WITH no hope in sight of a cure for the deadly Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), the world woke up somewhere in April this year to hear of another pandemic, H1N1 influenza initially refereed to as swine flu.
This is after two pandemics; sars and the avian influenza (bird flu) which in recent times shook the medical world to the position of red alert and saw researchers falling over each other to find a solution.
According to a report issued by the World Health Organisation (WHO) on Wednesday, August 19, 2009, the number of confirmed H1N1 flu deaths since its emergence in April has reached 1,799, a jump from 1,462 deaths since the organisation’s last update.
The WHO report also noted that Ghana, Tuvalu and Zambia became the latest countries to confirm H1N1 cases for the first time, bringing the total number of countries with H1N1 to over 170 worldwide.
H1N1 cases in Ghana
So now whether we like it no not, our country Ghana has been added to the global statistics and as usual the rest of Africa and even parts of the world are closely watching how we handle the situation. This is because we have a history of doing good in such matters. An example is the way and manner in which we faced the avian influenza and pushed it out of our way. Remember, we were commended by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). So far we have not recorded any deaths but seven people have so far tested positive to the disease.
Reports from the Ghana Health Service (GHS) said while the first two patients had been treated and discharged, the latest patients, made up of three people in a family of four, were quarantined in their home and receiving treatment from health professionals.
In an interview with the Daily Graphic on Thursday August 20, 2009, the Director-General of the GHS, Dr Elias K. Sory, noted that there was the need for intensive education on the issue.
The first time the nation was hit with reality was on August 6, 2009 when it recorded its first case of H1N1 in the Greater Accra Region.
Another suspected case, which at the time was under investigation at the Effia Nkwanta Hospital in the Western Region, later turned out to be negative.
The Accra patient, who was a young woman and said to have been infected by a brother who came from the United Kingdom with the virus, went to a health facility with mild symptoms of influenza but further checks detected the presence of the virus.
While the official figure stood at seven by August 22, 2009, some Ghanaians believe that it could be higher due to the fact that we live in a country where hospital attendance is considered a preserve of the rich. Many people treat themselves at home and if they die, in many cases, autopsies are not performed to know the cause of death. Another point is that even if one goes to hospital, one is not properly diagnosed to determine what is actually wrong.
Where are tests for H1N1 carried out?
In the midst of this confusion and uncertainties, the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR) situated near the University of Ghana, Legon came out to say that it was well equipped to test for the presence or otherwise of the H1N1 virus.
The institute informed the nation through an interview with the Daily Graphic that its equipment was of international standard accepted by the WHO, as well as other international organisations.
In the said interview in Accra, the Director of the institute, Professor Alex Nyarko, said it was the same equipment procured about two to three years ago which was used during the outbreak of avian influenza (bird flu).
Prof. Nyarko said the NMIMR was the country’s central laboratory where samples from other laboratories were sent for confirmation of suspected cases.
H1N1 infection and poor countries
A US Global Health Policy report posted on the Internet on August 19, 2009 indicated that the total number of deaths from H1N1 in Latin America rose above 1,300 — more than 70 per cent of the world's fatalities.
The report continued that "With vaccines against swine flu still more than a month away from being available, and wealthy countries snapping up all available pre-orders from the big drug companies, Latin American nations are looking at ignoring patents to produce their own.”
The question is what happens to those of us in Africa who could not produce our vaccines? There is hope all the same, because there are reports to indicate that WHO is working closely with manufacturers to expedite the development of a safe and effective vaccine. Our hope is based on the fact that if WHO gets involved, those of us in the developing world could be assured of getting help from that world body.
Now in the absence of vaccines to protect the world from the H1N1 virus at the moment, what do we do as individuals, communities and a nation to protect ourselves from death?
Fortunately for us in Ghana, we have not as yet recorded any fatality and it is also on record that all the cases we have so far recorded occurred because of contacts they had with relations who returned from abroad. To some of us this means that locally, we are not at risk but the Director-General of the GHS, Dr Sory, holds a different view. To him, there is the possibility of people getting it from others within if we ignore the safety measures and take things for granted. Since there is the presence of the virus in the country, there could be more cases in the near future and so called for intensive education on the issue. At this point, Dr Sory is relying so much on the local media and other opinion leaders to spread the news of personal hygiene.
What is this new influenza?
Reports from the WHO indicate that the new influenza, H1N1 virus (swine flu), has never before circulated among humans. It said the virus is not related to any previous or current human seasonal influenza viruses.
The report explained that the virus is spread from person to person and transmitted as easily as the normal seasonal flu. It could be passed to other people by exposure to infected droplets expelled by coughing or sneezing which could be inhaled, or which could contaminate hands or surfaces.
To prevent spread, people who are ill should cover their mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing, stay home when they are unwell, clean their hands regularly, and keep some distance from healthy people, as much as possible.
The place of origin of the virus, according to the WHO, is unknown.
Signs of influenza H1N1 are similar to that of common cold and they include fever, cough, headache, muscle and joint pain, sore throat and runny nose, and sometimes vomiting and diarrhoea. Health experts say one thing that stands out during infection of the new flu is the intense nature of the fever which is associated with it. One cannot miss it.
Why so much interest in the disease?
Globally, people are asking why the world is so much worried about this flu when hundreds of thousands die every year from other seasonal flu?
This is because the H1N1 is a new virus and one to which most people have no or little immunity and, therefore, the virus could cause more infections than are seen with seasonal flu. The new influenza appears to be as contagious as seasonal influenza, and is spreading fast particularly among young people, mostly people from ages 10 to 45.
The severity of the disease, according to health experts, ranges from very mild symptoms to severe illnesses that can result in death if not treated early. The majority of people who contract the virus experience the milder disease and recover without anti-viral treatment or medical care. Of the more serious cases, more than half of hospitalised people had underlying health conditions or weak immune systems.
The fact that one could not determine whether his or her illness could degenerate to something serious, it is important for people to seek medical care if they experience shortness of breath or difficulty in breathing, or if a fever continues more than three days.
For parents with young children who fall sick with such symptoms, it is important they seek medical care if a child has fast or difficulty breathing, continuing fever, convulsions or seizures.
In the absence of health facilities, people could reduce the risk through supportive care at home which include resting, drinking plenty of fluids and using a pain reliever for aches.
What to do to prevent spread of H1N1
Some of the actions one could take to help prevent swine flu from spreading are for them to cover their noses and mouths with tissue when coughing or sneezing and they are to throw away used tissues.
There is the need for people to wash their hands often with soap and water, especially after coughing or sneezing.
One important measure is the need for people to avoid touching their eyes, nose or mouth and try to avoid close contact with sick people.
If one suffers from any of the symptoms of influenza, it is recommended that such a person should stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to prevent its spread.
How to protect oneself from getting the flu
Information provided by the Ministry of Health (MoH) in Accra showed that regular washing of hand with soap is strongly recommended; hand rubbing with alcohol is also advised where available; people should keep a distance of at least one metre from an infected person to avoid coming into contact with the influenza droplet.
In addition, if contact with a sick person or with potentially infected person or objects occurs, those involved must not touch their eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands.
In same vein, people are advised to refrain from handshaking, kissing or hugging during outbreak and those taking care of sick persons should use face mask in accordance with guidelines provided by health authorities.
In all these, it is also advisable for people to be physically active, drink a lot of fluids, especially water, eat well, reduce stress and have enough sleep.
Unlike the bird flu which Ghana was able to protect its citizens from being infected, the same cannot be said of the swine flu which seems to be stronger. It is with us and so far, seven of our brethren are infected and what the rest of us can do is to heed professional advice and fight it. We are capable but not without intensive education.
Intensive Education
The education is important and to some of us, the earlier we intensify it, the better. This is because we live in a society where many of the things we do make us prone to disease.
Ghanaians like shaking one another’s hands, hugging one other, especially “long time no see friends”, and showing our affection to the sick by touching them.
Now we are being told to stay away from many of these things, and to be able to prevent the spread of the deadly H1N1 influenza, let us go by the advice given by health workers and save ourselves from preventable deaths.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Free treatment for swine flu Free treatment for swine flu Free Treatment for Swine Flu (Page 45)
Story: Lucy Adoma Yeboah
THE Ministry of Health (MoH) has announced that the treatment of H1N1 influenza in all public hospitals is free of charge.
The move, which is intended to encourage victims of the disease to access health care promptly, comes in the wake of latest reports indicating that cases of the disease have increased from two to seven.
In an interview in Accra on Monday, the Minister of Health, Dr George Sipa-Adjah Yankey, said the ministry had held discussions with the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning on the release of funds to strengthen the country's capacity to deal resolutely with the gradual spread of the new influenza.
With the release of the funds, he said, the MoH would equip the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR), currently designated by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as central laboratory for testing of the H1N1 virus in the country.
In all the seven cases so far recorded, he said the people involved either travelled outside the country or had contact with people who had travelled outside the country.
He, however, noted that globally, things had not reached a stage to call for a ban on travelling but took the opportunity to advise people who returned to Ghana and presented any flu-like symptoms to report immediately to the nearest health facility for test and treatment.
For his part, the Director-General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr Elias Sory, told the Daily Graphic that apart from the first two victims who were kept and treated in a hospital, the five new cases, made up of a family of four and another who recently returned from abroad, were receiving treatment in their homes.
He explained that the patients were isolated and being cared for by health personnel who were provided with protective kits to avoid being infected.
Dr Sory noted that so far no case had been detected within but cautioned the public of the possibility of cases to emanate from within, as people continued to come in contact with the influenza virus.
He asked the public not to take things for granted but rather observe personal hygiene as a way of protecting themselves from the deadly disease.
The Director-General explained that the H1N1 virus was transmitted through heavy droplets from infected persons which could either fall on the ground or settle on body parts or objects which when touched, could find its way into the eye, nose or mouth of others.
He said if people who were infected with the virus would do well to cover their mouths when coughing and also their noses when sneezing, the disease could effectively be contained.
Apart from the other known symptoms such as coughing, sneezing, chills and body aches, he said an H1N1 Influenza patient usually had high temperature which when observed, could help people to suspect the presence of the disease.
THE Ministry of Health (MoH) has announced that the treatment of H1N1 influenza in all public hospitals is free of charge.
The move, which is intended to encourage victims of the disease to access health care promptly, comes in the wake of latest reports indicating that cases of the disease have increased from two to seven.
In an interview in Accra on Monday, the Minister of Health, Dr George Sipa-Adjah Yankey, said the ministry had held discussions with the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning on the release of funds to strengthen the country's capacity to deal resolutely with the gradual spread of the new influenza.
