A SUSPECTED assassination attempt on the life of the Minister of Health, Dr Benjamin Kunbuor, on Monday night failed, with the minister escaping unhurt.
Dr Kunbuor said he was shocked to the marrow when he smelt smoke and saw a hole in the windscreen of the saloon car which he was driving and, consequently, drove quickly away from the scene when he realised that all was not well.
The incident occurred near the Labone Senior High School about 9.30 p.m. when the minister was going out from his residence to see a colleague at another part of Accra.
Narrating the incident to the Daily Graphic at his residence, Dr Kunbuor said when he heard the noise, he thought it was a tree branch which had fallen on the vehicle until he smelt smoke and later saw a hole in the windscreen.
The minister, who was well composed at the time of the interview, said he suspected no one in particular, adding, “I’ve gone through a similar thing before so I’m not scared.”
Last Monday’s incident happened to be the third time Dr Kunbuor had gone through such a harrowing experience.
In 2002, a group of armed robbers broke into his car after he had visited the late Mrs Susanna Alhassan’s house at East Cantonments. After the robbery, there had been an exchange of gunshots between the robbers and some soldiers who happened to be at the scene right in his presence.
Again, in September 2007, another group of armed robbers entered his room and, for more than one hour, pointed a gun at his head and a knife at his throat.
On the latest incident, the minister said it would have no effect on him, adding that he would continue to lead his life as he did.
He indicated that he had not seen anybody at the scene of the noise up to the ECOBANK area where he noticed some people, adding that it was after he had reached the El-Wak Stadium that he could stop to inspect the damage to the car.
He, however, stressed that he could not determine whether it was a bullet that had hit the car or some other object but confirmed that he had heard a noise at the time that the object hit the windscreen.
Meanwhile, the case has been reported to National Security for investigation.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Funding impeding HIV treatment (Graphic Business)
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
CONSULTANTS engaged by the Ghana AIDS Commission (GAC) have identified inadequate funding for anti-retroviral (ARV) therapy and declining government allocation for treatment of HIV as a key challenge.
The group indicated that resources for implementation of HIV prevention activities reduced from 39 per cent in 2005 to 12 per cent in 2007 and then increased to 22 per cent in 2008.
They also reminded the government that the high donor support which went into the provision of ARV, was scheduled to cease by the end of 2011, and therefore called for adequate local assistance to sustain the gains so far made.
These came out in Accra during a meeting organised by the GAC and other stakeholders to disseminate the findings of a review of the National HIV and AIDS Strategic Framework (NSF 11) which covered the period between 2006 and 2010 . The objective of the meeting was to assess the extent to which the goals and objectives of the framework was achieved, among other things.
The findings were presented by the consultants led by Dr Hugues Lago. Others were Dr Yao Yeboah, Dr Kwabena Poku, Dr Agnes Dzokoto and Dr William Bosu.
Specific areas that the study looked at were: Coordination and management of the decentralised multi-sectoral response; prevention and mitigation; treatment, care and support; research, surveillance, monitoring and evaluation as well as policy, advocacy and enabling environment.
The findings of the joint review indicated that significant inputs contributed to commendable progress in the national HIV response. However, there existed some challenges that impeded the level of achievement of the expected outcome.
The report indicated that although Ghana had stabilised generalised HIV epidemic, however there were significant regional, district and district variations.
It also touched on lack of gender specific goals, outcomes and indicators, inadequate dissemination and the use of the 2006 national strategic framework.
The study indicated facilities for the provision of anti-retroviral (ARV) services had increased from 13 in 2005 to 138 in 2009.
In addition, the number of people living with HIV (PLHIVs) who have been put on ARV have increased from 6,736 in December 2006, to 31,977 in December 2009.
The group, therefore, recommended that the development of the new framework, NFS 111 that will operate between 2011 and 2015 should take into account efforts to sustain and scale-up the effective strategies and also address identified challenges.
According to the study, all though there had been some level of political commitment and leadership, that has not been fully translated into action, especially in the area of provision of resources.
“The degree of involvement of policy makers throughout the policy formulation and dissemination process is limited”, the report indicated.
The Minister for Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Joseph Yiele Chireh advised Ghanaians not to politicise the issue of HIV and AIDS since the epidemic had no political colour but could affect any body.
He asked the various district assemblies to make available the 0.5 per cent of the common fund meant for HIV and AIDS prevention programmes adding that the government would ensure that there were resources available to continue with HIV and AIDS prevention activities.
The acting Director General of the GAC, Dr Angela El-Adas said the development, monitoring and evaluation of the NSF was a significant accomplishment of the country’s HIV and AIDS response adding that it represented the second phase of a coordinated national response to HIV and AIDS.
She expressed the hope that the findings and recommendations from the joint review duly informed the next framework meant to cover 2011 and 2015 and expressed the hope that adequate recourses would be made available for future programmes.
Speaking on behalf of the development partners, the Country Coordinator of UNAIDS, Dr Leo Zekeng reiterated the commitment of the partners and gave the assurance of their continues support to Ghana, both financially and technically.
The chairperson for the occasion, Nana Oye Lithur commended the GAC and the other stakeholders for coming out with the study and urged them to continue with the good work which was started years ago.
CONSULTANTS engaged by the Ghana AIDS Commission (GAC) have identified inadequate funding for anti-retroviral (ARV) therapy and declining government allocation for treatment of HIV as a key challenge.
The group indicated that resources for implementation of HIV prevention activities reduced from 39 per cent in 2005 to 12 per cent in 2007 and then increased to 22 per cent in 2008.
They also reminded the government that the high donor support which went into the provision of ARV, was scheduled to cease by the end of 2011, and therefore called for adequate local assistance to sustain the gains so far made.
These came out in Accra during a meeting organised by the GAC and other stakeholders to disseminate the findings of a review of the National HIV and AIDS Strategic Framework (NSF 11) which covered the period between 2006 and 2010 . The objective of the meeting was to assess the extent to which the goals and objectives of the framework was achieved, among other things.
The findings were presented by the consultants led by Dr Hugues Lago. Others were Dr Yao Yeboah, Dr Kwabena Poku, Dr Agnes Dzokoto and Dr William Bosu.
Specific areas that the study looked at were: Coordination and management of the decentralised multi-sectoral response; prevention and mitigation; treatment, care and support; research, surveillance, monitoring and evaluation as well as policy, advocacy and enabling environment.
The findings of the joint review indicated that significant inputs contributed to commendable progress in the national HIV response. However, there existed some challenges that impeded the level of achievement of the expected outcome.
The report indicated that although Ghana had stabilised generalised HIV epidemic, however there were significant regional, district and district variations.
It also touched on lack of gender specific goals, outcomes and indicators, inadequate dissemination and the use of the 2006 national strategic framework.
The study indicated facilities for the provision of anti-retroviral (ARV) services had increased from 13 in 2005 to 138 in 2009.
In addition, the number of people living with HIV (PLHIVs) who have been put on ARV have increased from 6,736 in December 2006, to 31,977 in December 2009.
The group, therefore, recommended that the development of the new framework, NFS 111 that will operate between 2011 and 2015 should take into account efforts to sustain and scale-up the effective strategies and also address identified challenges.
According to the study, all though there had been some level of political commitment and leadership, that has not been fully translated into action, especially in the area of provision of resources.
“The degree of involvement of policy makers throughout the policy formulation and dissemination process is limited”, the report indicated.
The Minister for Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Joseph Yiele Chireh advised Ghanaians not to politicise the issue of HIV and AIDS since the epidemic had no political colour but could affect any body.
He asked the various district assemblies to make available the 0.5 per cent of the common fund meant for HIV and AIDS prevention programmes adding that the government would ensure that there were resources available to continue with HIV and AIDS prevention activities.
The acting Director General of the GAC, Dr Angela El-Adas said the development, monitoring and evaluation of the NSF was a significant accomplishment of the country’s HIV and AIDS response adding that it represented the second phase of a coordinated national response to HIV and AIDS.
She expressed the hope that the findings and recommendations from the joint review duly informed the next framework meant to cover 2011 and 2015 and expressed the hope that adequate recourses would be made available for future programmes.
Speaking on behalf of the development partners, the Country Coordinator of UNAIDS, Dr Leo Zekeng reiterated the commitment of the partners and gave the assurance of their continues support to Ghana, both financially and technically.
The chairperson for the occasion, Nana Oye Lithur commended the GAC and the other stakeholders for coming out with the study and urged them to continue with the good work which was started years ago.
Monday, June 28, 2010
International meeting to help reduce cervical cancer
A THREE-DAY international meeting of African First Ladies, African Ministers of Health and Members of Parliament is to be held in Accra in July to discuss strategies for reducing cervical cancer in Africa.
Dubbed, “The Fourth Stop Cervical Cancer in Africa”, the conference, which will also be attended by medical doctors and other health practitioners, is on the theme: “Africa unite in action, mobilising political and financial support to strengthen cervical cancer prevention”.
The three-day conference is being hosted by the Ghana Government, in collaboration with Princess Nikky Breast and Cervical Cancer Foundation, a Nigeria-based non-governmental organisation at the forefront of breast and cervical cancer prevention and control in Africa.
It has the aim of advocating increased awareness on cervical cancer in Africa, as well as mobilising for effective strategy implementation through working with other partners in order to reduce stigmatisation of people suffering and living with cervical cancer.
It also has the objective to mobilise the needed resources for the development of policies, strategies and action to fight cervical cancer at national, regional and international levels.
Quoting from a World Health Organisation (WHO) studies, the Minister of Health, Dr Benjamin Kunbuor, said at a pre-conference press briefing in Accra that 18 per cent of all cancer deaths in Ghana was due to cervical cancer, adding that "cervical cancer is the leading cause of cancers in women in Ghana".
He pointed out that unfortunately, most of the cancers seen at the country’s health facilities were advanced cases which could be cured if detected early and stated that management of those advanced cases was very expensive with poor result.
Dr Kunbuor expressed the hope that the conference would accelerate Ghana’s efforts at advocacy and awareness creation, as well as enhance the country’s efforts of implementing a comprehensive cervical cancer prevention programme.
For her part, the Executive Director of Princess Nikky Breast Cancer Foundation, Princess Nikky Onyeri, said the conference was expected to advocate increased awareness on cervical cancer in Africa to reduce stigmatisation of people suffering and living with cervical cancer.
