and children.

According to her, since its establishment in 2017, The Rebecca Foundation of which she is Executive Director has partnered the Ministry of Health and the GHS to complement government’s enormous investment in the health sector in building and constructing new health facilities and rehabilitating existing facilities, especially in deprived communities.

She said The Rebecca Foundation appreciated quality health being central to the well-being of a nation and has channeled a lot of effort in supporting government in the health sector by donating health equipment and constructing health facilities to support government.

The First lady made these comments when she presented hospital consumables and also PPEs including nose masks,hand sanitizers, soap,gowns ,gloves, baby diapers,Washing powder and others to the Saltpond Hospital.

Mrs. Akufo-Addo said The Rebecca Foundation has donated hospital equipment and supplies to all sixteen (16) regions, including a phototherapy machine to the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital and carried out health outreaches and surgeries all over the country.

The Foundation, she said, has also distributed ambulances and renovated and equipped health facilities, including a CHPS compound at Seduase, the Abbam Krom Health Centre and the Osu Government Maternity Home.

“Two of our biggest projects have been an ultra-modern Paediatric Intensive Care Unit, at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital and a Maternity, Neo-natal Intensive care and Paediatric Intensive care units, at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital”, the Executive Director of The Rebecca Foundation said.

The First Lady also expressed gladness at her husband, H.E. President Akufo-Addo’s cutting of sod in May this year to reactivate the construction of the Maternity and Children’s Block project of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) which had been abandoned for forty-four (44) years.

She explained that while The Rebecca Foundation – constructed Maternity and Paediatric Intensive care unit, at KATH is to provide an interim solution to the huge challenges the hospital faces in maternal and child care, the 750-bed facility, which when completed will serve as a referral center for twelve out of Ghana’s sixteen regions, will significantly increase government’s capacity to cater for the health needs of women and children in the country.

Mrs. Akufo-Addo pledged The Rebecca Foundation’s commitment to continue to execute initiatives which will enhance the welfare of women and children, health-wise, intellectually and economically.

The First Lady also commended government on how proactive and incisive it has been in combatting the COVID 19 pandemic which has led to the rate of infection slowing down and recoveries going up, cautioning however, the importance in adopting all the safety precautions, to stop the spread, in the hope of soon getting back to our normal lives.

Story: Sheila Satori Mensa

The Chinese Embassy to Ghana Donates Medical Supplies to the Ghana China Friendship Association

On August 18, 2020, Mr. ZHU Jing, Charge d’affaires of the Chinese Embassy to Ghana handed over medical supplies to the Ghana China Friendship Association. The donation is provided by Fujian Provincial People’s Association for Friendship. H.E. Kojo Amoo-Gottfried, the President of the Ghana China Friendship Association received the donation on behalf of the Ghanaian side.

Mr. ZHU said that, Under the leadership of President Xi Jinping, the Chinese people united as one and achieved a staged victory in the war against the pandemic of COVID-19. But the pandemic is still raging and different countries all over the world are taking measures to contain the pandemic. China will not forget the support from Ghana during the most critical times. This expression of profound feeling is an indelible deed in the history of China-Ghana friendship and shall always be remembered.

The Chinese Government and Chinese people can certainly relate to the COVID-19 cases confirmed in Ghana, and will firmly stand side by side with the Ghanaian people and be willing to do as much as we can to help with Ghana’s fight. China is the first country to send medical supplies by chartered flight to Ghana. Chinese doctors shared experience in disease prevention and control by video conferences with their Ghanaian counterpart for five times. China’s local authorities and companies are also providing assistance to Ghana in various ways. The second batch of anti-epidemic materials donated by the Chinese Government has arrived in Ghana and will be handed over to the Ghanaian Government soon.

Virus knows no borders and requires joint response of all countries in the world. Upholding the vision of a community of a shared future for mankind, China has been actively cooperating with the international community in epidemic prevention and control while maintaining effective epidemic prevention and control work at home. China has been strengthening coordination of policies and control measures, sharing epidemic information and good practices in diagnosis and treatment, and has offered aid supplies to international organizations and the affected countries, demonstrating its responsibility and presence as a major power.

China is ready to work closely with Ghanaian counterpart to implement the measures laid out by H.E. President Xi Jinping at the Extraordinary China-Africa Summit on Solidarity against COVID-19 on June 17 to help Africa win the battle against the virus. China and Ghana are bound to defeat the pandemic and embrace a more promising world.

Story: Sheila Satori Mensa

Prez Akufo-Addo cuts sod for €68 million La General Hospital redevelopment project

The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has cut the sod for commencement of construction of the La General Hospital Redevelopment Project.

At the sod cutting ceremony on Tuesday, 11th August 2020, President Akufo-Addo indicated that the redevelopment project has been occasioned by a report from the Ghana Health Service, which indicated that the five-storey structure of the Hospital had developed gaping cracks, which made the facility unfit for use.

Furthermore, the unplanned nature of the entire hospital campus required that it be re-organised so that it can function efficiently as a 21st century hospital, which will serve the needs of residents of La and its adjoining communities.

With Government’s policy of achieving Universal Health Coverage for all, which demands that access to decent healthcare is guaranteed for every Ghanaian, no matter where they live, the President explained that this is the reason why Government had to source quickly the requisite funding to embark on the redevelopment of the Hospital, in view of its strategic location in our nation’s healthcare delivery system.

“This facility, in so many ways, complements the Greater Accra Regional Hospital at Ridge, and its upgrading will serve most people from Osu through La and Teshie, as well as residents living along the coastal corridor of Accra,” he said.

President Akufo-Addo continued, “Indeed, with admissions to this Hospital, arising from maternal health and other related complications, increasing from 20.5% in 2008, to 30% in 2017, and with pregnancy and related conditions, for the first time in the history of the life of this Hospital, being the number one cause of admission, require that we improve rapidly the facilities of this hospital”.

This redevelopment project is being financed by a credit facility from Standard Chartered Bank of the United Kingdom, with an export credit guarantee from Sinosure of the People’s Republic of China, to the tune of sixty eight million euros (€68 million), with an insurance cover of three million, eight hundred and sixty thousand euros (€3,860,349.18).

The project will be undertaken by the Chinese company, Poly Changda, which has wide-ranging experience in China and other parts of Africa in the construction of healthcare facilities.