With the release of the funds, he said, the MoH would equip the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR), currently designated by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as central laboratory for testing of the H1N1 virus in the country.
In all the seven cases so far recorded, he said the people involved either travelled outside the country or had contact with people who had travelled outside the country.
He, however, noted that globally, things had not reached a stage to call for a ban on travelling but took the opportunity to advise people who returned to Ghana and presented any flu-like symptoms to report immediately to the nearest health facility for test and treatment.
For his part, the Director-General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr Elias Sory, told the Daily Graphic that apart from the first two victims who were kept and treated in a hospital, the five new cases, made up of a family of four and another who recently returned from abroad, were receiving treatment in their homes.
He explained that the patients were isolated and being cared for by health personnel who were provided with protective kits to avoid being infected.
Dr Sory noted that so far no case had been detected within but cautioned the public of the possibility of cases to emanate from within, as people continued to come in contact with the influenza virus.
He asked the public not to take things for granted but rather observe personal hygiene as a way of protecting themselves from the deadly disease.
The Director-General explained that the H1N1 virus was transmitted through heavy droplets from infected persons which could either fall on the ground or settle on body parts or objects which when touched, could find its way into the eye, nose or mouth of others.
He said if people who were infected with the virus would do well to cover their mouths when coughing and also their noses when sneezing, the disease could effectively be contained.
Apart from the other known symptoms such as coughing, sneezing, chills and body aches, he said an H1N1 Influenza patient usually had high temperature which when observed, could help people to suspect the presence of the disease.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
94 Doctors now turn administrators (Back Page)
NINETY-FOUR experienced medical doctors who should have practised in hospitals in the public sector found themselves occupying administrative positions, the 2005 audit report currently before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament has revealed.
The report showed that the situation was different from mission-managed health facilities where qualified hospital administrators had been employed to perform the day-to-day running of the hospitals.
In that vein, the performance audit report of the Auditor-General on the Management of Human Resources for Effective Primary Healthcare Delivery by the Ghana Health Service (GHS) recommended that in addition to their administrative duties, health professionals in administrative positions should work for a minimum of two days per week in the nearest convenient health facilities.
The recommendation became necessary because the audit found out that it was not compulsory for doctors in the administrative positions to attend to the sick in the hospitals or in the clinics.
In addition, it was revealed that the doctors in administrative positions were those who had worked as consultants in the hospitals and had more than 15 years experience, which is considered valuable to the service.
According to the report, the consequences of using professionals for administrative work were revealed in the doctor-patient ratio, first because they did not reflect the reality on the ground and secondly, the calculated figures made it difficult for planning as they were not calculated as part of the shortfall.
A typical case was the Brong Ahafo, where in 2005 the region had 58 doctors instead of the 90 doctors required and out of the figure, 21 doctors were assigned the responsibilities of district health directors, two were sent to the regional health directorate (RHD) and five to research centres, leaving only 30 to work in the hospitals.
Another example was in the Upper East Region, where only 24 of the required 54 doctors were available in the region and out of the number, nine were posted to the Navrongo Health Centre, one at the RHD, while six worked as district health directors, with only eight left to work in the hospitals.
The report went further to reveal that in spite of these shortfalls, when the ratio of health professionals to the population was calculated, those who performed administrative work were included as doctors in the communities.
Another significant point raised by the report was that because the experienced doctors did not work in the hospitals, younger professionals were denied the opportunity to learn from the experiences acquired by their senior colleagues.
It that case, the country had to spend extra resources to give the younger ones further training abroad, something they could have received locally.
That problem, according to the report, was compounded by the brain drain, where an estimated 6,546 health professionals reportedly left the country to other countries in search of greener pastures between 2001 and 2006.
These professionals included 418 doctors, 1,155 pharmacists, 3,496 nurses, 296 medical laboratory technicians, 1,001 midwives and 180 community health nurses.
“In a service where brain drain has significant impact on capacity and replacement is very difficult to accomplish, using qualified doctors to undertake administrative task is a further drain on the already under-staffed sector. The effect is pressure and stress on the few medical professionals left to run the facilities,” it observed.
Giving reasons why it did not recommend that the doctors should completely stop working as administrators, the report stated that in the Ministry of Health (MoH) some of the directorates being headed by medical doctors were created in response to disease outbreak and, therefore, needed those experienced doctors with the requisite knowledge to head them.
They also represented the health sector on international bodies where colleagues within the medical profession converged to discuss issues, the report noted.
The report showed that the situation was different from mission-managed health facilities where qualified hospital administrators had been employed to perform the day-to-day running of the hospitals.
In that vein, the performance audit report of the Auditor-General on the Management of Human Resources for Effective Primary Healthcare Delivery by the Ghana Health Service (GHS) recommended that in addition to their administrative duties, health professionals in administrative positions should work for a minimum of two days per week in the nearest convenient health facilities.
The recommendation became necessary because the audit found out that it was not compulsory for doctors in the administrative positions to attend to the sick in the hospitals or in the clinics.
In addition, it was revealed that the doctors in administrative positions were those who had worked as consultants in the hospitals and had more than 15 years experience, which is considered valuable to the service.
According to the report, the consequences of using professionals for administrative work were revealed in the doctor-patient ratio, first because they did not reflect the reality on the ground and secondly, the calculated figures made it difficult for planning as they were not calculated as part of the shortfall.
A typical case was the Brong Ahafo, where in 2005 the region had 58 doctors instead of the 90 doctors required and out of the figure, 21 doctors were assigned the responsibilities of district health directors, two were sent to the regional health directorate (RHD) and five to research centres, leaving only 30 to work in the hospitals.
Another example was in the Upper East Region, where only 24 of the required 54 doctors were available in the region and out of the number, nine were posted to the Navrongo Health Centre, one at the RHD, while six worked as district health directors, with only eight left to work in the hospitals.
The report went further to reveal that in spite of these shortfalls, when the ratio of health professionals to the population was calculated, those who performed administrative work were included as doctors in the communities.
Another significant point raised by the report was that because the experienced doctors did not work in the hospitals, younger professionals were denied the opportunity to learn from the experiences acquired by their senior colleagues.
It that case, the country had to spend extra resources to give the younger ones further training abroad, something they could have received locally.
That problem, according to the report, was compounded by the brain drain, where an estimated 6,546 health professionals reportedly left the country to other countries in search of greener pastures between 2001 and 2006.
These professionals included 418 doctors, 1,155 pharmacists, 3,496 nurses, 296 medical laboratory technicians, 1,001 midwives and 180 community health nurses.
“In a service where brain drain has significant impact on capacity and replacement is very difficult to accomplish, using qualified doctors to undertake administrative task is a further drain on the already under-staffed sector. The effect is pressure and stress on the few medical professionals left to run the facilities,” it observed.
Giving reasons why it did not recommend that the doctors should completely stop working as administrators, the report stated that in the Ministry of Health (MoH) some of the directorates being headed by medical doctors were created in response to disease outbreak and, therefore, needed those experienced doctors with the requisite knowledge to head them.
They also represented the health sector on international bodies where colleagues within the medical profession converged to discuss issues, the report noted.
Monday, August 24, 2009
Anti-Armed Robbery Crusade (Pages 32 and 41)
METHODS used by the Ghana Police Service in its renewed anti-armed robbery crusade has earned support from many Ghanaians, including the Executive arm of government.
That is likely to displease human rights activists who would rather the police either arrested the suspects or, at worst, shot to maim, instead of to kill.
The President, Professor John Evans Atta Mills, on Tuesday, July 28, 2009 applauded the Ghana Police Service and expressed his admiration for the courage and sacrifices being exhibited by the officers and men of the service in confronting violent crime in the country.
The President said he was satisfied with the measures being taken by the Police Administration to deal with crime, particularly armed robbery, and reiterated his determination to ensure that the security services were well equipped to enable them to fight vices in society and safeguard the interests and welfare of the people.
That was when he swore into office members of the Police Council at the Castle, Osu in Accra.
In reference to the police shooting suspected armed robbers, the Minister of the Interior, Mr Cletus Avoka, was reported by the Daily Graphic to have said, “These armed robbers kill, they maim, they loot and they rape. We have not killed innocent people, I can assure the nation. We will express our regret if it becomes clear that innocent people are involved.”
Touching on the successes chalked up by the police in dealing with armed robbery, the killing of armed robbers in shoot-outs and comments by some human rights and security experts on the matter, Mr Avoka said the objective of the police was not to shoot to kill.
“The objective is to arrest them because when we arrest them we are able to get their accomplices and collaborators. But, unfortunately, the robbers do not tolerate the police.
“On seeing policemen, they shoot to kill. They kill the police so the police have to protect their lives. All those who demand human rights should know that nature’s first law is self-preservation,” he said.
At the meeting where Mr Avoka expressed these sentiments, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr Paul Tawiah Quaye, was also reported to have made a statement in support of the police action. He went on to honour some policemen who killed eight armed robbers in the Ashanti Region.
In a related development, a senior member of the Police Service has defended the recent killings of suspected armed robbers, saying the personnel have no option but to fire back when they are attacked.
The Director of Administration of the Ghana Police Service, ACP (Dr) P.A. Wiredu, said the laws of Ghana allowed all Ghanaians, including police personnel, to defend themselves when they were faced with danger.
Answering questions at a human rights awareness public forum organised by the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI) in Accra on July 27, 2009, ACP Wiredu stated that “the first law of nature is self-preservation”.
He explained that many of the robbers in the recent cases carried sophisticated arms and were usually the first to open fire, which forced the police to retaliate.
He added that “self defence is paramount”.
The director said the police would have wished to arrest the suspects to help in police investigations but they would not risk their lives when they were faced with life-threatening situations.
He cited cases in Kumasi and Tema where armed men suspected to be robbers fired at policemen on duty and succeeded in wounding one of them.
In such instances, ACP Wiredu said, the police could not look on unconcerned as their lives were threatened.
He said some suspected armed robbers had been arrested and put before the courts and so the public should understand that the police did not always kill such suspects but only those who tried to kill them.
Some members of the public seem to be in agreement with the police. An indication of this was the noise of disapproval which greeted this reporter when, at the CHRI forum, she asked why the police did not arrest suspected armed robbers but killed them.
A group of young men at the forum openly directed their anger at this reporter and told her to reserve her question until she had been attacked by armed robbers.