She said it was also to update and educate stakeholders on recent developments in cervical cancer prevention in Africa and around the world, and to strategise and mobilise African governments, global support and funding for cervical cancer prevention, among other issues.
Cervical cancer affects tissues of the cervix (the organ connecting the uterus and the vagina). It is usually a slow-growing cancer that may not have symptoms but can be found with regular Pap tests (a procedure in which cells are scraped from the cervix and looked at under a microscope). Cervical cancer is almost always caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) infection.
Dubbed, “The Fourth Stop Cervical Cancer in Africa”, the conference, which will also be attended by medical doctors and other health practitioners, is on the theme: “Africa unite in action, mobilising political and financial support to strengthen cervical cancer prevention”.
The three-day conference is being hosted by the Ghana Government, in collaboration with Princess Nikky Breast and Cervical Cancer Foundation, a Nigeria-based non-governmental organisation at the forefront of breast and cervical cancer prevention and control in Africa.
It has the aim of advocating increased awareness on cervical cancer in Africa, as well as mobilising for effective strategy implementation through working with other partners in order to reduce stigmatisation of people suffering and living with cervical cancer.
It also has the objective to mobilise the needed resources for the development of policies, strategies and action to fight cervical cancer at national, regional and international levels.
Quoting from a World Health Organisation (WHO) studies, the Minister of Health, Dr Benjamin Kunbuor, said at a pre-conference press briefing in Accra that 18 per cent of all cancer deaths in Ghana was due to cervical cancer, adding that "cervical cancer is the leading cause of cancers in women in Ghana".
He pointed out that unfortunately, most of the cancers seen at the country’s health facilities were advanced cases which could be cured if detected early and stated that management of those advanced cases was very expensive with poor result.
Dr Kunbuor expressed the hope that the conference would accelerate Ghana’s efforts at advocacy and awareness creation, as well as enhance the country’s efforts of implementing a comprehensive cervical cancer prevention programme.
For her part, the Executive Director of Princess Nikky Breast Cancer Foundation, Princess Nikky Onyeri, said the conference was expected to advocate increased awareness on cervical cancer in Africa to reduce stigmatisation of people suffering and living with cervical cancer.
She said it was also to update and educate stakeholders on recent developments in cervical cancer prevention in Africa and around the world, and to strategise and mobilise African governments, global support and funding for cervical cancer prevention, among other issues.
Cervical cancer affects tissues of the cervix (the organ connecting the uterus and the vagina). It is usually a slow-growing cancer that may not have symptoms but can be found with regular Pap tests (a procedure in which cells are scraped from the cervix and looked at under a microscope). Cervical cancer is almost always caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) infection.
NADMO appeals for more assistance
Saturday, June 26, 2010
THE National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) has described last Sunday’s widespread floods in the country as a rare occurrence and appealed for more assistance for the thousands of displaced people nationwide.
Supporting the claim with pictures of the affected areas at a heavily attended press conference in Accra, the National Co-ordinator of NADMO, Mr Kofi Portuphy, said, “I have never seen such devastation before.”
He put the number of deaths at 32 and that of displaced people at 12,222.
With the numbers involved, he said, food items left for distribution to the displaced people would not go beyond one week and listed the other critical needs of the organisation as water and sanitation systems, water purifying equipment, water treatment chemicals, cargo trucks for the distribution of relief items, water tankers, diving equipment, motorised boats, canoes, outboard motors and search lights.
The organisation also required extrication equipment, clothing, pharmaceuticals, tents, vehicles, communication equipment, fire fighting equipment and buses to convey displaced persons, he added.
The national co-ordinator explained that although the government had so far helped in the area of search and rescue, shelter, clothing, food, trauma counselling, water supply, among others, assistance from other sources was welcome.
He said the government was also taking care of medical supplies, the restoration of water supply, electrical connections, roads, bridges and debris collection.
Mr Portuphy said the 32 deaths so far recorded include 18 in the Greater Accra Region, 13 in the Central Region and one in the Volta Region.
He confirmed that a lot of damage had been done to infrastructure, including roads, bridges, culverts, drains, buildings, telephone lines, power lines, water, as well as dams and farmlands in flooded areas.
“The relevant agencies, in collaboration with NADMO, are assessing the cost and the estimates will be submitted soon,” he stressed.
He mentioned some of the areas which were affected as Tema, Ashaiman, Kpone, Afienya, Agona Swedru, Agona Nyakrom, the Gomoa East and West districts and the southern part of the Volta Region.
Mr Portuphy gave the rainfall figures recorded by the Ghana Meteorological Agency (GMA) during last Sunday’s rainfall as 24.1mm at Accra Airport, 29.7mm at Ada, 50.1mm in Tema, 2.6mm at Axim, 51.8mm in Akim Oda and 4.1mm at Akatsi.
Others were Abetifi, 6.1mm; Bole, 4.6mm; Yendi, 13.4mm; Asamankese, 9.1mm, and Nkawkaw, 2.7mm.
Pokuase was said to have recorded the highest rainfall of 84.7mm.
Giving a background to the disaster, the NADMO Co-ordinator said the heavy downpour from late Saturday night throughout Sunday to Monday threatened lives, property and infrastructure, adding that NADMO’s Rapid Response teams which were dispatched to the areas helped to minimise the effect of the disaster.
He pointed out that as of Monday, June 21, Gomoa Ayensuade, which was completely flooded and surrounded by water, remained inaccessible to the team.
During question time, Mr Portuphy indicated that rainfall forecast given by the GMA, the United Nations Space Information System, as well as two organisations under the ECOWAS, had indicated that the rains this year would not be all that heavy.
He said the country was witnessing a change in the forecast because of the effect of climate change and pointed out that the only thing that could be done in the circumstance was to educate the people to adapt to changes in weather patterns.
THE National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) has described last Sunday’s widespread floods in the country as a rare occurrence and appealed for more assistance for the thousands of displaced people nationwide.
Supporting the claim with pictures of the affected areas at a heavily attended press conference in Accra, the National Co-ordinator of NADMO, Mr Kofi Portuphy, said, “I have never seen such devastation before.”
He put the number of deaths at 32 and that of displaced people at 12,222.
With the numbers involved, he said, food items left for distribution to the displaced people would not go beyond one week and listed the other critical needs of the organisation as water and sanitation systems, water purifying equipment, water treatment chemicals, cargo trucks for the distribution of relief items, water tankers, diving equipment, motorised boats, canoes, outboard motors and search lights.
The organisation also required extrication equipment, clothing, pharmaceuticals, tents, vehicles, communication equipment, fire fighting equipment and buses to convey displaced persons, he added.
The national co-ordinator explained that although the government had so far helped in the area of search and rescue, shelter, clothing, food, trauma counselling, water supply, among others, assistance from other sources was welcome.
He said the government was also taking care of medical supplies, the restoration of water supply, electrical connections, roads, bridges and debris collection.
Mr Portuphy said the 32 deaths so far recorded include 18 in the Greater Accra Region, 13 in the Central Region and one in the Volta Region.
He confirmed that a lot of damage had been done to infrastructure, including roads, bridges, culverts, drains, buildings, telephone lines, power lines, water, as well as dams and farmlands in flooded areas.
“The relevant agencies, in collaboration with NADMO, are assessing the cost and the estimates will be submitted soon,” he stressed.
He mentioned some of the areas which were affected as Tema, Ashaiman, Kpone, Afienya, Agona Swedru, Agona Nyakrom, the Gomoa East and West districts and the southern part of the Volta Region.
Mr Portuphy gave the rainfall figures recorded by the Ghana Meteorological Agency (GMA) during last Sunday’s rainfall as 24.1mm at Accra Airport, 29.7mm at Ada, 50.1mm in Tema, 2.6mm at Axim, 51.8mm in Akim Oda and 4.1mm at Akatsi.
Others were Abetifi, 6.1mm; Bole, 4.6mm; Yendi, 13.4mm; Asamankese, 9.1mm, and Nkawkaw, 2.7mm.
Pokuase was said to have recorded the highest rainfall of 84.7mm.
Giving a background to the disaster, the NADMO Co-ordinator said the heavy downpour from late Saturday night throughout Sunday to Monday threatened lives, property and infrastructure, adding that NADMO’s Rapid Response teams which were dispatched to the areas helped to minimise the effect of the disaster.
He pointed out that as of Monday, June 21, Gomoa Ayensuade, which was completely flooded and surrounded by water, remained inaccessible to the team.
During question time, Mr Portuphy indicated that rainfall forecast given by the GMA, the United Nations Space Information System, as well as two organisations under the ECOWAS, had indicated that the rains this year would not be all that heavy.
He said the country was witnessing a change in the forecast because of the effect of climate change and pointed out that the only thing that could be done in the circumstance was to educate the people to adapt to changes in weather patterns.
More AIDS patients access drugs
Friday, June 25, 2010
More than 31,000 people living with HIV(PLHIVs) in the country now have access to anti-retroviral (ARV) services.
The figure represents over 500 per cent increase over 6,736 PLHIVs who had access to anti-retroviral services in 2006.
Anti-retrovial (ARV) services have now become more accessible due to the increase in the facilities for such services from 13 in 2005 to 138 in 2009.
These came out in Accra during a meeting organised by the Ghana AIDS Commission (GAC) and other stakeholders to disseminate the findings of a review of the National HIV and AIDS Strategic Framework (NSF 11) which covered the period between 2006 and 2010.
The objective of the meeting was to assess the extent to which the goals and objectives of the framework was achieved, among other things.
The findings were presented by a group of consultants led by Dr Hugues Lago. Others were Dr Yao Yeboah, Dr Kwabena Poku, Dr Agnes Dzokoto and Dr William Bosu.
Specific areas that the study looked at were: co-ordination and management of the decentralised multi-sectoral response; prevention and mitigation; treatment, care and support; research, surveillance, monitoring and evaluation, as well as policy, advocacy and enabling environment.
The findings of the joint review indicated that significant inputs contributed to commendable progress in the national HIV response. However, there existed some challenges that impeded the level of achievement of the expected outcome.
The report indicated that although Ghana had stabilised generalised HIV epidemic, however there were significant regional and district variations.
It also touched on lack of gender-specific goals, outcomes and indicators, inadequate dissemination and the use of the 2006 national strategic framework.
The group, therefore, recommended that the development of the new framework, NFS 111, that will operate between 2011 and 2015, should take into account efforts to sustain and scale up the effective strategies and also address identified challenges.