Upon completion, it will be transformed into a one hundred and sixty (160) bed facility, and it will be fitted with an outpatient department; inpatient wards; maternity and neonatal services; surgical unit with four (4) theatres; accident and emergency department; public health department; pharmacy unit; laboratory; administration; imaging area, with CT Scan, X-ray room, ultrasound, flouroscopy, mammography units; physiotherapy unit; and a mortuary

Whilst the construction of new infrastructure is ongoing, President Akufo-Addo assured that the Ministry of Health is also putting in place measures, such as retraining of existing staff and support to the various Colleges of Health Education, to guarantee the presence of the necessary human resources to man the facilities that will be constructed.

“Upon my assumption of office in 2017, we started recruiting doctors, nurses, pharmacist, allied health professionals and other support staff, who were unemployed after completing their mandatory housemanship rotation or internship,” he said.

The President added that Government, each year, has been providing financial clearance for those who were eligible to do their housemanship rotation and internship.

“As at July this year, Government has recruited ninety thousand, six hundred and ninety-six (90,696) permanent and temporary healthcare workers. Out of the total employed, twenty-nine thousand, five hundred and eighteen (29,518) are temporary staff, whilst the remaining sixty-one thousand, one hundred and seventy-eight (61,178) are permanent,” he added.

To the Chiefs gathered, President Akufo-Addo assured that “this project is a sign of greater things to come for La, and, indeed, for the whole nation. Government’s commitment to the total development of Ghana is absolute”, adding that “I expect that all of us, gathered here, will be present again, God-willing, for the commissioning of this project, once it is completed.”

Story: Sheila Satori Mensa

Prez Akufo-Addo cuts sod for new 400-bed maternity block; 101-bed urology centre at Korle-Bu

The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, on Tuesday, 11th August 2020, cut the sod for the construction and equipping of a twelve (12) storey four hundred (400) bed Maternity and Gynaecological Centre, and a two (2) storey one hundred and one (101) bed Urology and Nephrology Centre at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital.

It will be recalled that, on 6th December, 2018, during his visit to Korle Bu, where he commissioned the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the National Reconstructive Plastic Surgery and Burns Centre for the Hospital, the President was struck by the poor state of the Maternity Block.

“I promised to remedy the situation, as the current state of the building is not fit for purpose. Today’s ceremony is a fulfillment of the pledge I made,” he said.

President Akufo-Addo noted that the commencement of work on these two projects, in addition to the re-activation of construction work on the abandoned seven hundred and fifty (750) bed Maternity and Children’s Block at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi, will significantly reduce maternal and neonatal mortality rates in the country.

This, he explained, are further testimony to the commitment of Government to improve Ghana’s country’s healthcare infrastructure, and move the country steadily towards the goal of achieving Universal Healthcare Coverage for all.

Once completed, the 400-bed Maternity Block facility, President Akufo-Addo, said, “will contribute to addressing the persistent challenges of high maternal and child health morbidity and mortality in Ghana. It will also accelerate our progress towards the achievement of the SDGs through enhanced access to quality maternal and child health services.”

To this end, Government has secured an amount of one hundred and forty-five million, two hundred and twenty thousand euros (€145,220,000) from Standard Chartered Bank to cover the cost of the project, with an export credit guarantee from Swedish Export Credit towards the reconstruction of the maternity block.

Additionally, the Project has an insurance cover of some nineteen million euros (€18,973,024.85), and it is to be constructed through a joint venture entity known as HEDEBI JV. The partners of this group are Rizzani DE ECCHER, Bergam, and Hospital Engineering Ltd.

Once completed, the 12-storey maternity block will have a four hundred (400) bed capacity; twenty (20) labour delivery rooms; one hundred (100) seater waiting area; twenty-six (26) recovery wards; eighteen (18) treatment rooms; twenty-four (24) consulting rooms; seven (7) theatres; IVF services; ten (10) room accommodation for new mothers; thirty-two (32) seater restaurant, with a preparation area; and an emergency unit with its own triage and operating theatre.

Indeed, once completed, the Centre will be the first public facility to deliver IVF services in the Country.

Urology and Nephrology Centre
Cutting the sod for the construction of the €38 million Urology and Nephrology Centre of Excellence, also at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, President Akufo-Addo stated that the project is being funded by Raiffessen Bank International AG Ltd of Austria, with OeKB Group, also from Austria, providing insurance cover of €4,666,950.

Once completed, it will offer advanced treatment for persons with genito-urinary conditions, chronic and acute kidney failures, as well as nephrology services such as kidney transplants.

“The two (2) storey Urology and Nephrology Centre will have a thirty-one (31) suite dialysis station for persons with kidney disorders, and seventy (70) beds for genito-urinary patients. The Centre will also provide out-patient services, and serve as a resource base to conduct research into urology and nephrology cases,” he said.

The President was confident that the construction of these facilities at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital will put Korle Bu “in a strong position to give meaning to medical tourism services to neighbouring countries, thereby increasing its revenue base to expand services”.

Story: Sheila Satori Mensa

The Chinese Embassy to Ghana Donates Medical Supplies to the New Patriotic Party of Ghana

On July 27, 2020, Mr. ZHU Jing, Charge d’affaires of the Chinese Embassy to Ghana handed over medical supplies to the New Patriotic Party of Ghana. The donation is provided by the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China.

Hon. Frederick Blay, Chairman of the New Patriotic Party received the donation on behalf of the Party.

Mr. ZHU said that, in February this year, when the Chinese people were at the height of the battle against the COVID-19, H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, President of the Republic of Ghana and Honorable Blay wrote a letter separately to H.E. Xi Jinping, President of the People’s Republic of China to express solidarity and support for the Chinese people to fight against the pandemic. This was a strong testament to the brotherly friendship between two parties and would be recorded in the history of our two countries.

As the Ghanaian people are suffering this trying time, the Communist Party of China empathizes and stands firmly with the Ghanaian people in contending with this daunting challenge.

The International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China therefore made special arrangement to donate anti-epidemic supplies to the New Patriotic Party.

The Chinese side will continue sharing experience in disease prevention and treatment with the Ghanaian side to win the battle against major communicable disease and build a closer China-Africa community with a shared future.

W/R: Mother and Child Health negatively impacted on Health service performance – Dr Jacob Mahama

The Western Regional Director of Health Service, Dr. Jacob Mahama on encounter with the media has stated that, the Mother and Child Health intervention has particularly been hit on the challenges and restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic has greatly and negatively impacted on the western regional Health Service performance in the first half year of 2020.

This was due in the attendance at Antenatal care service which has been falling for several past years and persisting in 2019 mid year from 37.6% to 36.7% in 2020 mid year as they targeted 95%.