“Madam, what are saying? I don’t think you will sympathise with armed robbers if you have ever been attacked. They are beasts and do not deserve to live among humans,” Abu, who said his house at Madina had once been attacked by armed robbers, followed me outside the conference room of the British Council with that statement.
He said about a year ago seven young men surrounded the house deep in the night and at gunpoint beat up the men and raped two young ladies. After that, they went ahead and carried away every valuable item they could lay their hands on.
His friend, Efo Emma, shared his view and added, “Madam, they should be killed. Do you expect the police to stand there as these monsters shoot at them? In fact, the police should not wait for the robbers to shoot first. As soon as they see the robbers with guns or knives, they should kill them, period!”
Not pleased with human right activists, Efo Emma said “human right activists should direct their ‘preaching’ at the criminals who have decided to make the lives of innocent people miserable. If their wives or sisters have ever been raped in their presence, they will not talk the way they are talking”.
A story carried by the Daily Graphic on July 15, 2009 indicated that many residents of Accra did not expect armed robbers to live when caught.
Five out of eight people who were randomly selected for their views on the issue were in favour of applying capital punishment on armed robbers.
Six of the interviewees said that they had been victims of armed robbery in their homes, vehicles or in the open, usually at night.
Assessing those who said they had ever been victims, it was clear that it was not only the rich who were at risk. Anybody could be a target.
The operations of these criminals range from the snatching of phones and bags, in the process of which they either draw knives or pull guns, to the scaling of walls into homes where they break doors to steal, rape and kill.
There is also the issue of bank robberies which happen at day time, during which the robbers hold bank workers hostage and with guns pulled at their (workers’) heads, carry huge sums of money away.
Car owners are not free and any attempt to prevent the robbers from taking away a car could result in something terrible happening to the driver.
Due to the activities of the robbers, some taxi drivers have decided not to work after a certain time.
Another set of interviews conducted on the issue on July 28, 2009 indicated that the public continued to have the same attitude towards armed robbers — they must be killed when caught.
Madam Diana Asiamah, a resident of Tesano who called the offices of the Daily Graphic, said what worried her was the introduction of rape by the robbers.
“My sister, can you imagine being raped while your husband and children are made to look on? If you are not strong, you may end up committing suicide after that,” she stated.
To her, armed robbers should be killed to deter others. She disagreed with human rights activists who believed that suspected robbers should be arrested and prosecuted.
“They are the same people who go to prison and come back hardened to continue to terrorise us. The police must be commended, instead of being condemned,” she added.
A 24-year-old Political Science student who would want to remain anonymous said armed robbers were lazy people who did not work but took from others using violent means.
“Why would anybody want to defend such heartless people? Since they do not respect the lives of others, why should anybody respect their lives? he queried.
But human rights activists disagree with such a position. In a recent interview with the Daily Graphic, a criminologist and human rights lawyer, Prof Ken Attafuah, and the Head of the Conflict Management, Prevention and Resolution Department of the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre, Dr Kwesi Anning, disagreed with the police on the issue.
They said shooting, in circumstances such as the one in which the Kumasi police found themselves, should be applied as a last resort.
They also disagreed with the imposition of the death penalty on convicted armed robbers because that form of punishment was not absolute in deterrence.
According to Prof Attafuah, those who held the deadly force of state had a greater responsibility to be circumspect.
He said without condemning the police for their action, it had to be made clear that the first duty of the police was to protect property and lives, including the lives of suspected criminals and aggressors.
He said in the course of discharging that responsibility, the police were at liberty to use reasonable force determined in terms of proportionality, adding that the force applied by the police ought to be proportional to the threat encountered.
“If someone shoots at you with a pistol and you use an AK47 rifle to riddle him, you have not acted proportionately,” he contended.
Prof Attafuah said the rules of engagement in a face-to-face combat imposed a responsibility on a combatant to shoot to kill only if his or her life was threatened.
He said it was for that reason that the police were trained to shoot to maim, instead of kill.
He cited the Taifa and Dansoman shooting incidents in which the police came under severe public criticism for shooting and killing innocent individuals they mistook for criminals.
He said the police ought to understand that they were subject to the principle of accountability for any person they killed.
Commenting on the application of the death penalty, Prof Attafuah said that form of punishment was not the solution to violent crime, adding that its deterrent effect was more imaginary than real.
He said there were clear indications that in countries such as Canada where the death penalty had been abolished, the rate of violent crime was low, whereas in countries such as Nigeria and South Africa where the death penalty was applied, the rate of violent crime was still high.
He stressed that nowhere in the world had police fire-for-fire with armed robbers solved the problem of violent crimes.
Speaking on an Accra radio station on July 29, 2009, Prof Attafuah said the shoot-to-kill policy adopted by the police was only but a temporary measure to assume the police were in control but that was not the solution to the problem.
He argued that violent crimes were always beneficial to the criminal because they were an efficient and relatively easy way of making money, adding that only few armed robbers desisted from the act because of their fear of being taken out by the police.
“They only consider the police as a nuisance and are ready to engage them," he said.
Prof Attafuah conceded, however, that the “police are allowed to use reasonable force to take down a suspected armed robber if they hold a sincere belief that it is necessary and appropriate to use such amount of force in order to ensure the efficient, safe and economical enforcement of the law”.
Explaining four cardinal principles under which an armed robber could be killed, Prof Attafuah said the police must be ready to account for the ammunition used and must adhere to the principle of proportionality, saying they would be wrong in killing an armed robber wielding a knife when they could have shot to disable him and effect his arrest.
He added that there must be absolute necessity for the killing and the act itself must have a strong basis in law.
He explained that in the unfortunate event of death, the police officer concerned must be hauled before a service enquiry to explain the circumstances under which the death occurred.
The government, he said, must fashion a long-term solution to the problem, which included investing in day-care facilities, paying nursery teachers, as well as tertiary ones, and expanding opportunities for child care education.
That he said, would provide a lasting solution to the problem of violent crimes.
His statement came in the wake of aggressive policing which had led to the killing of more than 15 armed robbers across the country in the past couple of weeks.
Commenting on the killing of the suspected armed robbers in Kumasi, Dr Anning, on his part, said once a person attacked a police officer unlawfully, the officer had the right to defend himself.
He, however, said in circumstances where the police shot and killed suspected armed robbers even when they (robbers) had laid down their arms, the police could not be justified in their action.
He said where suspected armed robbers were fleeing police encounter, it was more appropriate for the police to aim at the legs of the suspects and shoot to maim, instead of kill, because the latter option was against the rules of war.
On the death penalty, Dr Anning said he did not believe in that form of punishment because it was possible for convicts to reform and so it was not right to kill them.
End
That is likely to displease human rights activists who would rather the police either arrested the suspects or, at worst, shot to maim, instead of to kill.
The President, Professor John Evans Atta Mills, on Tuesday, July 28, 2009 applauded the Ghana Police Service and expressed his admiration for the courage and sacrifices being exhibited by the officers and men of the service in confronting violent crime in the country.
The President said he was satisfied with the measures being taken by the Police Administration to deal with crime, particularly armed robbery, and reiterated his determination to ensure that the security services were well equipped to enable them to fight vices in society and safeguard the interests and welfare of the people.
That was when he swore into office members of the Police Council at the Castle, Osu in Accra.
In reference to the police shooting suspected armed robbers, the Minister of the Interior, Mr Cletus Avoka, was reported by the Daily Graphic to have said, “These armed robbers kill, they maim, they loot and they rape. We have not killed innocent people, I can assure the nation. We will express our regret if it becomes clear that innocent people are involved.”
Touching on the successes chalked up by the police in dealing with armed robbery, the killing of armed robbers in shoot-outs and comments by some human rights and security experts on the matter, Mr Avoka said the objective of the police was not to shoot to kill.
“The objective is to arrest them because when we arrest them we are able to get their accomplices and collaborators. But, unfortunately, the robbers do not tolerate the police.
“On seeing policemen, they shoot to kill. They kill the police so the police have to protect their lives. All those who demand human rights should know that nature’s first law is self-preservation,” he said.
At the meeting where Mr Avoka expressed these sentiments, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr Paul Tawiah Quaye, was also reported to have made a statement in support of the police action. He went on to honour some policemen who killed eight armed robbers in the Ashanti Region.
In a related development, a senior member of the Police Service has defended the recent killings of suspected armed robbers, saying the personnel have no option but to fire back when they are attacked.
The Director of Administration of the Ghana Police Service, ACP (Dr) P.A. Wiredu, said the laws of Ghana allowed all Ghanaians, including police personnel, to defend themselves when they were faced with danger.
Answering questions at a human rights awareness public forum organised by the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI) in Accra on July 27, 2009, ACP Wiredu stated that “the first law of nature is self-preservation”.
He explained that many of the robbers in the recent cases carried sophisticated arms and were usually the first to open fire, which forced the police to retaliate.
He added that “self defence is paramount”.
The director said the police would have wished to arrest the suspects to help in police investigations but they would not risk their lives when they were faced with life-threatening situations.
He cited cases in Kumasi and Tema where armed men suspected to be robbers fired at policemen on duty and succeeded in wounding one of them.
In such instances, ACP Wiredu said, the police could not look on unconcerned as their lives were threatened.
He said some suspected armed robbers had been arrested and put before the courts and so the public should understand that the police did not always kill such suspects but only those who tried to kill them.
Some members of the public seem to be in agreement with the police. An indication of this was the noise of disapproval which greeted this reporter when, at the CHRI forum, she asked why the police did not arrest suspected armed robbers but killed them.
A group of young men at the forum openly directed their anger at this reporter and told her to reserve her question until she had been attacked by armed robbers.
“Madam, what are saying? I don’t think you will sympathise with armed robbers if you have ever been attacked. They are beasts and do not deserve to live among humans,” Abu, who said his house at Madina had once been attacked by armed robbers, followed me outside the conference room of the British Council with that statement.
He said about a year ago seven young men surrounded the house deep in the night and at gunpoint beat up the men and raped two young ladies. After that, they went ahead and carried away every valuable item they could lay their hands on.
His friend, Efo Emma, shared his view and added, “Madam, they should be killed. Do you expect the police to stand there as these monsters shoot at them? In fact, the police should not wait for the robbers to shoot first. As soon as they see the robbers with guns or knives, they should kill them, period!”
Not pleased with human right activists, Efo Emma said “human right activists should direct their ‘preaching’ at the criminals who have decided to make the lives of innocent people miserable. If their wives or sisters have ever been raped in their presence, they will not talk the way they are talking”.
A story carried by the Daily Graphic on July 15, 2009 indicated that many residents of Accra did not expect armed robbers to live when caught.