According to the study, although there has been some level of political commitment and leadership, that has not been fully translated into action, especially in the area of provision of resources.
“The degree of involvement of policy makers throughout the policy formulation and dissemination process is limited,” the report indicated.
The Minister for Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Joseph Yiele Chireh, advised Ghanaians not to politicise the issue of HIV and AIDS, since the epidemic had no political colour but could affect anybody.
He asked the various district assemblies to make available the 0.5 per cent of the Common Fund meant for HIV and AIDS prevention programmes, adding that the government would ensure that there were resources available to continue with HIV and AIDS prevention activities.
In her welcoming address, the acting Director-General of the GAC, Dr Angela El-Adas, said the development, monitoring and evaluation of the NSF was a significant accomplishment of the country’s HIV and AIDS response, adding that it represented the second phase of a co-ordinated national response to HIV and AIDS.
She expressed the hope that the findings and recommendations from the joint review duly informed the next framework meant to cover 2011 and 2015 and expressed the hope that adequate resources would be made available for future programmes.
Speaking on behalf of the development partners, the Country Co-ordinator of UNAIDS, Dr Leo Zekeng, reiterated the commitment of the partners and gave an assurance that the organisation would continue to support Ghana, both financially and technically.
The chairperson for the occasion, Nana Oye Lithur, commended the GAC and the other stakeholders for coming out with the study and urged them to continue with the good work which was started years ago.
More than 31,000 people living with HIV(PLHIVs) in the country now have access to anti-retroviral (ARV) services.
The figure represents over 500 per cent increase over 6,736 PLHIVs who had access to anti-retroviral services in 2006.
Anti-retrovial (ARV) services have now become more accessible due to the increase in the facilities for such services from 13 in 2005 to 138 in 2009.
These came out in Accra during a meeting organised by the Ghana AIDS Commission (GAC) and other stakeholders to disseminate the findings of a review of the National HIV and AIDS Strategic Framework (NSF 11) which covered the period between 2006 and 2010.
The objective of the meeting was to assess the extent to which the goals and objectives of the framework was achieved, among other things.
The findings were presented by a group of consultants led by Dr Hugues Lago. Others were Dr Yao Yeboah, Dr Kwabena Poku, Dr Agnes Dzokoto and Dr William Bosu.
Specific areas that the study looked at were: co-ordination and management of the decentralised multi-sectoral response; prevention and mitigation; treatment, care and support; research, surveillance, monitoring and evaluation, as well as policy, advocacy and enabling environment.
The findings of the joint review indicated that significant inputs contributed to commendable progress in the national HIV response. However, there existed some challenges that impeded the level of achievement of the expected outcome.
The report indicated that although Ghana had stabilised generalised HIV epidemic, however there were significant regional and district variations.
It also touched on lack of gender-specific goals, outcomes and indicators, inadequate dissemination and the use of the 2006 national strategic framework.
The group, therefore, recommended that the development of the new framework, NFS 111, that will operate between 2011 and 2015, should take into account efforts to sustain and scale up the effective strategies and also address identified challenges.
According to the study, although there has been some level of political commitment and leadership, that has not been fully translated into action, especially in the area of provision of resources.
“The degree of involvement of policy makers throughout the policy formulation and dissemination process is limited,” the report indicated.
The Minister for Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Joseph Yiele Chireh, advised Ghanaians not to politicise the issue of HIV and AIDS, since the epidemic had no political colour but could affect anybody.
He asked the various district assemblies to make available the 0.5 per cent of the Common Fund meant for HIV and AIDS prevention programmes, adding that the government would ensure that there were resources available to continue with HIV and AIDS prevention activities.
In her welcoming address, the acting Director-General of the GAC, Dr Angela El-Adas, said the development, monitoring and evaluation of the NSF was a significant accomplishment of the country’s HIV and AIDS response, adding that it represented the second phase of a co-ordinated national response to HIV and AIDS.
She expressed the hope that the findings and recommendations from the joint review duly informed the next framework meant to cover 2011 and 2015 and expressed the hope that adequate resources would be made available for future programmes.
Speaking on behalf of the development partners, the Country Co-ordinator of UNAIDS, Dr Leo Zekeng, reiterated the commitment of the partners and gave an assurance that the organisation would continue to support Ghana, both financially and technically.
The chairperson for the occasion, Nana Oye Lithur, commended the GAC and the other stakeholders for coming out with the study and urged them to continue with the good work which was started years ago.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Filedity Bank helps 37 Hospital to acquire MRI
MAGNETIC Resonance Imaging (MRI) is the newest and perhaps the most versatile medical imaging technology available. Doctors can get highly refined images of the body's interior without surgery.
MRI uses strong magnets and pulses of radio waves to manipulate the natural magnetic properties in the body and also gives better images of organs and soft tissues than other scanning technologies.
MRI is particularly useful for examining the brain and spine, as well as the soft tissues of joints and the interior structure of bones. The technique, which makes the entire body visible, poses few known health risks as compared to other equipment such as X’ray machines.
This is the equipment Fidelity Bank assisted the 37 Military Hospital to acquire in September, 2009 for the health needs of Ghanaians.
The assistance, which was provided under a special loan agreement, included the cost of the equipment as well as the setting up of the facility at the hospital premises.
During a tour of the facility, the Brands and Public Relations Manager of Fidelity Bank, Mr Kojo Ofori Yeboah said, the bank provided an amount of GH¢2.6 million for the purchase of the MRI scanner and further donated GH¢20,000 for the equipment to be installed at the hospital.
He said Fidelity Bank agreed to support the hospital to acquire the equipment so that the large number of Ghanaians who usually had to wait for days at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital for such services could access it easily and on time.
For his part, a Medical Physicist at the MRI Unit at the 37 Military Hospital, Captain Richard Otchere Mintah, said the unit was currently being under-utilised.
He explained that instead of attending to about 40 clients with varied health conditions a day, an average of 10 clients were attended to, a figure he considered far below target.
That could be attributed to the fact that many doctors were not aware of the existence of such a facility at the hospital to enable them refer patients for further and more reliable tests.
He said as of June 10, 2010, a total of 609 clients made up of both children and adults, had been attended to.
“Instead of joining a queue at Korle-Bu, one can just walk to the unit here and immediately have everything done”, said Captain Mintah.
He said since its commissioning on September 7, 2009, the equipment had helped to examine people with problems at various parts of their bodies which included the brain, neck (cervical), spine, pelvic joints, breasts, uterus, liver, kidney, lungs and the heart, among other parts.
Explaining why the public should choose the MRI unit at the 37 Military Hospital for their health needs, Captain Mintah said with military personnel as managers, clients were assured of a “combination of professionalism and military experience to deliver” adding that, “We in the military hardly promise, so when we promise, we deliver”.
He noted that the equipment was good for every individual except people with pace-makers and other metal implants which could attract the magnet in the equipment adding that each time someone came for examination, such issues were explained to the person.
He pointed out that the use of the MRI for testing was safer and more accurate than the traditional X-ray machine which was good at working on bones but not on other tissues of the body. He also touched on risks associated with the use of an X-ray machine which were absent in MRIs.
The use of the MRI, although looks complex,is supposed to be comfortable for the patient.
At the facility, Captain Mintah explained how it operated, saying that regardless of the area of the body targeted, the procedure involved in detecting a particular health condition occurred in a special MRI suite.
He said patients had to lie on their back on a narrow table and made as comfortable as possible and then transmitters were positioned on the body and the cushioned table that the patient was lying on which moves into a long tube that houses the magnet.
The tube, as shown to this reporter is as long as an average adult lying down, and opens at both ends.
Once the area to be examined has been properly positioned, a radio pulse is applied. Then a two-dimensional image corresponding to one slices through the area. The table then moves a fraction of an inch and the next image is made. Each image exposure takes several seconds and the entire exam lasts anywhere from 15-90 minutes.
Captain Mintah said the unit had 24 hour electricity supply and therefore the issue of power outages would not be a problem.
Additional information gathered from medical journals indicated that for the head and neck to be examined, a helmet-like hat is worn, to protect the spine, chest, and abdomen because the patient will be lying on the transmitters. For the knee, shoulder, or other joints, the transmitters will be applied directly to the joint.
Captain Mintah explained that the system was the latest in the area of medical examinations and urged doctors who were not aware of the existence of the facility at the 37 Military Hospital to direct their patients there for excellent services.
Charges for the use of the equipment range from GH¢500 upwards depending on the part of the body to be examined and the number of tests involved.
MRI uses strong magnets and pulses of radio waves to manipulate the natural magnetic properties in the body and also gives better images of organs and soft tissues than other scanning technologies.
MRI is particularly useful for examining the brain and spine, as well as the soft tissues of joints and the interior structure of bones. The technique, which makes the entire body visible, poses few known health risks as compared to other equipment such as X’ray machines.
This is the equipment Fidelity Bank assisted the 37 Military Hospital to acquire in September, 2009 for the health needs of Ghanaians.
The assistance, which was provided under a special loan agreement, included the cost of the equipment as well as the setting up of the facility at the hospital premises.
During a tour of the facility, the Brands and Public Relations Manager of Fidelity Bank, Mr Kojo Ofori Yeboah said, the bank provided an amount of GH¢2.6 million for the purchase of the MRI scanner and further donated GH¢20,000 for the equipment to be installed at the hospital.
He said Fidelity Bank agreed to support the hospital to acquire the equipment so that the large number of Ghanaians who usually had to wait for days at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital for such services could access it easily and on time.
For his part, a Medical Physicist at the MRI Unit at the 37 Military Hospital, Captain Richard Otchere Mintah, said the unit was currently being under-utilised.
He explained that instead of attending to about 40 clients with varied health conditions a day, an average of 10 clients were attended to, a figure he considered far below target.
That could be attributed to the fact that many doctors were not aware of the existence of such a facility at the hospital to enable them refer patients for further and more reliable tests.
He said as of June 10, 2010, a total of 609 clients made up of both children and adults, had been attended to.
“Instead of joining a queue at Korle-Bu, one can just walk to the unit here and immediately have everything done”, said Captain Mintah.
He said since its commissioning on September 7, 2009, the equipment had helped to examine people with problems at various parts of their bodies which included the brain, neck (cervical), spine, pelvic joints, breasts, uterus, liver, kidney, lungs and the heart, among other parts.
Explaining why the public should choose the MRI unit at the 37 Military Hospital for their health needs, Captain Mintah said with military personnel as managers, clients were assured of a “combination of professionalism and military experience to deliver” adding that, “We in the military hardly promise, so when we promise, we deliver”.