The theme for the encounter with the media in the Western Regional was “Continuing Quality Health Service Delivery Amid COVID-19 Pandemic Challenges”

He said communication between health workers and clients has been reduced to a functional minimum. Meanwhile they are to ensure the provision of quality services.

According to him, they have to emphasis the nature of the environment to continue to operate in order to render invaluable healthcare services to all and sundry in the Western Region and Ghana at large.

Dr. Mahama stated that the Health sector has badly been affected by the restrictive nature of the preventive protocols that they all need to observe to survive the pandemic.

Briefing the media in Sekondi-Takoradi at the Ghana Health Service Training Unit on other health issues in the Western Region, Dr. Jacob Mahama said increase in number of new ART sites in the Western Region will help to move HIV services closer to the clients in identifying and giving multiple worth of drugs, up to 6 months, to stable clients reduced the burden of frequent visits to clinic.

He noted, difficulty in tracing clients who have defaulted or are lost to follow up due to wrong addresses and phone numbers still persist as challenges including discrimination of people living with HIV.

Again adherence to treatment protocols, constant monitoring and supervising of the peripheral staff and health facilities and regular feedback has yielded deserved results in control of malaria in the Western Region. Meanwhile difficulties imposed by COVID-19, tuberculosis case notification rate has a significant drop from 34 to 31/100,000 population in 2019 mid year respectively, translating into a drop of 62 cases.

The Director of Health Service in the Western Region hinted of new projects including the refurbishment of Effia-Nkwanta Regional Hospital, construction of a Trauma Center in Agona Nkwanta-Ahanta West, Remodeling of Mpohor Health Center, Construction a hospital in Nsuaem, Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipality, construction of 100 bed hospital at Shama and construction of Poly-Clinic at Elubo.

According to him inadequate Transport “Pick-ups and motor bikes”, Pharmacists and Large number of casuals draining Internal Generated Fund “IGF” are challenges facing the Health Service in western region.

Source: Benjamin Bray-Vision1 Fm

All-China Federation of Trade Unions Donates Medical Supplies and Office Equipment to the Organization of African Trade Union Unity at the Chinese Embassy in Ghana

On July 14th, All-China Federation of Trade Unions (ACFTU) donates medical supplies and office equipment to the Organization of African Trade Union Unity (OATUU). The donations, including 20,000 disposable nose masks, 1,000 bottles of hand sanitizer and office equipment like computers and printers, were handed over from Mr. Zhu Jing, Charge D’affaires of Chinese Embassy in Ghana to Mr. Mezhoud Arezki, General Secretary of OATUU.

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In his speech, Mr. Zhu emphasized that the COVID-19 pandemic is a major challenge to humankind, and is the most serious global public health emergency since the end of World War II.

Mr. Zhu Jing, Charge D’affaires of Chinese Embassy in Ghana and Mr. Mezhoud Arezki, General Secretary of OATUU.

In the face of COVID-19, China and Africa have offered mutual support and fought shoulder to shoulder with each other, which enhanced solidarity and strengthened friendship and mutual trust.

Mr. Zhu said that, over the years, the OATUU has forged and maintained profound friendship and good cooperative relations with China. The Chinese side values this traditional friendship and firmly support the anti-pandemic efforts of OATUU and African workers. We are ready to work with the OATUU to enhance our cooperation and friendship and build a China-Africa community of health for all.

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Mr. Mezhoud Arezki, General Secretary of OATUU, highly commended China’s timely and generous assistance for Africa’s fight against COVID-19. He said, Africa is at a difficult time in the fight against the COVID-19. China has made key contributions to protecting the rights of African workers by supporting the OATUU during this critical moment.

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On behalf of the OATUU and the trade unions in all African countries, I’d like to express heartfelt thanks to the valuable support and friendly donations from the ACFTU and the great assistance from the Chinese Embassy.

Covid-19: Preserving Democracy; The Health of The Nation. what are our priorities? Part 1

On 12th March 2020, the first two cases of covid19 were recorded in Ghana from two individuals who returned from Norway and Turkey. Since then, the global pandemic has gained notoriety in Ghana and is making its paths deeper into even the 3 regions which hitherto for over two months had not recorded a single case. As a nation we can count in excess of 19,000 confirmed cases at the moment which is quite troubling. On 12th March Ghana had recorded 2 cases, 556 on 12th of April, 5,127 on 12th of May, 10, 856 on 12th of June and by this data, in excess of an estimated 25,000 cases by the 12th of July is projected, should the trend continues. Let’s hold on to the loss of human lives for now.

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What are our priorities as a nation? Are we conscious of the realities? Are we managing this disease well enough?

Will we say recovery rates are impressive? Yes very, but have we thought about those who might have been exposed to these individuals before they showed symptoms? Could the numbers go up if we do not continue with the attitude we exhibited when we first learnt about the disease? Are we very safe when Greater Accra, the capital of Ghana has less than 5,000 bed capacity? And what happens should recovery rates not continue to save the situation as has been the case? With a backlog of tests yet to be released and the fact that suspected individuals are discharged to go home and to self-isolate after a few days, are we possibly causing more harm than good? Why have we as a nation waited to complain about shortages of test kits when we know from the global trend that we needed to expect such hikes?

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Are the agencies helping the President of the land enough to do his work effectively after he consistently reiterated the fact that he will not put Ghanaian lives in danger?

Knowing very well that the habit of distancing socially is a challenge as a nation because of our cultural orientation- eg in our markets, shops, schools, religious gatherings, other social gatherings & events etc, does it not become a national headache when people fail to heed to the advice on social distancing protocols at registration centres?

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How do we change this habit as a people? Should agencies and institutions be allowed to downplay their roles to offer the opportunity for certain individuals and organizations to score political points out of a deep-rooted national canker? Once again are some individuals and agencies making the the government and the EC look as if they are not working enough? Who enforces law of social distancing at registration centres? Are we saving our democracy at the expense of our health?

Why have the nation Ghana which was rated amongst the best managers of the pandemic suddenly cut down tests at a time when the case counts are escalating and is nearing a 20,000 mark?

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Should the President of the land His Excellency Nana Akufo-Addo call some specific individuals, agencies and institutions to order before the nation falls sick? Can we be excited with the high recovery rates only, and yet ignore a surge in the death rates (117 deaths as at the time of writing) coupled with lesser numbers of testing as a whole? Have the interests and focus of the nation changed? In case we are pursuing the two agenda, are we placing priority on democracy over the nation’s health?