Five out of eight people who were randomly selected for their views on the issue were in favour of applying capital punishment on armed robbers.
Six of the interviewees said that they had been victims of armed robbery in their homes, vehicles or in the open, usually at night.
Assessing those who said they had ever been victims, it was clear that it was not only the rich who were at risk. Anybody could be a target.
The operations of these criminals range from the snatching of phones and bags, in the process of which they either draw knives or pull guns, to the scaling of walls into homes where they break doors to steal, rape and kill.
There is also the issue of bank robberies which happen at day time, during which the robbers hold bank workers hostage and with guns pulled at their (workers’) heads, carry huge sums of money away.
Car owners are not free and any attempt to prevent the robbers from taking away a car could result in something terrible happening to the driver.
Due to the activities of the robbers, some taxi drivers have decided not to work after a certain time.
Another set of interviews conducted on the issue on July 28, 2009 indicated that the public continued to have the same attitude towards armed robbers — they must be killed when caught.
Madam Diana Asiamah, a resident of Tesano who called the offices of the Daily Graphic, said what worried her was the introduction of rape by the robbers.
“My sister, can you imagine being raped while your husband and children are made to look on? If you are not strong, you may end up committing suicide after that,” she stated.
To her, armed robbers should be killed to deter others. She disagreed with human rights activists who believed that suspected robbers should be arrested and prosecuted.
“They are the same people who go to prison and come back hardened to continue to terrorise us. The police must be commended, instead of being condemned,” she added.
A 24-year-old Political Science student who would want to remain anonymous said armed robbers were lazy people who did not work but took from others using violent means.
“Why would anybody want to defend such heartless people? Since they do not respect the lives of others, why should anybody respect their lives? he queried.
But human rights activists disagree with such a position. In a recent interview with the Daily Graphic, a criminologist and human rights lawyer, Prof Ken Attafuah, and the Head of the Conflict Management, Prevention and Resolution Department of the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre, Dr Kwesi Anning, disagreed with the police on the issue.
They said shooting, in circumstances such as the one in which the Kumasi police found themselves, should be applied as a last resort.
They also disagreed with the imposition of the death penalty on convicted armed robbers because that form of punishment was not absolute in deterrence.
According to Prof Attafuah, those who held the deadly force of state had a greater responsibility to be circumspect.
He said without condemning the police for their action, it had to be made clear that the first duty of the police was to protect property and lives, including the lives of suspected criminals and aggressors.
He said in the course of discharging that responsibility, the police were at liberty to use reasonable force determined in terms of proportionality, adding that the force applied by the police ought to be proportional to the threat encountered.
“If someone shoots at you with a pistol and you use an AK47 rifle to riddle him, you have not acted proportionately,” he contended.
Prof Attafuah said the rules of engagement in a face-to-face combat imposed a responsibility on a combatant to shoot to kill only if his or her life was threatened.
He said it was for that reason that the police were trained to shoot to maim, instead of kill.
He cited the Taifa and Dansoman shooting incidents in which the police came under severe public criticism for shooting and killing innocent individuals they mistook for criminals.
He said the police ought to understand that they were subject to the principle of accountability for any person they killed.
Commenting on the application of the death penalty, Prof Attafuah said that form of punishment was not the solution to violent crime, adding that its deterrent effect was more imaginary than real.
He said there were clear indications that in countries such as Canada where the death penalty had been abolished, the rate of violent crime was low, whereas in countries such as Nigeria and South Africa where the death penalty was applied, the rate of violent crime was still high.
He stressed that nowhere in the world had police fire-for-fire with armed robbers solved the problem of violent crimes.
Speaking on an Accra radio station on July 29, 2009, Prof Attafuah said the shoot-to-kill policy adopted by the police was only but a temporary measure to assume the police were in control but that was not the solution to the problem.
He argued that violent crimes were always beneficial to the criminal because they were an efficient and relatively easy way of making money, adding that only few armed robbers desisted from the act because of their fear of being taken out by the police.
“They only consider the police as a nuisance and are ready to engage them," he said.
Prof Attafuah conceded, however, that the “police are allowed to use reasonable force to take down a suspected armed robber if they hold a sincere belief that it is necessary and appropriate to use such amount of force in order to ensure the efficient, safe and economical enforcement of the law”.
Explaining four cardinal principles under which an armed robber could be killed, Prof Attafuah said the police must be ready to account for the ammunition used and must adhere to the principle of proportionality, saying they would be wrong in killing an armed robber wielding a knife when they could have shot to disable him and effect his arrest.
He added that there must be absolute necessity for the killing and the act itself must have a strong basis in law.
He explained that in the unfortunate event of death, the police officer concerned must be hauled before a service enquiry to explain the circumstances under which the death occurred.
The government, he said, must fashion a long-term solution to the problem, which included investing in day-care facilities, paying nursery teachers, as well as tertiary ones, and expanding opportunities for child care education.
That he said, would provide a lasting solution to the problem of violent crimes.
His statement came in the wake of aggressive policing which had led to the killing of more than 15 armed robbers across the country in the past couple of weeks.
Commenting on the killing of the suspected armed robbers in Kumasi, Dr Anning, on his part, said once a person attacked a police officer unlawfully, the officer had the right to defend himself.
He, however, said in circumstances where the police shot and killed suspected armed robbers even when they (robbers) had laid down their arms, the police could not be justified in their action.
He said where suspected armed robbers were fleeing police encounter, it was more appropriate for the police to aim at the legs of the suspects and shoot to maim, instead of kill, because the latter option was against the rules of war.
On the death penalty, Dr Anning said he did not believe in that form of punishment because it was possible for convicts to reform and so it was not right to kill them.
End
Friday, August 21, 2009
Swine Flu: 5 so far test positive (Front Page)
FIVE people have so far tested positive to the H1N1 influenza (swine flu) in Ghana, prompting officials of the Ghana Health Service (GHS) to push their call for preventive measures higher.
While the first two patients have been treated and discharged, the latest patients, made up of three people in a family of four, are currently quarantined in their home and receiving treatment from health professionals.
Confirming this in Accra yesterday, the Director-General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr Elias K. Sory, noted that there was the need for intensive education on the issue.
Without disclosing the identities of the three patients, Dr Sory said a man, an expatriate, arrived in the country four days ago and allegedly transmitted the virus to the wife and one of their two children who were living in the country.
He commended the man, who he said had cold and suspecting that it could be the deadly H1N1 influenza, quickly reported to a health facility where series of tests confirmed the presence of the virus.
Dr Sory explained that the second child had so far not presented symptoms of the disease but was under surveillance.
The Health Director-General observed that all the swine flu cases the country had recorded seemed to have been transmitted from people who had spent time outside but added that there was the possibility of people getting it from others within.
He pointed out that although the disease was airborne, people could prevent contracting it if they became cautious, adding that “people should stay away from those who suffer from cold and also wash their hands with soap as often as possible”.
To those who suffer from symptoms of influenza (cold), Dr Sory said they would do society a lot of good if they covered their mouths while coughing or sneezing and also stay away from others, since one might not know whether it was swine flu or an ordinary cold.
He also advised that people presenting symptoms similar to that of cold should not treat it at home but visit health facilities for proper diagnosis and early treatment.
He gave the assurance that the H1N1 influenza could be treated when detected early.
He reiterated an earlier statement that the health authorities had been vigilant and, with support from the World Health Organisation (WHO), had put in place measures to tackle the disease in the hospitals.
Swine flu is a deadly respiratory disease caused by a strain of the influenza type A virus known as H1N1.
The virus is spread from person to person, probably in much the same way that regular seasonal influenza viruses spread.
The symptoms of the novel H1N1 flu virus in people are similar to the symptoms of flu and include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue.
A significant number of people who have been infected with this virus have also reported diarrhoea and vomiting.
The H1N1 viruses are not spread by food. One cannot get infected with HIN1 virus from eating pork or pork products.
As there is no vaccine available right now to protect against the novel H1N1 virus, there are everyday actions that can help prevent the spread of germs that cause respiratory illnesses like influenza.
One needs to take these everyday steps to protect his or her health:
Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze; throw the tissue in the trash after you use it; wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze (alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective) and avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.
Other precautionary measures are that one has to avoid close contact with sick people.
While the first two patients have been treated and discharged, the latest patients, made up of three people in a family of four, are currently quarantined in their home and receiving treatment from health professionals.
Confirming this in Accra yesterday, the Director-General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr Elias K. Sory, noted that there was the need for intensive education on the issue.
Without disclosing the identities of the three patients, Dr Sory said a man, an expatriate, arrived in the country four days ago and allegedly transmitted the virus to the wife and one of their two children who were living in the country.
He commended the man, who he said had cold and suspecting that it could be the deadly H1N1 influenza, quickly reported to a health facility where series of tests confirmed the presence of the virus.
Dr Sory explained that the second child had so far not presented symptoms of the disease but was under surveillance.
The Health Director-General observed that all the swine flu cases the country had recorded seemed to have been transmitted from people who had spent time outside but added that there was the possibility of people getting it from others within.
He pointed out that although the disease was airborne, people could prevent contracting it if they became cautious, adding that “people should stay away from those who suffer from cold and also wash their hands with soap as often as possible”.
To those who suffer from symptoms of influenza (cold), Dr Sory said they would do society a lot of good if they covered their mouths while coughing or sneezing and also stay away from others, since one might not know whether it was swine flu or an ordinary cold.
He also advised that people presenting symptoms similar to that of cold should not treat it at home but visit health facilities for proper diagnosis and early treatment.
He gave the assurance that the H1N1 influenza could be treated when detected early.
He reiterated an earlier statement that the health authorities had been vigilant and, with support from the World Health Organisation (WHO), had put in place measures to tackle the disease in the hospitals.
Swine flu is a deadly respiratory disease caused by a strain of the influenza type A virus known as H1N1.
The virus is spread from person to person, probably in much the same way that regular seasonal influenza viruses spread.
The symptoms of the novel H1N1 flu virus in people are similar to the symptoms of flu and include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue.
A significant number of people who have been infected with this virus have also reported diarrhoea and vomiting.
The H1N1 viruses are not spread by food. One cannot get infected with HIN1 virus from eating pork or pork products.
As there is no vaccine available right now to protect against the novel H1N1 virus, there are everyday actions that can help prevent the spread of germs that cause respiratory illnesses like influenza.
One needs to take these everyday steps to protect his or her health:
Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze; throw the tissue in the trash after you use it; wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze (alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective) and avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.