He noted that the equipment was good for every individual except people with pace-makers and other metal implants which could attract the magnet in the equipment adding that each time someone came for examination, such issues were explained to the person.
He pointed out that the use of the MRI for testing was safer and more accurate than the traditional X-ray machine which was good at working on bones but not on other tissues of the body. He also touched on risks associated with the use of an X-ray machine which were absent in MRIs.
The use of the MRI, although looks complex,is supposed to be comfortable for the patient.
At the facility, Captain Mintah explained how it operated, saying that regardless of the area of the body targeted, the procedure involved in detecting a particular health condition occurred in a special MRI suite.
He said patients had to lie on their back on a narrow table and made as comfortable as possible and then transmitters were positioned on the body and the cushioned table that the patient was lying on which moves into a long tube that houses the magnet.
The tube, as shown to this reporter is as long as an average adult lying down, and opens at both ends.
Once the area to be examined has been properly positioned, a radio pulse is applied. Then a two-dimensional image corresponding to one slices through the area. The table then moves a fraction of an inch and the next image is made. Each image exposure takes several seconds and the entire exam lasts anywhere from 15-90 minutes.
Captain Mintah said the unit had 24 hour electricity supply and therefore the issue of power outages would not be a problem.
Additional information gathered from medical journals indicated that for the head and neck to be examined, a helmet-like hat is worn, to protect the spine, chest, and abdomen because the patient will be lying on the transmitters. For the knee, shoulder, or other joints, the transmitters will be applied directly to the joint.
Captain Mintah explained that the system was the latest in the area of medical examinations and urged doctors who were not aware of the existence of the facility at the 37 Military Hospital to direct their patients there for excellent services.
Charges for the use of the equipment range from GH¢500 upwards depending on the part of the body to be examined and the number of tests involved.
'Don't terminate existing provident funds'
THE National Pensions Regulatory Authority (NPRA) has advised pension contributors not to terminate their existing provident funds but rather migrate them to the third tier of the new pension scheme.
The authority explained that contributors who continue to the new scheme would on retirement receive the benefit of replacement of ratios, tax incentives and other benefits of the new pension scheme.
Addressing participants in a public forum in Accra, the Chairman of the NPRA, Mr Kwame Asante, stated that at a previous forum, it came out that members of existing provident fund schemes were terminating their old scheme and starting new ones contrary to the expectation of service providers and that of the authority.
“I will therefore appeal to the current trustees, management and advisors of provident fund schemes to leave them intact and not pull them out and start new ones,” he stressed.
The theme for the forum was: “The implications and benefits of the new Pension Scheme with special focus on Provident Fund Schemes”.
The implementation of the new pension scheme under Act 766 of 2008, started on January 1, 2010 with mandatory first and second tiers. Under this new scheme, members are expected to receive higher lump sum benefits and also have a better control over their pension benefits under the privately managed second and third tier schemes.
In his remarks, Mr Asante reiterated the fact that there was a positive incentive for scheme members to make additional voluntary contributions into the third-tier scheme so as to accrue more benefits for their retirement.
He pointed out that in terms of general economic benefits, pension schemes could become a significant source of investment capital for national development.
In his presentation, the acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the NPRA, Mr Daniel Aidoo-Mensah, added that benefits of the new pension scheme included improved qualifying conditions and survivors benefits under the first tier social security scheme.
He explained that one needed 15 years contribution to qualify for the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) benefits instead of 20 years and also survivors’ benefit period increased from 12 years to 15 years.
Mr Aidoo-Mensah said members’ involvement in the running of their scheme this time, would help promote a sense of ownership and also create confidence that the scheme was being run properly.
On tax benefit, the CEO said contributions up to specific limit, as well as investment income and retirement benefits, was tax exempt.
He said sections 129 and 135 of the Pensions Act provided three types of scheme which were employer sponsored — master trust and informal sectors schemes — and went further to advise that employers and employees might consider participating in a master trust scheme.
Mr Aidoo-Mensah said master trust scheme could be done by pooling together contributions of different employers and their employees for high degree of efficiency in terms of scheme administration and investment, resulting in economies of scale.
He advised service providers and individuals who wanted additional information on the scheme to go to info@pensioncommission.org.
For his part, a Chief Inspector at the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Training Division, Mr Francis A. E. Akoto, said Act 766 was an improvement on the old pension scheme which operated under Act 592.
Speaking on: “Tax Relief under the National Pension Act, 2008 (Act 766), he said contributors stood the chance of benefiting from various tax exemptions as compared to the old scheme.
The authority explained that contributors who continue to the new scheme would on retirement receive the benefit of replacement of ratios, tax incentives and other benefits of the new pension scheme.
Addressing participants in a public forum in Accra, the Chairman of the NPRA, Mr Kwame Asante, stated that at a previous forum, it came out that members of existing provident fund schemes were terminating their old scheme and starting new ones contrary to the expectation of service providers and that of the authority.
“I will therefore appeal to the current trustees, management and advisors of provident fund schemes to leave them intact and not pull them out and start new ones,” he stressed.
The theme for the forum was: “The implications and benefits of the new Pension Scheme with special focus on Provident Fund Schemes”.
The implementation of the new pension scheme under Act 766 of 2008, started on January 1, 2010 with mandatory first and second tiers. Under this new scheme, members are expected to receive higher lump sum benefits and also have a better control over their pension benefits under the privately managed second and third tier schemes.
In his remarks, Mr Asante reiterated the fact that there was a positive incentive for scheme members to make additional voluntary contributions into the third-tier scheme so as to accrue more benefits for their retirement.
He pointed out that in terms of general economic benefits, pension schemes could become a significant source of investment capital for national development.
In his presentation, the acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the NPRA, Mr Daniel Aidoo-Mensah, added that benefits of the new pension scheme included improved qualifying conditions and survivors benefits under the first tier social security scheme.
He explained that one needed 15 years contribution to qualify for the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) benefits instead of 20 years and also survivors’ benefit period increased from 12 years to 15 years.
Mr Aidoo-Mensah said members’ involvement in the running of their scheme this time, would help promote a sense of ownership and also create confidence that the scheme was being run properly.
On tax benefit, the CEO said contributions up to specific limit, as well as investment income and retirement benefits, was tax exempt.
He said sections 129 and 135 of the Pensions Act provided three types of scheme which were employer sponsored — master trust and informal sectors schemes — and went further to advise that employers and employees might consider participating in a master trust scheme.
Mr Aidoo-Mensah said master trust scheme could be done by pooling together contributions of different employers and their employees for high degree of efficiency in terms of scheme administration and investment, resulting in economies of scale.
He advised service providers and individuals who wanted additional information on the scheme to go to info@pensioncommission.org.
For his part, a Chief Inspector at the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Training Division, Mr Francis A. E. Akoto, said Act 766 was an improvement on the old pension scheme which operated under Act 592.
Speaking on: “Tax Relief under the National Pension Act, 2008 (Act 766), he said contributors stood the chance of benefiting from various tax exemptions as compared to the old scheme.
Effects of cost of drugs on NHIS (Graphic Business)
THE issue of prompt reimbursement of claims to health care providers has remained a major challenge facing the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA).
That challenge has of late created some form of misunderstanding between officials of the NHIA and members of the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) with each accusing the other for not doing enough to ensure the sustenance of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
It is widely believed in medical circles that the undue delays in payment of claims is capable of collapsing the scheme. But the NHIA argued that it needed time to effectively audit claims made by the providers to prevent fraud.
In a statement issued at the end of its third National Executive Council meeting at Tegbi in Keta in the Volta Region, the GMA contended that most facilities owed substantial amounts in medicines and consumable procured on credit.
It pointed out that as a result, suppliers were no longer willing to supply on credit to the providers.
But the Deputy Director of Corporate Affairs of the NHIA, Mr Eric Ametor-Quarmyne in an interview with the Graphic Business denied the GMA’s assertion and claimed that the debt service schedule of the authority was on course.
In the statement, the GMA said the Korle-bu Teaching Hospital, for instance, was owed GH¢2.7 million; the Central Regional Hospital, GH¢694,000; the Eastern Regional Hospital, GH¢1,090,000, with similar examples from other health facilities.
That situation, according to the association, had enormously affected the ability of those facilities to provide quality service to their clients.
In his reaction, Mr Ametor-Quarmyne said the arrangement made with the health facilities would always leave some debts unpaid and called on the service providers to exercise restraint.
He explained that the NHIA was using what he termed the fee-for-service method, which meant that the health facilities would provide services for the NHIS subscribers before payments were made. According to Mr Ametor-Quarmyne, in 2009 alone, GH¢372 million was paid to service providers, adding that NHIA would continue to make payments.
As the debate rages on the NHIA issued a statement that the authority would establish a Consolidated Claims Management Centre in Accra which would be a pilot project to manage claims from the teaching hospitals and the 10 regional hospitals in the country.
In the statement, the Communications Manager of the NHIA, Nii Anang Adjetey, indicated that the claims management centre, which would be managed by competent scheme managers, would provide a greater capacity for the vetting of claims and the efficient payment of service providers adding that it would be rolled out across the country.
With regard to the requirement for payment plans before disbursement, he said, “Scheme managers will henceforth be required to produce and forward payment plans in advance to the authority for endorsement before funds are released for disbursement to service providers in order to combat irregularities in payment arrangements.”
To check systemic abuse and fraudulent practices in the dispensing of medicines, he said a standardised NHIS prescription form, which would require the personal identification numbers (PINs) of the prescriber and the dispenser and also identify the scheme involved, would be introduced.
He said with regard to free maternal care, pregnant women would, from July next year, be required to register for free first before they would be allowed to access free maternal care, noting that that would help check abuse in the system.
Nii Adjetey said in order to eradicate double billing by service providers, all private health care facilities run by full-time operatives in public health facilities had been discredited to eliminate conflict of interest.
The NHIA, he said, would also introduce capitation for out-patient department services in primary health care facilities following a pilot programme to be carried out in a selected region scheduled to start by the end of 2010.
He said to ensure uniformity, apex bodies such as the Ghana Health Service (GHS), the NHIS, the Christian Health Association of Ghana, among others, would be involved in reviewing the current system to ensure a unitary system of contracting service providers.
In addition, the authority had also directed all scheme managers to close all scheme accounts by July this year and channel all premiums into the Consolidated Premium Account.