As we deploy our military to prevent intruders from neighboring countries who could be carriers of the disease, can we consider deploying enough police to enforce the president’s directives at the registration centres to save the citizens from getting possible infection from unsuspecting individuals? Do we need to change our attitude as a people so as to make this voter registration exercise a success or we allow the naysayers to celebrate at the end of the day? Can we sanitize the entire voter registration exercise?

What are our priorities?

From:
The President,
INTELLECTUAL PATRIOTS

Probing the Statusquo: Facing the Reality

Contact: info.intellectualpatriots@gmail.com

Coronavirus Vaccine Could Be Ready By Next Month

There is seems to be a breakthrough against the current global pandemic, as the coronavirus vaccine could be available to give in the form of an inhaler by next month according to a report.

Trials of a vaccine being developed by Oxford University are currently ongoing with the initial target of September to be available to the public.

Drug company Astra Zeneca has stated it will produce the vaccine light so it’s ready when final approval is given and intends to produce two billion doses thanks to funding from Microsoft billionaire Bill Gates.

The Oxford University team are reportedly “80 per cent confident” the Covid-19 vaccine work in younger people and say the vaccine could be given using a device like an asthma inhaler next month.

The news came in an online lecture for Oxford University’s Centre for Personalised Medicine given by team member Professor Adrian Hill, the Daily Mail reports.

He revealed that the clinical trials will end when the vaccine has clearly been found to protect people.

“We are guessing that might be around about August time – it might be before if cases do not decline as quickly as we expect, or be later if we run out of cases,” he revealed.

The Oxford trial began back in April and began recruiting up to 10,260 adults over 55 and children.

AstraZeneca has already agreed to supply 100 million doses of the potential vaccine to the UK.

It has also signed a massive $1 billion deal for a coronavirus vaccine with the U.S government.

The Anglo-Swedish firm will supply 400 million doses of the Covid-19 drug currently being developed by the University of Oxford.

The drug is still undergoing trials at the university’s Jenner Institute, which is working with the Oxford Vaccine Group on the project.

The order from US Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority comes after demands for from Donald Trump for a coronavirus vaccine by the end of the year, as part of program dubbed ‘Operation Warp Speed’.

There is no vaccine or treatment available for the virus but doctors around the world are testing current anti-viral drugs to see if they can deal coronavirus.

Coronavirus since its outbreak from the Chinese city of Wuhan in December 31 2019, has killed more than 300,000 people while over 4 million people have been affected globally.

Just In: Five staff of Multimedia Group test positive for Covid-19

Five employees of the Multimedia Group have tested positive for coronavirus.

The Ghana Health Service tested the five members of staff, who work in the company’s business offices in Accra.

Below is the full statement issued by the company

Multimedia Records Covid Case

This is to inform you that five (5) members of our team at our business offices in Accra who were contact traced and tested by the Ghana Health Service (GHS), have tested positive for the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (Covid-19).

The affected team members, who were all asymptomatic, have been isolated in line with case management protocols. Officials of the Ghana Health Service are monitoring them and we can report that they are all hale and hearty and are responding well to treatment.

As part of ensuring the safety and well-being of our team members and our guests and to minimise any potential for spread of the virus, we have ramped up internal contract tracing, in liaison with the Ghana Health Service. Together, we have ensured that team members who may have come into contact with the five (5) team members who tested positive have been tested and have gone into self-isolation for 14 days as required. In addition, all remaining team members are to be tested. Testing commenced on Monday, June 15, 2020.

Furthermore, thorough disinfection and deep cleansing of our studios, offices and facilities takes place on daily basis.

The measures, as indicated above, have been taken to enable us protect team members, guests and visitors to our studios and offices. The measures notwithstanding, we wish to encourage all team members and guests to observe the enhanced safety protocols we have put in place in all our offices and branches.

Be assured that we are working with health authorities to implement all safety measures as required while discharging our responsibility to the nation, our audience and advertisers even in these difficult times.

Kind regards,

Management
The Multimedia Group

Health Minister discharged from the hospital – Oppong-Nkrumah

Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, the Minister of Health, who tested positive for the novel Coronavirus , has been discharged from the University of Ghana Medical Centre (UGMC) where he was receiving treatment.

Speaking at a press briefing Monday evening, the Minister of Information, Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah disclosed that he had spoken to Kwaku Agyeman-Manu and he told him he was currently responding to treatment at home.

“He [Agyeman-Manu] is not physically sick but he is taking the medication he has been given and he is responding to treatment,” he said.

Mr. Agyeman-Manu was receiving treatment at the University of Ghana Medical Centre after contracting COVID-19 .

Earlier in a post on Facebook on Monday morning, Kwaku Agyeman-Manu expressed appreciation to President Akufo-Addo for his well-wishes after the president said Agyeman-Manu was infected with Covid-19 “in the line of duty” and was hospitalised last week.

“I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to the President and all Ghanaians for your well wishes and prayers. By the grace of God, I’m responding to treatment,” he wrote in the Facebook post.

President Akufo-Addo during his 11th address to the nation on government’s fight against the Coronavirus pandemic in Ghana wished Agyeman-Manu a speedy recovery from COVID-19 .
“Let us wish our hardworking Minister for Health, Hon. Kwaku Agyeman Manu, MP for Dormaa Central, a speedy recovery from the virus, which he contracted in the line of duty, and is in a stable condition,” the President urged.

That mention by the president, cleared all doubt about the reason for the health minister’s admission.

Ghana’s current COVID-19 case count stands at 11,964 with 4,258 recoveries and 54 deaths as of Monday 15 June, 2020.

Bill Gates said it’s hard to deny vaccine conspiracy theories involving him because they’re ‘so stupid’

Billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates said in a call with reporters Wednesday that it’s “almost hard to deny” the conspiracy theories surrounding him and vaccines “because it’s so stupid.”

Misinformation has been circulating in recent weeks falsely claiming that Gates is behind a plot to use vaccines to implant microchips in people.

When asked about a Yahoo News/YouGov poll showing that 28% of Americans, including 44% of Republicans and 50% of Fox News viewers, wrongly believe this, he said it’s “a little bit concerning.”

Gates, whose foundation pledged an additional $1.6 billion on Thursday toward vaccinating children in low-income countries, said misinformation hasn’t “held up” the global funding effort to develop a COVID-19 vaccine, but that it could make it harder to reach herd immunity if and when a vaccine is found.

Billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates denied and shrugged off baseless conspiracy theories about him being behind a plot to use vaccines to implant tracking microchips in people during a call with reporters on Wednesday.