Other precautionary measures are that one has to avoid close contact with sick people.
Health Fair Opens (Page 31)
A two-day health fair organised by the Ministry of Health (MoH) as part of its effort to promote disease prevention, opened in Accra yesterday.
The fair also provided the platform to the public to freely interact with health professionals on various health issues.
An exhibition mounted on the premises of the Accra International Conference Centre (AICC) showcased both herbal and orthodox medicines, as well as provided access to free counselling and testing for HIV, test for high blood pressure and hepatitis B, measurement for body mass index (BMI), antenatal care, diet education and blood donation.
In addition were emergency health services provided by the National Ambulance Service, registration into the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), display of healthy food items and prepared food, as well as healthy clothing, among others.
The theme for the fair, which is a collaborative effort between the MoH and the Society of Private Medical and Dental Practitioners, is “Preventive Health Care; the sure way to sustain the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS)”.
Opening the fair, the Deputy Minister of Health, Dr Benjamin Kunbuor, who spoke on behalf of the Vice-President, Mr John Mahama, said “the fair should be viewed as wake-up call to revisit our preventive health services to ensure a better Ghana today, tomorrow and forever”.
He pointed out that life expectancy of Ghanaians which currently stood at 57 years was low, adding that preventable diseases such as malaria continued to dominate our morbidity.
Dr Kunbuor stressed that lifestyle diseases such as hypertension, diabetes and cancers were assuming alarming dimension and said many of those diseases could be prevented through behavioural and lifestyle changes.
“The fair proposes that we eat more fruits and vegetables, reduce fat and sugar intake and exercise at least three times in a week. We should drink at least eight glasses of water each day; we should keep personal and environmental hygiene; we should have at least eight hours rest daily; an annual comprehensive health check-up for all ....and safer sex for all,” he stated.
For his part, the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Nii Armah Ashietey, who gave the welcoming address, advised Ghanaians to heed advise from health professionals, adding that the Regenerative Health and Nutrition Programme which was introduced by the MoH about three years ago, could help the government to cut down cost on treatment at health facilities and also protect people from sicknesses.
He said it was better for people to prevent diseases rather than wait to fall sick before they spend time and money on treatment. He also spoke against dirty environment, which he stressed caused diseases.
The acting Chief Director of the Ministry of Health, Madam Salimata Abdul-Salam, said for the first time, the concept of health was being shifted from health facilities to the individual, adding that there was the need to equip the individuals, families communities on how to live healthy lifestyles which would bring them sustainable health throughout life.
The chairman for the occasion, Professor Kofi Awoonor, who is also the Chairman of the Council of State, advised Ghanaians, especially the youth, to take the issue of health more seriously, adding that they could do themselves a lot of good if they started earlier before it was too late.
The fair also provided the platform to the public to freely interact with health professionals on various health issues.
An exhibition mounted on the premises of the Accra International Conference Centre (AICC) showcased both herbal and orthodox medicines, as well as provided access to free counselling and testing for HIV, test for high blood pressure and hepatitis B, measurement for body mass index (BMI), antenatal care, diet education and blood donation.
In addition were emergency health services provided by the National Ambulance Service, registration into the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), display of healthy food items and prepared food, as well as healthy clothing, among others.
The theme for the fair, which is a collaborative effort between the MoH and the Society of Private Medical and Dental Practitioners, is “Preventive Health Care; the sure way to sustain the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS)”.
Opening the fair, the Deputy Minister of Health, Dr Benjamin Kunbuor, who spoke on behalf of the Vice-President, Mr John Mahama, said “the fair should be viewed as wake-up call to revisit our preventive health services to ensure a better Ghana today, tomorrow and forever”.
He pointed out that life expectancy of Ghanaians which currently stood at 57 years was low, adding that preventable diseases such as malaria continued to dominate our morbidity.
Dr Kunbuor stressed that lifestyle diseases such as hypertension, diabetes and cancers were assuming alarming dimension and said many of those diseases could be prevented through behavioural and lifestyle changes.
“The fair proposes that we eat more fruits and vegetables, reduce fat and sugar intake and exercise at least three times in a week. We should drink at least eight glasses of water each day; we should keep personal and environmental hygiene; we should have at least eight hours rest daily; an annual comprehensive health check-up for all ....and safer sex for all,” he stated.
For his part, the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Nii Armah Ashietey, who gave the welcoming address, advised Ghanaians to heed advise from health professionals, adding that the Regenerative Health and Nutrition Programme which was introduced by the MoH about three years ago, could help the government to cut down cost on treatment at health facilities and also protect people from sicknesses.
He said it was better for people to prevent diseases rather than wait to fall sick before they spend time and money on treatment. He also spoke against dirty environment, which he stressed caused diseases.
The acting Chief Director of the Ministry of Health, Madam Salimata Abdul-Salam, said for the first time, the concept of health was being shifted from health facilities to the individual, adding that there was the need to equip the individuals, families communities on how to live healthy lifestyles which would bring them sustainable health throughout life.
The chairman for the occasion, Professor Kofi Awoonor, who is also the Chairman of the Council of State, advised Ghanaians, especially the youth, to take the issue of health more seriously, adding that they could do themselves a lot of good if they started earlier before it was too late.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
2 Hospitals Suspended-for indulging in fraudulent activities (Front Page)
THE National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) has suspended Atasomanso and County hospitals, two private hospitals in the Kumasi metropolis, for allegedly indulging in fraudulent activities including double billing, over-billing and irrational prescriptions.
The action of the authority is based on the results of investigations carried out by its clinical audit team between March 23 and March 27, 2009.
The two hospitals have appealed against the NHIA’s decision but a review by healthcare professionals upheld the findings and decision of the NHIA.
The NHIA has further directed that the Scheme Manager and the Accountant at the Ga District Mutual Health Insurance Scheme (DMHISs) at Amasaman in the Greater Accra Region, should step aside for thorough investigations into the operations of the scheme.
Briefing the media in Accra yesterday, the acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the NHIA, Mr Sylvester Mensah, said the suspension of the two health facilities, covering a three-month period, would be effective from August 14 to November 13, 2009.
By the suspension, Mr Mensah advised subscribers to desist from visiting the two facilities for medical care, “as cases attended to during the period of the suspension will not be reimbursed by the schemes”.
Throwing more light on the issue, the acting CEO said while the two hospitals in Kumasi allegedly indulged in illegalities which included double billing, over-billing and non-adherence to tariffs, irrational prescription, poor quality care and unsupported claims, as well as fraud, the suspended NHIS officials were involved in alleged fraudulent deals which together cost the scheme huge sums of money.
“Clearly the activities of these two hospitals constitute serious financial leakages of the scheme that must be stopped. It is worth noting that the two hospitals appealed against the decision and the NHIA’s findings were subjected to a review by healthcare professionals drawn from the private and public sector. The review upheld the NHIA findings,” he pointed out.
The sanction, according to Mr Mensah, was provided by the National Health Insurance Act 650 of 2003, which mandated the authority to secure the sustainability of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) through prudent financial administration at all levels.
He further explained that financial claims and audits done on the Ga DMHISs covering the period January 1, 2007 to December 31, 2007 revealed anomalies ranging from misapplication of funds, inability of the scheme to account for monies, poor control/conflict of interest and weaknesses in organisational processes, as well as outright incompetence on the part of the management of the scheme.
He hinted that the NHIA would deploy all means at its disposal to ensure that perpetrators of acts which sought to undermine the sustainability and integrity of the NHIS or compromise the quality of care offered NHIS members, were brought to book.
He pointed out that the audits that the authority had conducted and continued to conduct were not witch-hunting but an effort to ensure that the resources and safety of the public were protected and asked for support from the media in that direction.
Mr Mensah said the NHIA did not take for granted the enormity of the task facing the authority alone but the nation at large to ensure that “we protect this key national effort at improving access to health care for all residents of this country”.
Meanwhile, he said work on the introduction of the one-time premium payment for health insurance was far advanced, adding that it was the expectation of the authority that the government’s promise in that regard was fulfilled.
He also announced that the Minister of Health, Dr George Sipa-Adjah Yankey, had ordered a forensic audit into the operations of all the 145 District Mutual Health Schemes (DMHISs) in the country beginning from next week.
That is because an initial internal auditing conducted by the NHIA in some schemes in the Greater Accra and the Ashanti regions has revealed anomalies in their operations.
The action of the authority is based on the results of investigations carried out by its clinical audit team between March 23 and March 27, 2009.
The two hospitals have appealed against the NHIA’s decision but a review by healthcare professionals upheld the findings and decision of the NHIA.
The NHIA has further directed that the Scheme Manager and the Accountant at the Ga District Mutual Health Insurance Scheme (DMHISs) at Amasaman in the Greater Accra Region, should step aside for thorough investigations into the operations of the scheme.
Briefing the media in Accra yesterday, the acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the NHIA, Mr Sylvester Mensah, said the suspension of the two health facilities, covering a three-month period, would be effective from August 14 to November 13, 2009.
By the suspension, Mr Mensah advised subscribers to desist from visiting the two facilities for medical care, “as cases attended to during the period of the suspension will not be reimbursed by the schemes”.
Throwing more light on the issue, the acting CEO said while the two hospitals in Kumasi allegedly indulged in illegalities which included double billing, over-billing and non-adherence to tariffs, irrational prescription, poor quality care and unsupported claims, as well as fraud, the suspended NHIS officials were involved in alleged fraudulent deals which together cost the scheme huge sums of money.
“Clearly the activities of these two hospitals constitute serious financial leakages of the scheme that must be stopped. It is worth noting that the two hospitals appealed against the decision and the NHIA’s findings were subjected to a review by healthcare professionals drawn from the private and public sector. The review upheld the NHIA findings,” he pointed out.
The sanction, according to Mr Mensah, was provided by the National Health Insurance Act 650 of 2003, which mandated the authority to secure the sustainability of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) through prudent financial administration at all levels.
He further explained that financial claims and audits done on the Ga DMHISs covering the period January 1, 2007 to December 31, 2007 revealed anomalies ranging from misapplication of funds, inability of the scheme to account for monies, poor control/conflict of interest and weaknesses in organisational processes, as well as outright incompetence on the part of the management of the scheme.
He hinted that the NHIA would deploy all means at its disposal to ensure that perpetrators of acts which sought to undermine the sustainability and integrity of the NHIS or compromise the quality of care offered NHIS members, were brought to book.
He pointed out that the audits that the authority had conducted and continued to conduct were not witch-hunting but an effort to ensure that the resources and safety of the public were protected and asked for support from the media in that direction.