The consolidated account, which will be opened with the Ghana Commercial Bank (GCB) and the Agricultural Development Bank (ADB), is aimed at addressing the current situation where more than 70 per cent of premiums collected is not properly accounted for.
The statement pointed out the authority had decided to overhaul the NHIS, after its Chief Executive Officer, Mr Sylvester Mensah, had undertaken a two-week nation-wide tour of all the 145 district mutual health insurance schemes (DMHISs) in the country.
To ensure a smooth review process, staff from all the 145 DMHISs in the country had been trained in the use of a new financial and operational reporting tool developed by the authority.
The new tool was designed to streamline and standardise electronic recording and the timely transmission of accurate data by the schemes to the NHIA for efficient planning.
That challenge has of late created some form of misunderstanding between officials of the NHIA and members of the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) with each accusing the other for not doing enough to ensure the sustenance of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
It is widely believed in medical circles that the undue delays in payment of claims is capable of collapsing the scheme. But the NHIA argued that it needed time to effectively audit claims made by the providers to prevent fraud.
In a statement issued at the end of its third National Executive Council meeting at Tegbi in Keta in the Volta Region, the GMA contended that most facilities owed substantial amounts in medicines and consumable procured on credit.
It pointed out that as a result, suppliers were no longer willing to supply on credit to the providers.
But the Deputy Director of Corporate Affairs of the NHIA, Mr Eric Ametor-Quarmyne in an interview with the Graphic Business denied the GMA’s assertion and claimed that the debt service schedule of the authority was on course.
In the statement, the GMA said the Korle-bu Teaching Hospital, for instance, was owed GH¢2.7 million; the Central Regional Hospital, GH¢694,000; the Eastern Regional Hospital, GH¢1,090,000, with similar examples from other health facilities.
That situation, according to the association, had enormously affected the ability of those facilities to provide quality service to their clients.
In his reaction, Mr Ametor-Quarmyne said the arrangement made with the health facilities would always leave some debts unpaid and called on the service providers to exercise restraint.
He explained that the NHIA was using what he termed the fee-for-service method, which meant that the health facilities would provide services for the NHIS subscribers before payments were made. According to Mr Ametor-Quarmyne, in 2009 alone, GH¢372 million was paid to service providers, adding that NHIA would continue to make payments.
As the debate rages on the NHIA issued a statement that the authority would establish a Consolidated Claims Management Centre in Accra which would be a pilot project to manage claims from the teaching hospitals and the 10 regional hospitals in the country.
In the statement, the Communications Manager of the NHIA, Nii Anang Adjetey, indicated that the claims management centre, which would be managed by competent scheme managers, would provide a greater capacity for the vetting of claims and the efficient payment of service providers adding that it would be rolled out across the country.
With regard to the requirement for payment plans before disbursement, he said, “Scheme managers will henceforth be required to produce and forward payment plans in advance to the authority for endorsement before funds are released for disbursement to service providers in order to combat irregularities in payment arrangements.”
To check systemic abuse and fraudulent practices in the dispensing of medicines, he said a standardised NHIS prescription form, which would require the personal identification numbers (PINs) of the prescriber and the dispenser and also identify the scheme involved, would be introduced.
He said with regard to free maternal care, pregnant women would, from July next year, be required to register for free first before they would be allowed to access free maternal care, noting that that would help check abuse in the system.
Nii Adjetey said in order to eradicate double billing by service providers, all private health care facilities run by full-time operatives in public health facilities had been discredited to eliminate conflict of interest.
The NHIA, he said, would also introduce capitation for out-patient department services in primary health care facilities following a pilot programme to be carried out in a selected region scheduled to start by the end of 2010.
He said to ensure uniformity, apex bodies such as the Ghana Health Service (GHS), the NHIS, the Christian Health Association of Ghana, among others, would be involved in reviewing the current system to ensure a unitary system of contracting service providers.
In addition, the authority had also directed all scheme managers to close all scheme accounts by July this year and channel all premiums into the Consolidated Premium Account.
The consolidated account, which will be opened with the Ghana Commercial Bank (GCB) and the Agricultural Development Bank (ADB), is aimed at addressing the current situation where more than 70 per cent of premiums collected is not properly accounted for.
The statement pointed out the authority had decided to overhaul the NHIS, after its Chief Executive Officer, Mr Sylvester Mensah, had undertaken a two-week nation-wide tour of all the 145 district mutual health insurance schemes (DMHISs) in the country.
To ensure a smooth review process, staff from all the 145 DMHISs in the country had been trained in the use of a new financial and operational reporting tool developed by the authority.
The new tool was designed to streamline and standardise electronic recording and the timely transmission of accurate data by the schemes to the NHIA for efficient planning.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
FDB destroys turkey tails at Weija
Three thousand cartons of imported turkey tails seized from a cold store at Kwashieman in the Accra are being destroyed by the Foods and Drugs Board (FDB) at the Saba landfill site at Weija.
Officials of FDB impounded the turkey tails from Diamond Foods after an informant hinted them about the presence of the products at the cold store.
Briefing journalists during the exercise, the Communication Officer of the FDB, Mr James Yartey, said the board had the information on the imported products about two weeks ago, and an inspection conducted, the items were found in the cold store.
He explained that to prevent the owner from either selling or taking any of the items away, officials of the FDB counted the number of cartons in the presence of the owner before being recorded and signed by both parties.
Since the reinforcement of the ban, Mr Yartey said a number of turkey tails had been seized from places such Tema, Nsawam, Kaneshie and Kumasi and destroyed.
Importation of turkey tails had been banned in the country since 1999 and since February this year, officials of FDB had intensified efforts to enforce the ban.
Turkey tails have been identified as containing hig concentration of saturated fats associated with high cholesterol levels.
The importation of the product had been banned outright due to the established causal link between high cholesterol levels and some known cardiovascular diseases.
Officials of FDB impounded the turkey tails from Diamond Foods after an informant hinted them about the presence of the products at the cold store.
Briefing journalists during the exercise, the Communication Officer of the FDB, Mr James Yartey, said the board had the information on the imported products about two weeks ago, and an inspection conducted, the items were found in the cold store.
He explained that to prevent the owner from either selling or taking any of the items away, officials of the FDB counted the number of cartons in the presence of the owner before being recorded and signed by both parties.
Since the reinforcement of the ban, Mr Yartey said a number of turkey tails had been seized from places such Tema, Nsawam, Kaneshie and Kumasi and destroyed.
Importation of turkey tails had been banned in the country since 1999 and since February this year, officials of FDB had intensified efforts to enforce the ban.
Turkey tails have been identified as containing hig concentration of saturated fats associated with high cholesterol levels.
The importation of the product had been banned outright due to the established causal link between high cholesterol levels and some known cardiovascular diseases.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
NHIA moves to reduce delays in claims payment (Graphic Business)
THE issue of prompt reimbursement of claims to health care providers has remained a major challenge facing the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA).
That challenge has of late created some form of misunderstanding between officials of the NHIA and members of the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) with each accusing the other for not doing enough to ensure the sustenance of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
It is widely believed in medical circles that the undue delays in payment of claims is capable of collapsing the scheme. But the NHIA argued that it needed time to effectively audit claims made by the providers to prevent fraud.
In a statement issued at the end of its third National Executive Council meeting at Tegbi in Keta in the Volta Region, the GMA contended that most facilities owed substantial amounts in medicines and consumable procured on credit.
It pointed out that as a result, suppliers were no longer willing to supply on credit to the providers.
But the Deputy Director of Corporate Affairs of the NHIA, Mr Eric Ametor-Quarmyne in an interview with the Graphic Business denied the GMA’s assertion and claimed that the debt service schedule of the authority was on course.
In the statement, the GMA said the Korle-bu Teaching Hospital, for instance, was owed GH¢2.7 million; the Central Regional Hospital, GH¢694,000; the Eastern Regional Hospital, GH¢1,090,000, with similar examples from other health facilities.
That situation, according to the association, had enormously affected the ability of those facilities to provide quality service to their clients.
In his reaction, Mr Ametor-Quarmyne said the arrangement made with the health facilities would always leave some debts unpaid and called on the service providers to exercise restraint.
He explained that the NHIA was using what he termed the fee-for-service method, which meant that the health facilities would provide services for the NHIS subscribers before payments were made. According to Mr Ametor-Quarmyne, in 2009 alone, GH¢372 million was paid to service providers, adding that NHIA would continue to make payments.
As the debate rages on the NHIA issued a statement that the authority would establish a Consolidated Claims Management Centre in Accra which would be a pilot project to manage claims from the teaching hospitals and the 10 regional hospitals in the country.
In the statement, the Communications Manager of the NHIA, Nii Anang Adjetey, indicated that the claims management centre, which would be managed by competent scheme managers, would provide a greater capacity for the vetting of claims and the efficient payment of service providers adding that it would be rolled out across the country.
With regard to the requirement for payment plans before disbursement, he said, “Scheme managers will henceforth be required to produce and forward payment plans in advance to the authority for endorsement before funds are released for disbursement to service providers in order to combat irregularities in payment arrangements.”
To check systemic abuse and fraudulent practices in the dispensing of medicines, he said a standardised NHIS prescription form, which would require the personal identification numbers (PINs) of the prescriber and the dispenser and also identify the scheme involved, would be introduced.
He said with regard to free maternal care, pregnant women would, from July next year, be required to register for free first before they would be allowed to access free maternal care, noting that that would help check abuse in the system.
Nii Adjetey said in order to eradicate double billing by service providers, all private health care facilities run by full-time operatives in public health facilities had been discredited to eliminate conflict of interest.
The NHIA, he said, would also introduce capitation for out-patient department services in primary health care facilities following a pilot programme to be carried out in a selected region scheduled to start by the end of 2010.
He said to ensure uniformity, apex bodies such as the Ghana Health Service (GHS), the NHIS, the Christian Health Association of Ghana, among others, would be involved in reviewing the current system to ensure a unitary system of contracting service providers.
In addition, the authority had also directed all scheme managers to close all scheme accounts by July this year and channel all premiums into the Consolidated Premium Account.
The consolidated account, which will be opened with the Ghana Commercial Bank (GCB) and the Agricultural Development Bank (ADB), is aimed at addressing the current situation where more than 70 per cent of premiums collected is not properly accounted for.