“I’ve never been involved any sort of microchip type thing … It’s almost hard to deny this stuff because it’s so stupid or strange,” he said.

Gates has attempted to sound the alarm about the dangers of pandemics for years and urged world leaders, including then-president-elect Donald Trump in late 2016, to take stronger steps to prepare. He famously gave a TED talk in 2015 that warned of the potentially staggering death toll a worldwide pandemic could entail.

Citing that talk, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s $300 million commitment to fight COVID-19 and develop a vaccine, some right-wing fringe groups and pundits began spreading misinformation online in January that Gates is somehow behind the virus’ creation and wants to profit from it.”It is good to know which kids have had a measles vaccine and which have not,” Gates said, adding that “there are needed systems,” like health records that should be in place to help healthcare workers identify who has been immunized, but that no microchips are involved whatsoever.

“Our foundation gets money to buy vaccines,” he said. “That’s why we saw the risk of a pandemic and spoke out.”

Still, coronavirus-related Bill Gates conspiracy theories exploded on social media and TV: They were mentioned 1.2 million times in March and April, according to data provided to The New York Times by media intelligence firm Zignal Labs.

In a recent survey by Yahoo News and YouGov, 28% of Americans said they believed the conspiracy theory, while 44% of Republicans and 50% of Fox News viewers thought it was true. (By contrast, 61% of MSNBC viewers said it was false). When asked about the poll, Gates said he found it “a little bit concerning,” but said it hadn’t prevented governments and other groups across the globe from funding COVID-19 vaccine development efforts.

However, he did express some concern that, if and when a vaccine is found, anti-vaccine sentiment could make it harder to reach herd immunity — which occurs when enough of a population is immune to a pathogen that it prevents its further spread.

Gates also argued that when vaccines are ready to manufacture, they should be distributed first to countries with weaker healthcare infrastructure and where social distancing is less feasible. His foundation announced an additional $1.6 billion pledge over the next five years to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, to immunize children in low-income countries.

“The world needs to work together to develop safe and effective vaccines and make sure that we scale up the manufacturing so we can get them out to those need them the most, not necessarily those who can pay the most,” he said.

The Rebecca Foundation and Brain Project donate Hospital equipment and PPEs to needy institutions

The Rebecca Foundation and the Brain Project has donated hospital equipment and consumables to some health institutions across the country.

In all, seven (7) municipal, constituencies and hospitals benefited from the donations. They include New Juaben North Municipal Assembly, Akuapem North Municipal Assembly Jaman North constituency, Sefwi Akontombra constituency, Takoradi Constituency, Lower Manya Krobo constituency and Gomoa Fetteh Holy Faith hospital.

Items donated to the beneficiary health institutions include 3D Ultra sound machines, examination beds, walking sticks, rollators, operating lamps and hospital consumables.

Making the donations on behalf of the First lady and The Rebecca Foundation, Mrs Akosua Newman, Director of Operations at the Office of The First Lady said Mrs. Akufo-Addo and The Rebecca Foundation is determined to contribute to making health care accessible and affordable to the good people of Ghana, especially in this time of Convid -19.

She said while the Foundation recognized the efforts government is making to re-equip the country’s health facilities with ultra-modern hospital equipment and ambulances, it is imperative for corporate institutions and benevolent individuals to contribute to improving our health sector.

Speaking on behalf of the beneficiary institutions, the Member of Parliament (MP) for the Takoradi Constituency and Regional Minister of Western Region, Hon. Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah, expressed gratitude to the Rebecca Foundation and the Brain Project.

The Takoradi MP assured The Rebecca Foundation that items would be put to good use.

Other government officials present to receive donations on behalf of their constituencies were MP for Jaman North and Deputy Minister for Bono Region Hon. Siaka Stevens, MP for Sefwi Akontombra and Deputy Regional Minister for Western North- Hon. Alex Tetteh and Deputy Regional Minister for Eastern Region, Hon. Samuel Nuertey Ayertey.

Story: Sheila Satori Mensa

Causes, Prevetion and Remedies of Dark inner Thighs

Dark skin on the inner thighs occurs when the skin in that area produces abundance of melanin.

“Melanin” is The pigment that gives human skin, hair, and eyes their colour. Dark-skinned people have more melanin in their skin than light-skinned people especially “albino” Melanin is produced by cells called melanocytes.

Dark inner thighs may force you to limit your choice of clothing and make you extremely self-conscious and hesitant. If you are seeking natural alternatives to this problem, we have your back. Listed below are some excellent home remedies that can assist in lightening dark inner thighs

How to prevent dark Inner thigh:

1. Wearbicycle or nylon shorts to prevent chafing.

2. Keep the affected area clean and dry.

3. Exfoliate the affected area regularly.

4. Wear loose and breathable clothing when the weather is hot and humid.

5. Avoid shaving in the affected area to prevent further irritation.

Following these tips regularly can reduce your chances of getting hyperpigmentation on your inner thighs to a great extent

Causes:

There are many reasons you may experience darkening of the inner thigh.

–Regular wearing of bomshot(tight)this happens when your body perspire alot without proper hygiene

–Obesity: It increases the risk of chafing.

–Hormonal imbalance especially pregnant women and lactating mothers

–Certain medical conditions like diabetes or acanthosis nigricans

-Occupations that require you to stay out in the sun for long periods

Remedies:

1) COCONUT OIL & LEMON JUICE

Coconut oil serves as a moisturizer while lemon is packed with vitamin C to exfoliate the skin.

HOW TO USE;Combine few teaspoons of of coconut oil and squeeze out half average sized lemon. Rub the mixture on affected area & massage for about 10minutes. Then Wash off area.

Combine few teaspoons of of coconut oil and squeeze out half average sized lemon. Rub the mixture on affected area & massage for about 10minutes. Then Wash off area.

2) SUGAR, LEMON & HONEY SCRUB

Sugar is very good for skin exfoliation & brightening.

HOW TO USE;Mix juice from half lemon bulb with one teaspoon of sugar and one tablespoon of honey. The mixture is a greasy scrub… Scrub gently unto the areas and leave for about 20minutes before washing off.

Mix juice from half lemon bulb with one teaspoon of sugar and one tablespoon of honey. The mixture is a greasy scrub… Scrub gently unto the areas and leave for about 20minutes before washing off.

BAKING SODA PASTE

Baking soda helps lighten skin but should be used with caution. It may be harsh and irritate certain kind of skin type ( if it is then discontinue use) even if it is highly effective. HOW TO USE; Mix baking soda with water to form a paste. Rub paste on discoloration and leave for about 15minutes before rinsing off.