Mr Mensah said the NHIA did not take for granted the enormity of the task facing the authority alone but the nation at large to ensure that “we protect this key national effort at improving access to health care for all residents of this country”.
Meanwhile, he said work on the introduction of the one-time premium payment for health insurance was far advanced, adding that it was the expectation of the authority that the government’s promise in that regard was fulfilled.
He also announced that the Minister of Health, Dr George Sipa-Adjah Yankey, had ordered a forensic audit into the operations of all the 145 District Mutual Health Schemes (DMHISs) in the country beginning from next week.
That is because an initial internal auditing conducted by the NHIA in some schemes in the Greater Accra and the Ashanti regions has revealed anomalies in their operations.
NHIA CEO condemns seizure of NHIS offices (August 19, 2009)
(Page 16)
THE acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Mr Sylvester Mensah has condemned the alleged seizure of National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) offices by some individuals in parts of the country.
He has ,therefore, called on the security agencies to arrest and prosecute such individuals or groups to ensure order in the operations of the schemes.
Mr Mensah was answering questions at a news conference organised by the NHIA in Accra yesterday to enable him brief journalists on some developments regarding the implementation of the NHIS at the provider and scheme levels.
He said no individual had the right to move to any office of a scheme, stressing that people with such intentions should refrain from that negative act.
Mr Mensah denied media reports of dismissal of some staff of the NHIS since he assumed office as the CEO.
He was, however, quick to add that anybody found to be involved in fraudulent deals or not doing the right thing would be dealt with .
The NHIA CEO explained that the authority was mandated by section 68 of Act 650 of 2003 to assure the provision of good quality service to members of the NHIS.
He reiterated that there were 145 District Mutual Health Insurance Schemes (DMHIS) with a total of 13.7 million registered members nation-wide, which represented 67 per cent of the population of Ghana.
Mr Mensah said out of that figure, 12.5 million people were card bearing members which also represented 88.1 per cent of the number of people who had registered.
According to him, the NHIA had given accreditation to about 4,000 health care providers to provide health care services to the insured members.
On payment of claims, Mr Mensah said the figures kept on increasing every year.
He stated that in 2006, an amount of GH¢43.5 million was paid, in 2007, GHc92.8 million was paid; in 2008; GH¢151.16 million while in the first half of 2009, a total of GH¢160.3 million was paid all as claims.
*Mr Sylvester Mensah, the CEO of NHIA
THE acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Mr Sylvester Mensah has condemned the alleged seizure of National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) offices by some individuals in parts of the country.
He has ,therefore, called on the security agencies to arrest and prosecute such individuals or groups to ensure order in the operations of the schemes.
Mr Mensah was answering questions at a news conference organised by the NHIA in Accra yesterday to enable him brief journalists on some developments regarding the implementation of the NHIS at the provider and scheme levels.
He said no individual had the right to move to any office of a scheme, stressing that people with such intentions should refrain from that negative act.
Mr Mensah denied media reports of dismissal of some staff of the NHIS since he assumed office as the CEO.
He was, however, quick to add that anybody found to be involved in fraudulent deals or not doing the right thing would be dealt with .
The NHIA CEO explained that the authority was mandated by section 68 of Act 650 of 2003 to assure the provision of good quality service to members of the NHIS.
He reiterated that there were 145 District Mutual Health Insurance Schemes (DMHIS) with a total of 13.7 million registered members nation-wide, which represented 67 per cent of the population of Ghana.
Mr Mensah said out of that figure, 12.5 million people were card bearing members which also represented 88.1 per cent of the number of people who had registered.
According to him, the NHIA had given accreditation to about 4,000 health care providers to provide health care services to the insured members.
On payment of claims, Mr Mensah said the figures kept on increasing every year.
He stated that in 2006, an amount of GH¢43.5 million was paid, in 2007, GHc92.8 million was paid; in 2008; GH¢151.16 million while in the first half of 2009, a total of GH¢160.3 million was paid all as claims.
*Mr Sylvester Mensah, the CEO of NHIA
Monday, August 17, 2009
Gov't Secures Loan to Complete Job on "Job 600"
(August 11, 2009)
THE government has secured a $24-million loan for the completion of rehabilitation works on the State House Tower, popularly known as Job 600.
The Deputy Minister of Water Resources, Works and Housing, Dr Hanna Louisa Bissiw, who made this known in Accra, said the project was expected to commence soon after a stakeholders’ discussion on the modalities for the completion of the project.
She said such talks could only start when Parliament resumed sitting in October, this year.
The magnificent and imposing Job 600 building was put up in 1965 for the hosting of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) summit, which was chaired by Ghana’s first President, Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah.
When completed, the Job 600 building would provide office accommodation for all the 230 legislators.
Dr Bissiw said the execution of the project had become even more urgent as parliamentarians would soon engage research assistants to help them in their work.
She expressed displeasure at what she said had been an unfortunate spectacle at Parliament House where members virtually used their cars as offices.
Throwing more light on the project, the Chief Technical Advisor (Housing) at the Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing, Alhaji A. Dawuni, said the ministry decided to go ahead with the rehabilitation work after an assessment and evaluation had revealed that it was strong enough to be used.
The Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing says it would have been appropriate if the ministry was given the responsibility to handle the rehabilitation works on the Job 600.
The ministry has, therefore, began discussions with the leadership of Parliament to be given the responsibility to supervise the project.
In interview with the Daily Graphic, Mr Albert Abongo confirmed that the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) had provided a loan to Parliament for the rehabilitation of the building to be used as offices for Members of Parliament (MPs).
He said the rehabilitation work was initiated by the ministry until Parliament decided to take full responsibility of the work some years ago.
Mr Abongo explained that since it was the ministry which had personnel with the requisite knowledge to take charge of all such projects belonging to the state, it would serve a very good purpose if the ministry was allowed to handle the job.
THE government has secured a $24-million loan for the completion of rehabilitation works on the State House Tower, popularly known as Job 600.
The Deputy Minister of Water Resources, Works and Housing, Dr Hanna Louisa Bissiw, who made this known in Accra, said the project was expected to commence soon after a stakeholders’ discussion on the modalities for the completion of the project.
She said such talks could only start when Parliament resumed sitting in October, this year.
The magnificent and imposing Job 600 building was put up in 1965 for the hosting of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) summit, which was chaired by Ghana’s first President, Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah.
When completed, the Job 600 building would provide office accommodation for all the 230 legislators.
Dr Bissiw said the execution of the project had become even more urgent as parliamentarians would soon engage research assistants to help them in their work.
She expressed displeasure at what she said had been an unfortunate spectacle at Parliament House where members virtually used their cars as offices.
Throwing more light on the project, the Chief Technical Advisor (Housing) at the Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing, Alhaji A. Dawuni, said the ministry decided to go ahead with the rehabilitation work after an assessment and evaluation had revealed that it was strong enough to be used.
The Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing says it would have been appropriate if the ministry was given the responsibility to handle the rehabilitation works on the Job 600.
The ministry has, therefore, began discussions with the leadership of Parliament to be given the responsibility to supervise the project.
In interview with the Daily Graphic, Mr Albert Abongo confirmed that the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) had provided a loan to Parliament for the rehabilitation of the building to be used as offices for Members of Parliament (MPs).
He said the rehabilitation work was initiated by the ministry until Parliament decided to take full responsibility of the work some years ago.
Mr Abongo explained that since it was the ministry which had personnel with the requisite knowledge to take charge of all such projects belonging to the state, it would serve a very good purpose if the ministry was allowed to handle the job.
First swine flu victim out of danger (August 11, 2009)
(Back Page)
The first victim of the H1N1 virus (Swine flu) in Ghana is responding well to treatment and is expected to be discharged from hospital in the next few days.
Her brother, who reportedly contracted the disease in the UK and transmitted it to the young woman, is also said to be doing well.
In an interview in Accra yesterday, the Director-General of the Ghana Health Service, Dr Elias Sory, said so far no other members of the family had tested positive but people who had had any contact with the patient were under surveillance.
He said another suspected case, which was reported at the Effia Nkwanta Regional Hospital in the Western Region, had turned out to be negative.
Dr Sory said the situation was alarming but advised the public to observe simple hygiene to protect themselves from catching the virus.
Last Thursday, the Ministry of Health confirmed Ghana’s first recorded case of Swine Flu in the Greater Accra Region.
Another suspected case, which was still under investigation, was reported at the Effia Nkwanta Regional Hospital in the Western Region.
The Accra patient, who is a young woman and said to have been infected by a brother who came from the United Kingdom, went to Aviation Hospital at the Kotoka International Airport with mild symptoms of the influenza, but further checks detected the presence of the virus.
The Ministry of Health has placed its surveillance systems on alert and has braced itself up to face any challenges that may arise from any further reported case of the infection.
Already the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research has been designated by the World Health Organisation (WHO) for the testing of H1N1 in Ghana.
Meanwhile the institute has given the assurance that it is well equipped to test the presence of the H1N1 virus.
The first victim of the H1N1 virus (Swine flu) in Ghana is responding well to treatment and is expected to be discharged from hospital in the next few days.
Her brother, who reportedly contracted the disease in the UK and transmitted it to the young woman, is also said to be doing well.
In an interview in Accra yesterday, the Director-General of the Ghana Health Service, Dr Elias Sory, said so far no other members of the family had tested positive but people who had had any contact with the patient were under surveillance.
He said another suspected case, which was reported at the Effia Nkwanta Regional Hospital in the Western Region, had turned out to be negative.
Dr Sory said the situation was alarming but advised the public to observe simple hygiene to protect themselves from catching the virus.
Last Thursday, the Ministry of Health confirmed Ghana’s first recorded case of Swine Flu in the Greater Accra Region.
Another suspected case, which was still under investigation, was reported at the Effia Nkwanta Regional Hospital in the Western Region.
The Accra patient, who is a young woman and said to have been infected by a brother who came from the United Kingdom, went to Aviation Hospital at the Kotoka International Airport with mild symptoms of the influenza, but further checks detected the presence of the virus.
The Ministry of Health has placed its surveillance systems on alert and has braced itself up to face any challenges that may arise from any further reported case of the infection.
Already the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research has been designated by the World Health Organisation (WHO) for the testing of H1N1 in Ghana.
Meanwhile the institute has given the assurance that it is well equipped to test the presence of the H1N1 virus.
Noguchi well-equipped to detect swine flu (Saturday, August 8, 2008)
(Back Page)
THE Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR) says it is well equipped to test for the presence or otherwise of the H1N1 virus (swine flu).