The statement pointed out the authority had decided to overhaul the NHIS, after its Chief Executive Officer, Mr Sylvester Mensah, had undertaken a two-week nation-wide tour of all the 145 district mutual health insurance schemes (DMHISs) in the country.
To ensure a smooth review process, staff from all the 145 DMHISs in the country had been trained in the use of a new financial and operational reporting tool developed by the authority.
The new tool was designed to streamline and standardise electronic recording and the timely transmission of accurate data by the schemes to the NHIA for efficient planning.
That challenge has of late created some form of misunderstanding between officials of the NHIA and members of the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) with each accusing the other for not doing enough to ensure the sustenance of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
It is widely believed in medical circles that the undue delays in payment of claims is capable of collapsing the scheme. But the NHIA argued that it needed time to effectively audit claims made by the providers to prevent fraud.
In a statement issued at the end of its third National Executive Council meeting at Tegbi in Keta in the Volta Region, the GMA contended that most facilities owed substantial amounts in medicines and consumable procured on credit.
It pointed out that as a result, suppliers were no longer willing to supply on credit to the providers.
But the Deputy Director of Corporate Affairs of the NHIA, Mr Eric Ametor-Quarmyne in an interview with the Graphic Business denied the GMA’s assertion and claimed that the debt service schedule of the authority was on course.
In the statement, the GMA said the Korle-bu Teaching Hospital, for instance, was owed GH¢2.7 million; the Central Regional Hospital, GH¢694,000; the Eastern Regional Hospital, GH¢1,090,000, with similar examples from other health facilities.
That situation, according to the association, had enormously affected the ability of those facilities to provide quality service to their clients.
In his reaction, Mr Ametor-Quarmyne said the arrangement made with the health facilities would always leave some debts unpaid and called on the service providers to exercise restraint.
He explained that the NHIA was using what he termed the fee-for-service method, which meant that the health facilities would provide services for the NHIS subscribers before payments were made. According to Mr Ametor-Quarmyne, in 2009 alone, GH¢372 million was paid to service providers, adding that NHIA would continue to make payments.
As the debate rages on the NHIA issued a statement that the authority would establish a Consolidated Claims Management Centre in Accra which would be a pilot project to manage claims from the teaching hospitals and the 10 regional hospitals in the country.
In the statement, the Communications Manager of the NHIA, Nii Anang Adjetey, indicated that the claims management centre, which would be managed by competent scheme managers, would provide a greater capacity for the vetting of claims and the efficient payment of service providers adding that it would be rolled out across the country.
With regard to the requirement for payment plans before disbursement, he said, “Scheme managers will henceforth be required to produce and forward payment plans in advance to the authority for endorsement before funds are released for disbursement to service providers in order to combat irregularities in payment arrangements.”
To check systemic abuse and fraudulent practices in the dispensing of medicines, he said a standardised NHIS prescription form, which would require the personal identification numbers (PINs) of the prescriber and the dispenser and also identify the scheme involved, would be introduced.
He said with regard to free maternal care, pregnant women would, from July next year, be required to register for free first before they would be allowed to access free maternal care, noting that that would help check abuse in the system.
Nii Adjetey said in order to eradicate double billing by service providers, all private health care facilities run by full-time operatives in public health facilities had been discredited to eliminate conflict of interest.
The NHIA, he said, would also introduce capitation for out-patient department services in primary health care facilities following a pilot programme to be carried out in a selected region scheduled to start by the end of 2010.
He said to ensure uniformity, apex bodies such as the Ghana Health Service (GHS), the NHIS, the Christian Health Association of Ghana, among others, would be involved in reviewing the current system to ensure a unitary system of contracting service providers.
In addition, the authority had also directed all scheme managers to close all scheme accounts by July this year and channel all premiums into the Consolidated Premium Account.
The consolidated account, which will be opened with the Ghana Commercial Bank (GCB) and the Agricultural Development Bank (ADB), is aimed at addressing the current situation where more than 70 per cent of premiums collected is not properly accounted for.
The statement pointed out the authority had decided to overhaul the NHIS, after its Chief Executive Officer, Mr Sylvester Mensah, had undertaken a two-week nation-wide tour of all the 145 district mutual health insurance schemes (DMHISs) in the country.
To ensure a smooth review process, staff from all the 145 DMHISs in the country had been trained in the use of a new financial and operational reporting tool developed by the authority.
The new tool was designed to streamline and standardise electronic recording and the timely transmission of accurate data by the schemes to the NHIA for efficient planning.
Let’s adopt measures to reduce effects of disasters
THE Minister of the Interior, Mr Martin Amidu, has advised countries in the sub-region to institute measures to reduce the effects of disasters which occur in their countries.
He said Ghana had established a National Platform for Disaster Risk and Climate Change Adaptation and also regional platforms in the three northern regions with the seven others yet to be established.
Mr Amidu explained that the platforms were crucial to managing disasters since they were key in advocacy and coordinating human and material resources in the areas of pre-disaster, emergency and post-disaster phase.
The Interior Minister was speaking in Accra at the opening of the Economic Commission of West Africa States (ECOWAS) Regional Awareness and Sensitisation Workshop on Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Reduction on Tuesday.
The three-day workshop was to sensitise and create awareness on the need to incorporate disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation into development policies and programmes.
He said reports from all over the world indicated that disasters were increasing, both in intensity and frequency, and added that “the situation in our sub-region is no different”.
He said in recent times disasters of all types were being reported and these were floods, pest and insect infestation, fires, drought, landslides, epidemics, road and aviation accidents, among others.
“These disasters lead to loss of life and property, damage to social and economic infrastructure, leading to the disruption of economic activities and undermining of development programmes”, he stressed.
He advised the ECOWAS member-states on the urgent need to incorporate climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction in their developmental agenda in order to reduce the impact of disasters and achieve sustainable development in the sub-region.
In a speech read on his behalf, the Mayor of Accra, Mr Alfred Vanderpuije, said Ghana, like other countries, was not immune to disasters and had suffered from various types including earthquakes, fires, floods, army worm invasion and epidemics like H1N1 influenza.
He pointed out that one hazard which had become perennial was the occurrence of floods which affected the entire nation and that these floods caused widespread destruction to farms, livestock and property.
Mr Vanderpuije said last year, as many as eight lives were lost in Accra due to floods. Unfortunately, most of the floods were caused by human activities including poorly sited buildings and poorly engineered drains.
He also touched on the issue of rapid population growth in the city and the corresponding generation of waste, some of which were deposited in drains.
To ease flooding in the capital city, he said 360 structures in waterways had been demolished and the assembly was constructing major drains at parts of the city.
The National Co-ordinator of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), Mr Kofi Portuphy, advised the participants to endeavour to share experiences and ideas that would be beneficial to their individual countries.
He said Ghana had established a National Platform for Disaster Risk and Climate Change Adaptation and also regional platforms in the three northern regions with the seven others yet to be established.
Mr Amidu explained that the platforms were crucial to managing disasters since they were key in advocacy and coordinating human and material resources in the areas of pre-disaster, emergency and post-disaster phase.
The Interior Minister was speaking in Accra at the opening of the Economic Commission of West Africa States (ECOWAS) Regional Awareness and Sensitisation Workshop on Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Reduction on Tuesday.
The three-day workshop was to sensitise and create awareness on the need to incorporate disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation into development policies and programmes.
He said reports from all over the world indicated that disasters were increasing, both in intensity and frequency, and added that “the situation in our sub-region is no different”.
He said in recent times disasters of all types were being reported and these were floods, pest and insect infestation, fires, drought, landslides, epidemics, road and aviation accidents, among others.
“These disasters lead to loss of life and property, damage to social and economic infrastructure, leading to the disruption of economic activities and undermining of development programmes”, he stressed.
He advised the ECOWAS member-states on the urgent need to incorporate climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction in their developmental agenda in order to reduce the impact of disasters and achieve sustainable development in the sub-region.
In a speech read on his behalf, the Mayor of Accra, Mr Alfred Vanderpuije, said Ghana, like other countries, was not immune to disasters and had suffered from various types including earthquakes, fires, floods, army worm invasion and epidemics like H1N1 influenza.
He pointed out that one hazard which had become perennial was the occurrence of floods which affected the entire nation and that these floods caused widespread destruction to farms, livestock and property.
Mr Vanderpuije said last year, as many as eight lives were lost in Accra due to floods. Unfortunately, most of the floods were caused by human activities including poorly sited buildings and poorly engineered drains.
He also touched on the issue of rapid population growth in the city and the corresponding generation of waste, some of which were deposited in drains.
To ease flooding in the capital city, he said 360 structures in waterways had been demolished and the assembly was constructing major drains at parts of the city.
The National Co-ordinator of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), Mr Kofi Portuphy, advised the participants to endeavour to share experiences and ideas that would be beneficial to their individual countries.
Friday, June 11, 2010
'Prevent metal pollutants from entering water bodies'
GHANAIANS have been advised to make efforts to prevent metal pollutants from entering water bodies to keep them suitable for their intended uses.
Additional advice has also gone to the people to adopt the habit of harvesting rainwater, since it is sometimes safer and also cheap.
These were some of the recommendations made by a group of researchers contracted to carry out a water quality monitoring and assessment on the major water bodies from the southern and coastal systems of Ghana.
The work, which was carried out between 2005 and 2008, was commissioned by the Water Resource Commission (WRC) and the researchers were scientists working with the Water Resource Institute (WRI) of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)
Presenting a paper on: “Trace metal concentrations in major rivers from the southwestern and coastal rivers of Ghana,” two of the researchers, Dr Osmund D. Ansah-Asare and Mr Humphrey F. Darko, indicated that many of the country’s water bodies had been contaminated by metal pollutants making them unsafe for human consumption.
There was also the issue of treated water becoming contaminated along the distribution lines and therefore becoming unsafe.
The researchers identified human activity as a major source of pollution of the water bodies and recommended attitudinal change to help preserve water.
For their part, Messrs Francis K. Y. Amevenku and Emmanuel Obuobi called for a merger of scientific environmental and cultural practices in the management of the country’s water bodies.
They explained that in times past, there was strict observance of social norms and customs including religious beliefs and practices which in many ways protected water bodies.
They pointed out that although there were still a number of traditional arrangements for water resources management at the local level, less of these were currently efficient as communities expanded.
The researchers stated that the breakdown of those traditional systems and the undermining of the community level institutional arrangements in West Africa had been attributed to the advent of Christianity and Islam, migration of fishers, the need for institutional restructuring and modern technology.