4) ALOE VERA

Aloe is still the queen of natural remedies for it’s minimal side effects. Directly apply aloe gel from the plant on the affected area and leave for about 20minutes then Wash off.

TOOTHPASTE AND LEMON

Mix toothpaste with juice from fresh lemon and rub generously on area. Leave for 15minutes and wash off.

If you find this useful and enlighten please don’t forget to share, knowledge is power.

Ministry of Health rejects 9 FDA, CSIR approved medicines for Covid-19

The ministry of health, headed by Hon Kwaku Agyeman Manu has rejected nine herbal medicines which the Center for Scientific and industrial Research, out of the many product that were presented to them for Scientific Research to fight the deadly Covid-19, together with the Food and Drugs Authority have approved.

The Center for Scientific and Industrial Research earlier approved nine Herbal medicines, together with the Food and Drugs Authority and later presented to the Ministry for final approval for the medicines to be used on the Covid-19 patients, but the ministry has totally rejected all of them.

Meanwhile, Madagascar is reaching out to the FDA to scientifically test the efficacy of their herbal cure.

It is believed that we as a country are waiting for a vaccine which is yet to be discovered

Ghana’s Total confirmed cases = 8,070 (new cases = 189)
Total recoveries = 2,947
Total deaths = 36
Active cases = 5,087

Tullow Off-shore staff test positive for COVID-19

Ghana’s upstream oil and gas industry has been hit by the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) following the confirmation of 57 new positive cases among workers on the Jubilee Field operated by Tullow Oil on Friday.

Last Tuesday, May 26, 2020, the first two cases were confirmed and an immediate contact tracing exercise was done and it led to the confirmation of an additional one case on Thursday, May, 28, 2020.

They are all asymptomatic.

The remaining 50 personnel onboard the KNK FPSO tested negative, according to a statement issued by Tullow Ghana on Friday, May 29, 2020.

The first cases were on the premier production platform, FPSO Kwame Nkrumah.

As part of contact tracing, the Ghana Health Service (GHS) tested personnel on board the contractor support vessel CSV Lancelot and that has led to the confirmation of 57 additional cases.

The management of Tullow have however explained that the development will not impact production, as those people identified, have already been isolated and are being managed.

Below is a copy of the statement

UPDATE ON COVID-19 CASES ON TULLOW GHANA FACILITIES; PRODUCTION UNAFFECTED

Following the report of 2 positive cases of COVID-19 by Tullow Ghana on 26 May 2020, the Ghana Health Service (GHS) confirmed on Thursday 28 May that contact tracing and testing of personnel onboard the Kwame Nkrumah (KNK) FPSO revealed 1 positive case of COVID-19.

The affected individual is in good health and has been medically evacuated from the KNK to an onshore isolation facility for monitoring.

The remaining 50 personnel onboard the KNK FPSO tested negative. Production on board the FPSO remains unaffected.

Also as part of contact tracing, GHS tested personnel on board contractor support vessel CSV Lancelot.

GHS has confirmed today, that 57 of the 200 personnel onboard the CSV Lancelot tested positive for COVID-19.

All affected personnel are being brought onshore for isolation and case management.

Tullow’s immediate concern is for the safety and well-being of personnel and the public, and to minimize any potential for spread of the virus. Enhanced social distancing is being enforced on both vessels and permanent restriction of movement between CSV Lancelot and KNK is in place.

Tullow Ghana reiterates its commitment to the WHO and GHS safety protocols and procedures to limit the risk of spreading Covid-19.

Donald Trump “terminates relationship” with the WHO and blames it for spread of “Wuhan virus” as he accuses it of failing to make reforms

President Donald Trump announced on Friday that the United States was terminating its relationship with the World Health Organization as he laid down the gauntlet against China.

‘We will be today terminating our relationship with the World Health Organization and directing those funds to worldwide and deserving, urgent global public health needs,’ he said during a press conference in the White House Rose Garden.

He blamed the move on China not being transparent enough about the ‘Wuhan’ virus, which is what he has called the coronavirus, and slammed Beijing’s over reach in Hong Kong.

Trump did not take questions at the Friday afternoon event, which the White House billed at a news conference. His less than 10 minutes of remarks were focused exclusively on the WHO, China and Hong Kong.

He ignored the other major news of the day: the death of George Floyd, the black Minnesota man who died after a white police officer kneeled on his neck. Trump’s tweets on the matter were muzzled by Twitter, which said they violated the company’s policy against ‘inciting violence.’ Trump had warned the ‘thugs’ protesting in Minneapolis he would send in the National Guard, adding that ‘looting leads to shooting.’

Trump tried to explain his words in another round of tweets shortly before his event – where reporters were expected to quiz him on it – by saying he was simply stating a fact and not making a threat.

He kept his event focused on China, but held back on announcing tough new sanctions on launching a full-scale trade war, keeping his punishment focused on the WHO.

‘China has total control over the World Health Organization, despite only paying $40 million per year compared to what the United States has been paying, which is approximately $450 million a year. We have detailed the reforms that it must make and engage with them directly, but they have refused to act,’ Trump said.

WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesu has defended his agency’s work and called for the world to come together to battle the coronavirus.

Trump has targeted China since he took office, starting a trade war with Beijing.

The president also has been a frequent critic of the WHO’s relationship with China, complaining the group didn’t do enough to push that country to release information about the coroanvirus, which was first detected in Wuhan.

China’s cover-up of the Wuhan virus allowed the disease to spread all over the world, instigating a global pandemic that has cost more than 100,000 American lives,’ he said.

Trump also announced Hong Kong’s role as a global financial center is at risk after China insisted on imposing a strict political crackdown of the territory.

‘I am directing my administration to begin the process of eliminating policy exemptions that give Hong Kong different and special treatment,’ he said.

‘We will be revising the state departments’ travel advisory for Hong Kong to reflect the increased danger of surveillance and punishment by the Chinese state security apparatus. We will take action to revoke Hong Kong’s preferential treatment as a separate customs and travel territory from the rest of China,’ he added.

The World Health Organization became a target of President Trump in his blame game as he points the finger for the devastating effects of the coronavirus – an economic down turn and over 100,000 American deaths – at everyone but his administration. Also feeling Trump’s fury has been China, the states, governors and the Democrats.

The president has called it ‘China-centric’ and complained they ‘missed the call’ when it came to the coronavirus.