It says its equipment is of international standard accepted by the World Health Organisation (WHO), as well as other international organisations.
In an interview with the Daily Graphic in Accra yesterday, the Director of the institute, Professor Alex Nyarko, said it was the same equipment procured about two to three years ago which was used during the outbreak of avian influenza (bird flu).
Prof. Nyarko said the NMIMR was the country’s central laboratory where samples from other laboratories were sent for confirmation of suspected cases.
Last Thursday, the Ministry of Health confirmed Ghana’s first recorded case of H1N1 (swine flu) in the Greater Accra Region.
Another suspected case, which is still under investigation, was reported at the Effia Nkwanta Regional Hospital in the Western Region.
The Accra patient, who is a young woman and said to have been infected by a brother who came from the United Kingdom, went to Aviation Hospital at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) with mild symptoms of influenza but further checks detected the presence of the virus.
The woman is on admission and is responding to treatment, while members of her family are under surveillance.
Prof. Nyarko pointed out that the institute was ready to handle tests of that nature, adding that in the case of the H1N1, the Ministry of Health (MoH) was fully supporting it especially in the supply of needed chemicals (reagents).
He said to be sure of the presence of the virus, there should be about two or three separate tests before conclusion could be made.
In a related development, the Director-General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr Elias K. Sory, has said the World Health Organisation (WHO) has supplied the country with drugs which are effective for the treatment of the disease.
In an answer to a question at a press briefing on Thursday, Dr Sory said it was important for people who presented symptoms of the H1N1 influenza to report to health facilities early for correct diagnosis and treatment.
Swine flu is a deadly respiratory disease caused by a strain of the influenza type A virus known as H1N1. The virus is spread from person to person, probably in much the same way that regular seasonal influenza viruses spread.
The symptoms of the H1N1 flu virus in people are similar to the symptoms of flu and include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue.
A significant number of people who have been infected with this virus have also reported diarrhoea and vomiting.
The H1N1 viruses are not spread by food. You cannot get infected with HIN1 virus from eating pork or pork products.
THE Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR) says it is well equipped to test for the presence or otherwise of the H1N1 virus (swine flu).
It says its equipment is of international standard accepted by the World Health Organisation (WHO), as well as other international organisations.
In an interview with the Daily Graphic in Accra yesterday, the Director of the institute, Professor Alex Nyarko, said it was the same equipment procured about two to three years ago which was used during the outbreak of avian influenza (bird flu).
Prof. Nyarko said the NMIMR was the country’s central laboratory where samples from other laboratories were sent for confirmation of suspected cases.
Last Thursday, the Ministry of Health confirmed Ghana’s first recorded case of H1N1 (swine flu) in the Greater Accra Region.
Another suspected case, which is still under investigation, was reported at the Effia Nkwanta Regional Hospital in the Western Region.
The Accra patient, who is a young woman and said to have been infected by a brother who came from the United Kingdom, went to Aviation Hospital at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) with mild symptoms of influenza but further checks detected the presence of the virus.
The woman is on admission and is responding to treatment, while members of her family are under surveillance.
Prof. Nyarko pointed out that the institute was ready to handle tests of that nature, adding that in the case of the H1N1, the Ministry of Health (MoH) was fully supporting it especially in the supply of needed chemicals (reagents).
He said to be sure of the presence of the virus, there should be about two or three separate tests before conclusion could be made.
In a related development, the Director-General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr Elias K. Sory, has said the World Health Organisation (WHO) has supplied the country with drugs which are effective for the treatment of the disease.
In an answer to a question at a press briefing on Thursday, Dr Sory said it was important for people who presented symptoms of the H1N1 influenza to report to health facilities early for correct diagnosis and treatment.
Swine flu is a deadly respiratory disease caused by a strain of the influenza type A virus known as H1N1. The virus is spread from person to person, probably in much the same way that regular seasonal influenza viruses spread.
The symptoms of the H1N1 flu virus in people are similar to the symptoms of flu and include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue.
A significant number of people who have been infected with this virus have also reported diarrhoea and vomiting.
The H1N1 viruses are not spread by food. You cannot get infected with HIN1 virus from eating pork or pork products.
Friday, August 7, 2009
Ghana Records 1st Case of Swine Flu (Front Page)
GHANA has recorded its first case of H1N1 (swine flu) in the Greater Accra Region.
Another suspected case, which is still under investigation, was reported at the Effia Nkwanta Regional Hospital in the Western Region.
The Accra patient, who is a young woman and said to have been infected by a brother who came from the United Kingdom, went to a health facility with mild symptoms of influenza but further checks detected the presence of the virus.
The Deputy Minister of Health, Dr Benjamin Kunbuor, briefed journalists on the first recorded case of the disease in the country at a press conference in Accra yesterday.
With him were the Director-General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr Elias K. Sory, his deputy, Dr George Amofah, the two Deputy Ministers of Information, Mr Joseph Agyenim-Boateng and Mr Samuel Okudzeto-Ablakwah, as well as officials from the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Ministry of Health (MoH).
Dr Kumbuor said the woman was currently on admission at a hospital and was responding to treatment, while members of her family were under surveillance.
The deputy minister gave the assurance that the country was not in a crisis but was quick to add that there was the need to take precautionary measures and follow the pieces of advice provided by health experts.
He said the health authorities had been vigilant and, with support from the WHO, had put in place measures to check the spread of the disease.
He said a national technical committee which had been set up met regularly to monitor and review the situation periodically.
Additionally, instructions had been issued to the regional health directorates to establish similar committees to be on the alert and report on cases of the disease with dispatch, he said.
Dr Kunbuor said in collaboration with the WHO, the country had procured drugs for the treatment of patients, adding that some of the drugs had been sent to the regional medical stores and regional hospitals for early release for the management of cases.
The deputy minister announced that the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research had been designated by the WHO as diagnostic centre for the disease.
Swine flu is a deadly respiratory disease caused by a strain of the influenza type A virus known as H1N1.
It is a new influenza virus causing illness in people. This new virus was first detected in people in the United States in April 2009. Other countries, including Mexico and Canada, have reported people sick with this new virus.
The virus is spread from person to person, probably in much the same way that regular seasonal influenza viruses spread.
The virus was originally referred to as “swine flu” because laboratory testing showed that many of the genes in it were very similar to influenza viruses that normally occur in pigs in North America. But further study has shown that this new virus is very different from what normally circulates in North American pigs.
The symptoms of the novel H1N1 flu virus in people are similar to the symptoms of flu and include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue.
A significant number of people who have been infected with this virus have also reported diarrhoea and vomiting.
There is no vaccine available right now to protect against H1N1 virus.
There are certain people who are at higher risk of serious flu-related complications. These include people 65 years and older, children younger than five, pregnant women and people of any age with certain chronic medical conditions.
Flu viruses are spread mainly from person to person through coughing or sneezing by people with influenza.
Sometimes people may become infected by touching something with flu viruses on it and then touching their mouth or nose.
Currently, it is believed that the virus has the same properties in terms of spread as seasonal flu viruses. With seasonal flu, studies have shown that people may be contagious from one day before they develop symptoms to up to seven days after they get sick.
Children, especially younger children, may potentially be contagious for longer periods.
The H1N1 viruses are not spread by food. You cannot get infected with HIN1 virus from eating pork or pork products. Eating properly handled and cooked pork products is, therefore, safe.
As there is no vaccine available right now to protect against the novel H1N1 virus, there are everyday actions that can help prevent the spread of germs that cause respiratory illnesses like influenza.
One needs to take these everyday steps to protect his or her health:
Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze; throw the tissue in the trash after you use it; wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze (alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective) and avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.
Other precautionary measures are that one has to avoid close contact with sick people; stay home if one is sick for seven days after symptoms begin or until one has been symptom-free for 24 hours, whichever is longer. This is to keep one from infecting others and spreading the virus further.
Another suspected case, which is still under investigation, was reported at the Effia Nkwanta Regional Hospital in the Western Region.
The Accra patient, who is a young woman and said to have been infected by a brother who came from the United Kingdom, went to a health facility with mild symptoms of influenza but further checks detected the presence of the virus.
The Deputy Minister of Health, Dr Benjamin Kunbuor, briefed journalists on the first recorded case of the disease in the country at a press conference in Accra yesterday.
With him were the Director-General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr Elias K. Sory, his deputy, Dr George Amofah, the two Deputy Ministers of Information, Mr Joseph Agyenim-Boateng and Mr Samuel Okudzeto-Ablakwah, as well as officials from the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Ministry of Health (MoH).
Dr Kumbuor said the woman was currently on admission at a hospital and was responding to treatment, while members of her family were under surveillance.
The deputy minister gave the assurance that the country was not in a crisis but was quick to add that there was the need to take precautionary measures and follow the pieces of advice provided by health experts.
He said the health authorities had been vigilant and, with support from the WHO, had put in place measures to check the spread of the disease.
He said a national technical committee which had been set up met regularly to monitor and review the situation periodically.
Additionally, instructions had been issued to the regional health directorates to establish similar committees to be on the alert and report on cases of the disease with dispatch, he said.
Dr Kunbuor said in collaboration with the WHO, the country had procured drugs for the treatment of patients, adding that some of the drugs had been sent to the regional medical stores and regional hospitals for early release for the management of cases.
The deputy minister announced that the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research had been designated by the WHO as diagnostic centre for the disease.
Swine flu is a deadly respiratory disease caused by a strain of the influenza type A virus known as H1N1.
It is a new influenza virus causing illness in people. This new virus was first detected in people in the United States in April 2009. Other countries, including Mexico and Canada, have reported people sick with this new virus.
The virus is spread from person to person, probably in much the same way that regular seasonal influenza viruses spread.
The virus was originally referred to as “swine flu” because laboratory testing showed that many of the genes in it were very similar to influenza viruses that normally occur in pigs in North America. But further study has shown that this new virus is very different from what normally circulates in North American pigs.
The symptoms of the novel H1N1 flu virus in people are similar to the symptoms of flu and include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue.
A significant number of people who have been infected with this virus have also reported diarrhoea and vomiting.
There is no vaccine available right now to protect against H1N1 virus.
There are certain people who are at higher risk of serious flu-related complications. These include people 65 years and older, children younger than five, pregnant women and people of any age with certain chronic medical conditions.
Flu viruses are spread mainly from person to person through coughing or sneezing by people with influenza.
Sometimes people may become infected by touching something with flu viruses on it and then touching their mouth or nose.