They observed that since an appreciable number of chiefs were scholars in their cultural and academic disciplines, they could be effective promoters of the process of merging scientific information and cultural practices for the benefit of the society.
Additional advice has also gone to the people to adopt the habit of harvesting rainwater, since it is sometimes safer and also cheap.
These were some of the recommendations made by a group of researchers contracted to carry out a water quality monitoring and assessment on the major water bodies from the southern and coastal systems of Ghana.
The work, which was carried out between 2005 and 2008, was commissioned by the Water Resource Commission (WRC) and the researchers were scientists working with the Water Resource Institute (WRI) of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)
Presenting a paper on: “Trace metal concentrations in major rivers from the southwestern and coastal rivers of Ghana,” two of the researchers, Dr Osmund D. Ansah-Asare and Mr Humphrey F. Darko, indicated that many of the country’s water bodies had been contaminated by metal pollutants making them unsafe for human consumption.
There was also the issue of treated water becoming contaminated along the distribution lines and therefore becoming unsafe.
The researchers identified human activity as a major source of pollution of the water bodies and recommended attitudinal change to help preserve water.
For their part, Messrs Francis K. Y. Amevenku and Emmanuel Obuobi called for a merger of scientific environmental and cultural practices in the management of the country’s water bodies.
They explained that in times past, there was strict observance of social norms and customs including religious beliefs and practices which in many ways protected water bodies.
They pointed out that although there were still a number of traditional arrangements for water resources management at the local level, less of these were currently efficient as communities expanded.
The researchers stated that the breakdown of those traditional systems and the undermining of the community level institutional arrangements in West Africa had been attributed to the advent of Christianity and Islam, migration of fishers, the need for institutional restructuring and modern technology.
They observed that since an appreciable number of chiefs were scholars in their cultural and academic disciplines, they could be effective promoters of the process of merging scientific information and cultural practices for the benefit of the society.
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Conference on physical education opens in July
One significant lesson that could be learnt from the findings of a Ghana Health Service (GHS) study conducted in the Greater Accra Region is the problem that one could go through when one fails to engage in physical exercises.
The study revealed that 56 per cent of adults with three or more risk factors suffer from non-communicable diseases (NCDs). These risk factors, according to the researchers, include tobacco use, alcohol intake, low intake of fruits and vegetables, lack of exercise, overweight or obesity and raised blood pressure.
Non-communicable diseases are mostly chronic diseases including stroke, diabetes, hypertension and cancers. They are not infectious or communicable.
At a seminar to disseminate the findings of the study which was on ‘‘Risk Factors for Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases in the Greater Accra Region”, it also came out that about 37 per cent of adults between ages 25 and 64 in the region were likely to have hypertension. About 4.5 per cent more also suffer from diabetes.
To avoid that situation, there is the need for Ghanaians of all ages to find time to exercise regularly to protect the body from any of these health conditions.
The first ever Ghana Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, Dance and Sports conference which will take place in Accra between July 29 and July 31, 2010 has the objective of solving some of these problem.
The conference is on the theme: “New Directions in Physical Education and Sports” and its purpose is to consolidate the ongoing discussions on strategies for shaping new directions for physical activity and sports in the country.
It is also to forge new directions and standards for practices in physical activity, to open new doors for planning to achieve health-enhancing and physically active lifestyles in children and the youth.
Another objective of the conference is to pave the way for practitioners to use physical activity in a developmentally appropriate manner to develop regular-exercising habits in children and the youth.
It is also to help administrators and practitioners to distinguish the relationship between school physical education and school sports.
In addition, the conference has the objective to; plan purpose-driven physical education experiences for children and the youth; come out with the ability to plan and implement authentic sports programmes in schools; support national sports endeavours using standards to develop active lifestyles in children, the youth and adults.
To achieve the desired objectives, the event organisers has engaged the services of experts on various topics for the benefit of participants.
Some of the topics to be treated are: Expectations for Physical Activity which would be handled by the Coordinator; Ghana Physical Education and Sport Thinktank, Professor Reginald T. Ocansey and the Minister for Youth and Sports, Ms Akua Sena Dansua, will touch on expectations for sports and health fitness.
Other topics are: National Sports Bill: Implications for sports and physical activity development- A framework for the development of a national sports bill to be handled by Dr J. A. Baba of the University of Education, Winneba.
To have meaningful discussions, discussants at the conference will include Dr Owusu Ansah (representing University Sports), Dr Douglas Djarbeng (representing Sports Clubs) Dr Deborah Cubagee (representing Womens' Sports), Mr O. B. Amoah (representing Parliament), as well as Ms Elizabeth King who will represent the security services.
Others are: Developing and promoting active lifestyles for national development; the role of active lifestyles in healthy living and national development by Dr. Joseph Ogah of University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast.
Discussants for the topics will be Ms Bridget Dzogbenuku (representing Fitness Clubs), Mr Anang (representing Ministry of Education: PE Division) and the Deputy Minister for Youth & Sports, Nii Lamptey Dua (representing the Ministry of Youth and Sports.
The Director General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS) Dr Elias K. Sory is expected to make a statement at the conference.
The study revealed that 56 per cent of adults with three or more risk factors suffer from non-communicable diseases (NCDs). These risk factors, according to the researchers, include tobacco use, alcohol intake, low intake of fruits and vegetables, lack of exercise, overweight or obesity and raised blood pressure.
Non-communicable diseases are mostly chronic diseases including stroke, diabetes, hypertension and cancers. They are not infectious or communicable.
At a seminar to disseminate the findings of the study which was on ‘‘Risk Factors for Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases in the Greater Accra Region”, it also came out that about 37 per cent of adults between ages 25 and 64 in the region were likely to have hypertension. About 4.5 per cent more also suffer from diabetes.
To avoid that situation, there is the need for Ghanaians of all ages to find time to exercise regularly to protect the body from any of these health conditions.
The first ever Ghana Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, Dance and Sports conference which will take place in Accra between July 29 and July 31, 2010 has the objective of solving some of these problem.
The conference is on the theme: “New Directions in Physical Education and Sports” and its purpose is to consolidate the ongoing discussions on strategies for shaping new directions for physical activity and sports in the country.
It is also to forge new directions and standards for practices in physical activity, to open new doors for planning to achieve health-enhancing and physically active lifestyles in children and the youth.
Another objective of the conference is to pave the way for practitioners to use physical activity in a developmentally appropriate manner to develop regular-exercising habits in children and the youth.
It is also to help administrators and practitioners to distinguish the relationship between school physical education and school sports.
In addition, the conference has the objective to; plan purpose-driven physical education experiences for children and the youth; come out with the ability to plan and implement authentic sports programmes in schools; support national sports endeavours using standards to develop active lifestyles in children, the youth and adults.
To achieve the desired objectives, the event organisers has engaged the services of experts on various topics for the benefit of participants.
Some of the topics to be treated are: Expectations for Physical Activity which would be handled by the Coordinator; Ghana Physical Education and Sport Thinktank, Professor Reginald T. Ocansey and the Minister for Youth and Sports, Ms Akua Sena Dansua, will touch on expectations for sports and health fitness.
Other topics are: National Sports Bill: Implications for sports and physical activity development- A framework for the development of a national sports bill to be handled by Dr J. A. Baba of the University of Education, Winneba.
To have meaningful discussions, discussants at the conference will include Dr Owusu Ansah (representing University Sports), Dr Douglas Djarbeng (representing Sports Clubs) Dr Deborah Cubagee (representing Womens' Sports), Mr O. B. Amoah (representing Parliament), as well as Ms Elizabeth King who will represent the security services.
Others are: Developing and promoting active lifestyles for national development; the role of active lifestyles in healthy living and national development by Dr. Joseph Ogah of University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast.
Discussants for the topics will be Ms Bridget Dzogbenuku (representing Fitness Clubs), Mr Anang (representing Ministry of Education: PE Division) and the Deputy Minister for Youth & Sports, Nii Lamptey Dua (representing the Ministry of Youth and Sports.
The Director General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS) Dr Elias K. Sory is expected to make a statement at the conference.
How to manage H1N1 at workplace (Graphic Business)
Management of H1N1 at the workplaces
Story: Lucy Adoma Yeboah
THE work place is one area that communicable diseases can spread very fast if not well contained. It is therefore behoves on management to put in place appropriate structures and facilities that can contain such diseases should it break at the work place.
The recent communicable disease that has spread especially in schools is the HINI influenza. Schools have to be closed down to ensure that the disease does not spread.
Recently the World Health Organisation (WHO) donated 2.3 million doses of vaccines to Ghana to enable the country combat the spread of the pandemic H1N1 influenza.
In addition to the vaccines, the body also paid for freight charges and also distribution cost of the vaccines yet to be administered to some identified groups throughout Ghana.
The groups are health workers and personnel of the security agencies who are to act as first line personnel in times of wide spread outbreak. Others are pregnant women and also Ghanaians who would go to South Africa for this year’s World Cup.
Though the cost of the vaccines is not yet known, it is believed to be on the higher side since it is new and researchers and manufacturers are yet to break even.
The country was selected together with other 93 developing countries to receive the vaccines free from the world body to help them combat the spread of the deadly influenza which hit the world in April 2009. Each of the countries will receive vaccines to cover 10 per cent of its population.
The vaccines was given after the Ghanaian health authorities have furnished the WHO, with the needed information for its approval and subsequent presentation of the preventive drug which was manufactured by WHO accredited manufacturers, Glaxosmithkline (GSK).
Speaking in an interview in Accra, the Director of Public Health, Dr Joseph Amankwah, said WHO decided to help Ghana because of the country’s efforts to combat the spread of the pandemic.
Dr Amankwah said the WHO was also assisting Ghana to receive additional vaccines for the general public of which the country would had to take care of the shipping cost and also the cost of distribution.
He also explained that the first batch of vaccines was meant for health professionals, personnel of the security agencies, pregnant women and most importantly Ghanaians who would go to South Africa for this year’s World Cup.
Dr Amankwah said the vaccines had already been sent to the various regions ready to be administered and that 774 cases had been confirmed out of which one life had been lost . The dead was a 11 month old girl who was sent to the 37 Military Hospital in an unconscious state.
He also indicated that the rate at which people were catching the influenza had slowed down as compared to March this year and added that Ghana was recording more cases because health workers had been vigilant in looking up for the cases.