Trump’s main beef with the United Nations health group is that leadership there said it wasn’t necessary to ban travelers coming in from China as the coronavirus started spreading beyond Wuhan, where it originated.

The president has bragged that his early ban of some travelers from China kept it from being a greater threat to the U.S.

Trump has followed the lead of prominent conservatives in complaining that the WHO has been too friendly to China during the coronavirus crisis.

The WHO is funded in two ways – through assessed contributions and voluntary contributions. The U.S. is its largest contributor.

The assessed contributions, which are like dues to the organization, are calculated by looking at a country’s wealth and population.

In its February budget proposal, the Trump administration called for slashing the U.S. contribution to the WHO in half from the previous fiscal year – from $122.6 million to $57.9 million.

While the U.S. pays the most in assessed contributions, that full pot of money has only accounted for less than 25 per cent of WHO’s haul over the past few years.

However, Americans NGOs and charity organizations, along with taxpayer dollars, do make up the biggest chunk of the WHO’s funding.

On January 31, the Trump administration announced travel restrictions on people coming from China due to the outbreak.

But WHO said such bans were not needed, noting that ‘travel bans to affected areas or denial of entry to passengers coming from affected areas are usually not effective in preventing the importation’ of coronavirus cases, but may instead ‘have a significant economic and social impact.’

And the group noted that ‘restricting the movement of people and goods during public health emergencies is ineffective in most situations and may divert resources from other interventions.’

‘Fortunately I rejected their advice on keeping our borders open to China early on,’ Trump tweeted in early April when he first began to target the WHO.

‘Why did they give us such a faulty recommendation?’ the president asked.

Coronavirus vaccine gets positive results in first human trial

The first COVID-19 vaccine to reach clinical trials in humans was determined to be both safe and generate an immune response against the virus — a “milestone” in the battle to defeat the deadly bug, a new study found.

A single dose of the vaccine was found to produce virus-fighting antibodies and T cells, a type of immune cell, two weeks after it’s administered, according to the peer-reviewed study, published Friday in the journal The Lancet.

“These results represent an important milestone,” the lead researcher on the study, Professor Wei Chen, said.

Producing both antibodies and T cells is an ideal result for a vaccine, the researchers said. A vaccine that does both not only triggers the body to produce virus-specific immune cells, but also supports the body’s innate immune response.

But the potential vaccine is far from being made available for widespread use. Further trials are needed to determine whether the vaccine effectively protects against infection — rather than just triggers an immune response to the virus.

“The challenges in the development of a COVD-19 vaccine are unprecedented, and the ability to trigger these immune responses does not necessarily indicate that the vaccine will protect humans from COVID-19,” Chen said.

“This result shows a promising vision for the development of COVID-19 vaccines, but we are still a long way from this vaccine being available to all.”

The study’s authors also noted that their research is limited because of its small sample size and short duration, and it also lacked a control group.

The study, conducted in Wuhan, China, by the Beijing Institute of Biotechnology tested different doses of the vaccine in 108 healthy adults who did not have the coronavirus.

The vaccine produced no serious adverse effects at all doses — and was tolerated well among the adults who took it, according to the research.

After two weeks, the vaccine produced virus-fighting antibodies across all dose levels, with the highest dose level triggering antibodies in 61 percent of those who took it.

A majority of participants also produced virus-fighting T cells two weeks after taking the vaccine, which were also greatest at the higher dose levels.

The Beijing Institute of Biotechnology’s vaccine is just one of dozens being studied around the world as public health authorities desperately search for a cure for the pandemic, which has already killed more than 94,000 people in the US alone.

Another promising experimental vaccine from Oxford University also reached a milestone Friday, with researchers announcing they will be progressing to advanced stages of human trials in more than 10,000 volunteers.

Zambia: Information Minister tests covid-19 positive, case tally at 920

Information Minister and chief government spokesperson, Dora Siliya

Zambia is one of southern Africa’s most impacted nations despite being way behind continent leader South Africa.

A lockdown imposed by President Edgar Lungu has since been relaxed following a continent-wide trend. This article will focus on major developments coming from the southern African country.

May 24: govt spokesperson tests positive

Information Minister and chief government spokesperson, Dora Siliya, confirmed testing positive for COVID-19 on Saturday. In a video posted on Twitter, she said she had gone into immediate self-isolation despite being asymptomatic.

“I have since alerted the ministry of health and I have given them all my contacts especially in the last 10 days,” she added. “Let us continue to observe social distancing, masking and washing our hands regularly,” she advised.

The World Health Organization’s Africa head reacting to the news today congratulated the Minister for being open about her status and wished herOver in South Sudan, the first vice-president and a number of ministers had earlier this week tested positive for the virus. Over in Nigeria three state governors have recovered from the virus – those in question are governors of Oyo, Kaduna and Bauchi.

Zambia virus stats as of May 24, 2020 at 13:00 GMT

Confirmed cases = 920

Deaths = 7

Recoveries = 336

Active cases = 577

https://twitter.com/Dora_Siliya/status/1264211882094858240?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1264507855627001856&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.africanews.com%2F2020%2F05%2F24%2Fzambia-shuts-border-with-tanzania-over-virus-spread-fearMay 20: Nakonde records more new cases

Nakonde, the border town with Tanzania continues to record more cases of the virus. It remains the most impacted town with a tally that far outstrips the capital Lusaka.

Nakonde recorded 47 new cases on Wednesday bringing its tally to 456. Which represents more than half of the national case count which stands at 832. Thirteen other new cases were spread between six other districts.

Active cases currently stand at 628 with recoveries up to 197 and seven deaths so far. The one-stop border post in Nakonde was closed last week by President Lungu amid a spike in cases.

May 14: Case spike continues with Nakonde leading

Zambia has more than doubled its COVID-19 figures from five days ago. 208 new cases took the case count to 654. Of the cases, 196 were in Nakonde, a border town with Tanzania and the other 12 in Chirundu.

The current tally of 654 means an increase of 387 cases within the last three days. As of May 10, the number of confirmed cases stood at 267.

May 14 = 654 cases (208 new cases), 7 deaths, 124 recoveries
May 13 = 446 cases (5 new cases), 7 deaths, 117 recoveries
May 12 = 441 cases (174 new cases), 7 deaths, 117 recoveries
May 11 = 267 cases (0 new cases), 7 deaths, 117 recoveries
May 10 = 267 cases, 7 deaths, 117 recoveries

The town of Nakonde was declared a hot spot by the Ministry of Health on May 10 leading to the closure of the frontier with Tanzania.