Currently, it is believed that the virus has the same properties in terms of spread as seasonal flu viruses. With seasonal flu, studies have shown that people may be contagious from one day before they develop symptoms to up to seven days after they get sick.
Children, especially younger children, may potentially be contagious for longer periods.
The H1N1 viruses are not spread by food. You cannot get infected with HIN1 virus from eating pork or pork products. Eating properly handled and cooked pork products is, therefore, safe.
As there is no vaccine available right now to protect against the novel H1N1 virus, there are everyday actions that can help prevent the spread of germs that cause respiratory illnesses like influenza.
One needs to take these everyday steps to protect his or her health:
Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze; throw the tissue in the trash after you use it; wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze (alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective) and avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.
Other precautionary measures are that one has to avoid close contact with sick people; stay home if one is sick for seven days after symptoms begin or until one has been symptom-free for 24 hours, whichever is longer. This is to keep one from infecting others and spreading the virus further.
HIV patients on ART on the increase (Back Page)
August 6, 2009
THE number of people with advanced HIV infection who are receiving anti-retroviral therapy (ART) combination therapy increased from 4,154 in January, 2007 to 20,688 in September 2008.
In addition, hospitals with capacity to provide ART in Ghana increased from three in 2003, to 114 in 2008.
This was disclosed by the Director, Policy and Planning at the Ghana AIDS Commission (GAC), Dr Sylvia Anie-Akwettey, at a training workshop in Accra for health reporters as part of a series of workshops organised by the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), with sponsorship from Unilever Ghana Limited and the Public Affairs Department of the United States Embassy in Ghana.
Addressing the journalists, Dr Anie-Akwettey explained that there was neither vaccine nor effective cure for AIDS but pointed out that available anti-retroviral drugs increased survival rate.
Anti-retroviral drugs are medications for the treatment of infections by retro-viruses, primarily HIV. When several such drugs, typically three or four, are taken in combination, the approach is known as highly active anti-retroviral therapy.
Dr Anie-Akwettey pointed out that not all HIV positive individuals could be given anti-retroviral drugs but only those whose immune systems had dropped to a certain level, adding that the drugs were for life and also had side effects so there was the need for medical supervision as one takes them.
She said although HIV and AIDS had no cure, an infected person could live healthily if he knew his status and went for the needed health care early.
She stated that Ghana had 524 voluntary counselling and testing (VCT) sites as of September, 2008 to provide quality services to people to know their HIV status and took the opportunity to advise all Ghanaians to take advantage of these services.
Quoting from the UNAIDS, Dr Anie-Akwettey said the number of people living with HIV and AIDS globally had increased from about eight million in 1990, to 33.2 million in 2007, adding that the number was still increasing.
She said out of the number, “around 68 per cent of the people living with HIV and AIDS are in sub-Saharan Africa, which includes Ghana”.
She, therefore, called on the media to be more proactive in highlighting HIV and AIDS prevention, care and support policy issues, as well as issues of access to drugs, nutritional care, stigma and discrimination.
Touching on “Tools for effective coverage of HIV, AIDS and Malaria”, a media consultant, Dr Doris Dartey, said the media could help to reduce the burden of HIV, AIDS and malaria on the African continent if practitioners played their desired role as educators.
She said instead of concentrating on personalities, journalists could do society a lot of good if they tackled issues which the people were confronted with, adding that many of the stories that the media carried “are purely PR work which benefit few individuals”.
Through questions thrown by Dr Dartey, the participants identified poverty, hunger, diseases, conflicts, ignorance, wars and homelessness as some of the problems which African continent was confronted with.
THE number of people with advanced HIV infection who are receiving anti-retroviral therapy (ART) combination therapy increased from 4,154 in January, 2007 to 20,688 in September 2008.
In addition, hospitals with capacity to provide ART in Ghana increased from three in 2003, to 114 in 2008.
This was disclosed by the Director, Policy and Planning at the Ghana AIDS Commission (GAC), Dr Sylvia Anie-Akwettey, at a training workshop in Accra for health reporters as part of a series of workshops organised by the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), with sponsorship from Unilever Ghana Limited and the Public Affairs Department of the United States Embassy in Ghana.
Addressing the journalists, Dr Anie-Akwettey explained that there was neither vaccine nor effective cure for AIDS but pointed out that available anti-retroviral drugs increased survival rate.
Anti-retroviral drugs are medications for the treatment of infections by retro-viruses, primarily HIV. When several such drugs, typically three or four, are taken in combination, the approach is known as highly active anti-retroviral therapy.
Dr Anie-Akwettey pointed out that not all HIV positive individuals could be given anti-retroviral drugs but only those whose immune systems had dropped to a certain level, adding that the drugs were for life and also had side effects so there was the need for medical supervision as one takes them.
She said although HIV and AIDS had no cure, an infected person could live healthily if he knew his status and went for the needed health care early.
She stated that Ghana had 524 voluntary counselling and testing (VCT) sites as of September, 2008 to provide quality services to people to know their HIV status and took the opportunity to advise all Ghanaians to take advantage of these services.
Quoting from the UNAIDS, Dr Anie-Akwettey said the number of people living with HIV and AIDS globally had increased from about eight million in 1990, to 33.2 million in 2007, adding that the number was still increasing.
She said out of the number, “around 68 per cent of the people living with HIV and AIDS are in sub-Saharan Africa, which includes Ghana”.
She, therefore, called on the media to be more proactive in highlighting HIV and AIDS prevention, care and support policy issues, as well as issues of access to drugs, nutritional care, stigma and discrimination.
Touching on “Tools for effective coverage of HIV, AIDS and Malaria”, a media consultant, Dr Doris Dartey, said the media could help to reduce the burden of HIV, AIDS and malaria on the African continent if practitioners played their desired role as educators.
She said instead of concentrating on personalities, journalists could do society a lot of good if they tackled issues which the people were confronted with, adding that many of the stories that the media carried “are purely PR work which benefit few individuals”.
Through questions thrown by Dr Dartey, the participants identified poverty, hunger, diseases, conflicts, ignorance, wars and homelessness as some of the problems which African continent was confronted with.
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Help Govt to Fight Malaria
04-08-2009
THE Minister of Health, Dr George Sipa Yankey, has challenged Ghanaian scientists to support the government’s efforts at eradicating malaria to save the country $760 million spent on the disease annually.
He also urged them to desist from making discouraging remarks about the ministry’s efforts to fight disease since eradicating malaria was possible and achievable.
The health minister was speaking at the opening of the 10th Commonwealth Pharmacists Association Conference and the 74th Annual General Meeting of the Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana (PSGH) in Accra yesterday.
The programme was on the theme; “Managing Threats and Crises: The Role of the Pharmacists in the Unstable World”.
Dr Yankey said as the ministry provided the needed leadership, he expected members of the team to effectively play their respective roles in tackling the disease head-on.
“This is the time for us to wage a decisive war on malaria....I will use this platform to request for your maximum support in this endeavour,” the health minister said.
He said very soon the health sector would embark on an ambitious programme to tackle the menace of malaria in Ghana, adding that since April, he had embarked on series of interactions with his colleague ministers in some West African countries, notably Nigeria, Cote d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso, Togo and Mali to enable them to fight the disease together.
Addressing the pharmacists, Dr Yankey said the ministry was aware that between 20 and 30 percent of the population used pharmacies as the first option when they were sick, adding that every patient they served was a potential source of data which made drug outlets valuable sources of information.
Dr Yankey gave the assurance that the government would provide the needed resources to further develop the pharmaceutical industry in Ghana.
Touching on provision of quality health care to the public, the President of the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP), Dr Kamal Midha, said pharmacists had a significant role to play in health care delivery and called on the members of the PSGH to make available quality services to patients.
He said there was also the need for pharmacists to ensure the availability of good quality medicines at affordable prices at all levels.
Dr Midha said as the world was confronted with counterfeit medicines, pharmacists should be involved in the procurement and distribution of medicines to check the negative trend.
In his welcoming address, the President of the PSGH, Dr Alex Dodoo, noted that Ghana had a young but growing and active local manufacturing industry with nearly 30 companies at various levels of capacity, adding that the society was committed to working with those companies to make them competitive, as well as help them to be among the best in the world.
As part of the programme, some members of the society, as well as others from other international societies were honoured by the PSGH for distinguishing themselves.
THE Minister of Health, Dr George Sipa Yankey, has challenged Ghanaian scientists to support the government’s efforts at eradicating malaria to save the country $760 million spent on the disease annually.
He also urged them to desist from making discouraging remarks about the ministry’s efforts to fight disease since eradicating malaria was possible and achievable.
The health minister was speaking at the opening of the 10th Commonwealth Pharmacists Association Conference and the 74th Annual General Meeting of the Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana (PSGH) in Accra yesterday.
The programme was on the theme; “Managing Threats and Crises: The Role of the Pharmacists in the Unstable World”.
Dr Yankey said as the ministry provided the needed leadership, he expected members of the team to effectively play their respective roles in tackling the disease head-on.
“This is the time for us to wage a decisive war on malaria....I will use this platform to request for your maximum support in this endeavour,” the health minister said.
He said very soon the health sector would embark on an ambitious programme to tackle the menace of malaria in Ghana, adding that since April, he had embarked on series of interactions with his colleague ministers in some West African countries, notably Nigeria, Cote d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso, Togo and Mali to enable them to fight the disease together.
Addressing the pharmacists, Dr Yankey said the ministry was aware that between 20 and 30 percent of the population used pharmacies as the first option when they were sick, adding that every patient they served was a potential source of data which made drug outlets valuable sources of information.
Dr Yankey gave the assurance that the government would provide the needed resources to further develop the pharmaceutical industry in Ghana.
Touching on provision of quality health care to the public, the President of the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP), Dr Kamal Midha, said pharmacists had a significant role to play in health care delivery and called on the members of the PSGH to make available quality services to patients.
He said there was also the need for pharmacists to ensure the availability of good quality medicines at affordable prices at all levels.
Dr Midha said as the world was confronted with counterfeit medicines, pharmacists should be involved in the procurement and distribution of medicines to check the negative trend.
In his welcoming address, the President of the PSGH, Dr Alex Dodoo, noted that Ghana had a young but growing and active local manufacturing industry with nearly 30 companies at various levels of capacity, adding that the society was committed to working with those companies to make them competitive, as well as help them to be among the best in the world.
As part of the programme, some members of the society, as well as others from other international societies were honoured by the PSGH for distinguishing themselves.
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