The Nakonde – Tunduma border post was launched in October 2019 at a ceremony attended by Presidents Lungu and Magufuli. Zambia opted to close it in order to better contain spread of virus in the area.

May 10: Closure of border with Tanzania

The Zambian government has announced the closure of its common border with Tanzania. On Saturday (May 9) 76 new cases were reported in Nakonde, the border town in question

The president directed that with effect from Monday 11th May, 2020; “the Nakonde border will be temporarily closed. There shall be no traffic in and out of Nakonde,” Health Minister Chitalu Chilufya announced at a COVID-19 press briefing on Sunday.

The measure is to facilitate the roll out of targeted interventions. During the time, immigration staff at the border will be trained and retrained on how to safely deal with entry of persons and goods.

Redeployments and reinforcements will also be undertaken, whiles Personal Protective Equipments and quarantine facilities and other key logistics will reinforced with the view to protect the lives of officials and the people of Nakonde.

Zambia’s case stats as of today stands at 267 confirmed cases with 117 discharges and 7 deaths. Tanzania on the other hand has 509 cases, 21 deaths and 183 recoveries, according to John Hopkins University tallies.

Tanzania’s overall response to the pandemic has been a mix of controversy. From president Magufuli casting doubts on the efficacy of test kits, refusal to implement measures such as curfew or lockdowns and reported cases of midnight burials.

The border in question is the Nakonde – Tunduma One Stop Border Post (OSBP) was launched in October 2019 at a ceremony attended by the two leaders. It is said to be one of the busiest crossing points in Southern Africa with an average traffic flow of 600 trucks per day.

The OSBP was touted as significantly reducing the time spent at the border from the average of 4 days at the time of launch to 1 day hence helping truck drivers and traders increase on their profit and save time.

“Once fully operation, the border will handle higher traffic levels which will in return improve competitiveness of the corridor resulting in increased trade volumes. Ultimately this infrastructure will promote border coordination making our shared border smart and efficient,” the Zambian leader said at the time.

May 8: Relaxation of lockdown measures

The president in an address to the nation on Friday announced the reopening of restaurants, gyms and casinos “as he calls on Zambian scientists to find local solutions to the COVID-19 pandemic,” local news portal Mwebantu reported.

However, bars and taverns were to remain closed until further notice. The president also reopened examination classes in schools beginning 1st June 2020. He stressed that all these measures should comply with public health measures aimed at containing and combating spread of the virus

The president also challenged Zambian scientists to help find local solution to the COVID-19 pandemic. He stressed the need for professionals to find local solutions to challenges and not always rely on foreign solutions.

How doctors delivered Covid-19 expectant mother in Western Region

A COVID-19 positive woman has been delivered of a bouncy baby girl at the Apinto Government Hospital in the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipality in the Western Region.

The baby was delivered via a Caesarean section by a medical team, led by a specialist Obstetrician and Gynaecologist

The team, which was made up of doctors, nurses, midwives and anaesthetic, with support from cleaners, was confronted with the real life situation of saving the life of mother and child or ignore that for the fear of contracting COVID-19.

Narrating the operation to the Daily Graphic, the Medical Superintendent of the Apinto Government Hospital and Obstetrician/Gynaecologist, Dr Frank Baidoo-Ansah, said it was a critical moment in their lives as health workers.

“It was a life and death situation but we mustered courage and were strong-minded to overcome the understandable fear.

“Thankfully, professionalism won the day as we all came together and did what we know best to save both mother and baby,” he said proudly.

Vacuum delivery

Dr Baidoo-Ansah indicated that the pregnant woman (identity withheld) was already in an advance stage of her pregnancy when she tested positive for COVID-19 as a contact traced and was subsequently admitted to hospital for monitoring three weeks before the labour set in.

“The woman was actually at our treatment centre after she tested positive to COVID-19 and we have all along been taking care of her and were hoping that she would fully recover before going into labour, but that did not happen.

“C she began showing signs of being in labour, we started weighing the options; the entire team came together, assessed the situation and the verdict was: we had to do what would have been done in normal circumstances.”

“We monitored until she was fully dilated and to push the baby out but we realised that she was having difficulties pushing the baby out. We then decided to use a machine for vacuum delivery which proved unsuccessful, thus resorted to the final option, delivering her by surgery.”

Caesarean section

Dr Baidoo-Ansah said they quickly prepared a team and moved her from the labour ward to the theatre and all was done with such swiftness as they had to be well protected in full personal protective equipment (PPE) as well as ensure that they moved in real time to save both mother and baby.

“There was no time to waste as we immediately had to switch from the labour ward to the theatre for the surgical procedure.

“Being in the full PPE slows movement down a bit, but at that moment, there was no time to waste,” he said.

Dr Baidoo-Ansah said the joyous moment came after the team successfully performed the Caesarean section, which saw the delivery of a bouncy baby girl.

“The team usually commend one another for a good job done after each successful procedure, but this one was special and, instinctly, we all clapped to welcome the baby when she let out a cry, like every baby does once it was delivered.”

Proud achievement

Asked if it was a difficult moment for them to get that close to a known person with COVID-19, he said: “Yes, this is because this is a patient who has reported to our facility and we have been taking care of her for weeks before the day of delivery.

“We went into the process, fully prepared and well dressed and took extra precaution because we knew the risks were higher and the decision to go to theatre was also not an easy one as it took a lot of courage on the part of each member of the team to decide we took the risk,” he recalled.

He indicated that both the labour ward and the theatre were immediately disinfected by the cleaners to ensure that they were safe for usage.

He said as a medical superintendent in charge of the facility, he was very proud of the team that took the risk, saying, “we resolved, let’s do this and we did it. At that moment, the woman needed help and we had no option but to do it.”

“I must commend the team, from the professionals to the cleaners. Each one played his or her role well and I can report that the mother and the baby are doing well,” he added.

Asked if members of the team after the successful delivery were tested to ensure that they were not infected, the Medical Superintendent said smiling, “we are all safe, it was a call to duty, as a medical team, we test ourselves from time to time; I must say we are all safe.”

Mother progressing

Dr Baidoo-Ansah indicated that the mother was back at the isolation centre and was being given the needed care under all the prescribed protocols.

Knowing very well what was before them, the team took necessary precautions to ensure that they stayed safe before, during and after the procedure.

The medical team gave an assurance that there would be no mother-to-child transmission of COVID-19 since there were protocols to follow to ensure both were safe.

The mother, who has shown signs of recovery, will undergo the first of two post-recovery tests next week to confirm her status and progress.