It is important to note that H1N1 influenza is deadly and should therefore not be taken for granted. We should also know that many lives have been lost in some parts of the world. That is why is important for us to realise that until enough vaccines are made available to protect every Ghanaian, the problem of the influenza will continue to exist. When there is outbreak, people, including those in the productive age would be affected. That is why it has become necessary for all to use other methods other than vaccines to protect ourselves, especially the country’s workforce.
What are the symptoms?
Seasonal influenza and H1N1 share the same set of symptoms. They are fever and/or cough, and one or more of the following: Unusual tiredness; headache; muscle or joint aches; sore throat; vomiting and diarrhoea in children less than five years of age.
How is it spread?
Coughs and sneezes release germs into the air where they can be breathed in by others. Germs can also rest on hard surfaces like counters and doorknobs, where they can be picked up on hands and transferred to the lungs when someone touches their mouth and/or nose.
What can employees do to reduce the spread of H1N1
in the workplace?
As part of the precaution if a worker has flu-like symptoms, he or she should stay at home and minimise contact with others as much as possible.
It is also important for such a person to practice good hygiene – wash his or her hands thoroughly and often and cough into your sleeve or arm with there are tissue papers available.
What should an employer do if an employee comes to work with flu-like symptoms?
As an employer with the interest of his employees at heart, a sick employees must be allowed to go home as soon as possible and stay home until they are feeling well and able to resume normal day-to-day activities.
Until an employee is able to leave the workplace, the employer should encourage him or her to practice good basic hygiene. If possible, the employee should be advised to keep a distance of more than two metres from others in order not to infect others.
Story: Lucy Adoma Yeboah
THE work place is one area that communicable diseases can spread very fast if not well contained. It is therefore behoves on management to put in place appropriate structures and facilities that can contain such diseases should it break at the work place.
The recent communicable disease that has spread especially in schools is the HINI influenza. Schools have to be closed down to ensure that the disease does not spread.
Recently the World Health Organisation (WHO) donated 2.3 million doses of vaccines to Ghana to enable the country combat the spread of the pandemic H1N1 influenza.
In addition to the vaccines, the body also paid for freight charges and also distribution cost of the vaccines yet to be administered to some identified groups throughout Ghana.
The groups are health workers and personnel of the security agencies who are to act as first line personnel in times of wide spread outbreak. Others are pregnant women and also Ghanaians who would go to South Africa for this year’s World Cup.
Though the cost of the vaccines is not yet known, it is believed to be on the higher side since it is new and researchers and manufacturers are yet to break even.
The country was selected together with other 93 developing countries to receive the vaccines free from the world body to help them combat the spread of the deadly influenza which hit the world in April 2009. Each of the countries will receive vaccines to cover 10 per cent of its population.
The vaccines was given after the Ghanaian health authorities have furnished the WHO, with the needed information for its approval and subsequent presentation of the preventive drug which was manufactured by WHO accredited manufacturers, Glaxosmithkline (GSK).
Speaking in an interview in Accra, the Director of Public Health, Dr Joseph Amankwah, said WHO decided to help Ghana because of the country’s efforts to combat the spread of the pandemic.
Dr Amankwah said the WHO was also assisting Ghana to receive additional vaccines for the general public of which the country would had to take care of the shipping cost and also the cost of distribution.
He also explained that the first batch of vaccines was meant for health professionals, personnel of the security agencies, pregnant women and most importantly Ghanaians who would go to South Africa for this year’s World Cup.
Dr Amankwah said the vaccines had already been sent to the various regions ready to be administered and that 774 cases had been confirmed out of which one life had been lost . The dead was a 11 month old girl who was sent to the 37 Military Hospital in an unconscious state.
He also indicated that the rate at which people were catching the influenza had slowed down as compared to March this year and added that Ghana was recording more cases because health workers had been vigilant in looking up for the cases.
It is important to note that H1N1 influenza is deadly and should therefore not be taken for granted. We should also know that many lives have been lost in some parts of the world. That is why is important for us to realise that until enough vaccines are made available to protect every Ghanaian, the problem of the influenza will continue to exist. When there is outbreak, people, including those in the productive age would be affected. That is why it has become necessary for all to use other methods other than vaccines to protect ourselves, especially the country’s workforce.
What are the symptoms?
Seasonal influenza and H1N1 share the same set of symptoms. They are fever and/or cough, and one or more of the following: Unusual tiredness; headache; muscle or joint aches; sore throat; vomiting and diarrhoea in children less than five years of age.
How is it spread?
Coughs and sneezes release germs into the air where they can be breathed in by others. Germs can also rest on hard surfaces like counters and doorknobs, where they can be picked up on hands and transferred to the lungs when someone touches their mouth and/or nose.
What can employees do to reduce the spread of H1N1
in the workplace?
As part of the precaution if a worker has flu-like symptoms, he or she should stay at home and minimise contact with others as much as possible.
It is also important for such a person to practice good hygiene – wash his or her hands thoroughly and often and cough into your sleeve or arm with there are tissue papers available.
What should an employer do if an employee comes to work with flu-like symptoms?
As an employer with the interest of his employees at heart, a sick employees must be allowed to go home as soon as possible and stay home until they are feeling well and able to resume normal day-to-day activities.
Until an employee is able to leave the workplace, the employer should encourage him or her to practice good basic hygiene. If possible, the employee should be advised to keep a distance of more than two metres from others in order not to infect others.
Monday, June 7, 2010
Resource Dept of Community Development adequately
THE government has been urged to seriously consider resourcing the Department of Community Development to adequately meet its obligations.
That, according to the National Co-ordinator of the department, Mr Theodore Tandoh, would equip the department to fulfil its mandate of improving the living standards of the rural poor.
“Resource allocation to the department is inadequate for it to achieve its objectives,” he stressed.
Mr Tandoh was addressing participants at a day’s summit organised by an international non-governmental organisation (NGO), World Health and Environmental Society (WOHESAS), in Accra on Wednesday.
It was on the theme, “Health, Environmental Rescue and Community Development for Africa Resolution”.
The NGO, which was established in 2005 by a group of humanitarians in the USA and Nigeria, has the aim of researching, discovering and alerting governments and the public to hazardous conditions, health management and disaster control.
It also has the objective of sensitising society to the values of basic medical treatment and healthcare services.
Speaking on the topic, “Packaging and Strategic Partnership for Human and Community Development”, Mr Tandoh recommended that development partners, both local and international, should form stronger partnerships with the department in building the capacity of its staff from either side in community level planning and implementation to achieve the desirous sustainability of programmes and projects.
He said since its inception in 1948, the department had contributed to the country’s development agenda, especially in the rural areas, through its community initiatives and self-help projects.
The Chief Project Development Executive of WOHESAS, Dr Dominic Wilson, encouraged Africans to make concerted efforts at protecting their environment and also embark on other projects for their own benefit.
He cautioned that if care was not taken, a time would come when foreign development partners would be fed up and refuse to do anything for the people of the continent.
For her part, a Deputy Minister of Education, Madam Elizabeth Amoah Tetteh, encouraged authorities at the local level to first identify the needs of the people they were serving in the communities in order to win their support.
The immediate past Ga West Municipal Chief Executive, Nii Bram Okae II, advised WOHESAS staff to bear in mind that there were times when some rural dwellers whom they wanted to assist by offering them projects refused to contribute financially to those projects.
Basing his argument on personal experience, he said when it happened like that, the NGO should endeavour to play its role, since it had the aim of supporting such people who were mostly financially disadvantaged.
Participants in the summit were drawn from metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies, traditional and local authorities, NGOs and other identified groups.
That, according to the National Co-ordinator of the department, Mr Theodore Tandoh, would equip the department to fulfil its mandate of improving the living standards of the rural poor.
“Resource allocation to the department is inadequate for it to achieve its objectives,” he stressed.
Mr Tandoh was addressing participants at a day’s summit organised by an international non-governmental organisation (NGO), World Health and Environmental Society (WOHESAS), in Accra on Wednesday.
It was on the theme, “Health, Environmental Rescue and Community Development for Africa Resolution”.
The NGO, which was established in 2005 by a group of humanitarians in the USA and Nigeria, has the aim of researching, discovering and alerting governments and the public to hazardous conditions, health management and disaster control.
It also has the objective of sensitising society to the values of basic medical treatment and healthcare services.
Speaking on the topic, “Packaging and Strategic Partnership for Human and Community Development”, Mr Tandoh recommended that development partners, both local and international, should form stronger partnerships with the department in building the capacity of its staff from either side in community level planning and implementation to achieve the desirous sustainability of programmes and projects.
He said since its inception in 1948, the department had contributed to the country’s development agenda, especially in the rural areas, through its community initiatives and self-help projects.
The Chief Project Development Executive of WOHESAS, Dr Dominic Wilson, encouraged Africans to make concerted efforts at protecting their environment and also embark on other projects for their own benefit.
He cautioned that if care was not taken, a time would come when foreign development partners would be fed up and refuse to do anything for the people of the continent.
For her part, a Deputy Minister of Education, Madam Elizabeth Amoah Tetteh, encouraged authorities at the local level to first identify the needs of the people they were serving in the communities in order to win their support.
The immediate past Ga West Municipal Chief Executive, Nii Bram Okae II, advised WOHESAS staff to bear in mind that there were times when some rural dwellers whom they wanted to assist by offering them projects refused to contribute financially to those projects.
Basing his argument on personal experience, he said when it happened like that, the NGO should endeavour to play its role, since it had the aim of supporting such people who were mostly financially disadvantaged.
Participants in the summit were drawn from metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies, traditional and local authorities, NGOs and other identified groups.
Travellers to South Africa vaccinated (Back Page)
Saturday, June 5,2010
THE Ghana Health Service (GHS) today administered H1N1 vaccine to a large number of people who are scheduled to travel to South Africa for the 2010 World Cup tournament in that country.
They included sports officials, media practitioners, members of the various football supporters groups and selected individuals from some identifiable groups.
A total of 2,000 people are being sponsored by the Government of Ghana (GOG) to go to South Africa to cheer the Black Stars. All the 2,000 people and other Ghanaians who will go there privately for the tournament and are able to produce documents to support their claim will also be vaccinated.
The group formed part of the initial 2.3 million Ghanaians who will be vaccinated against the pandemic within the next few days.
The rest are health workers, security personnel and pregnant women.
The 2.3 million vaccines were donated freely by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to Ghana to help the country combat the spread of the pandemic.
Around 9.25am when the Daily Graphic team got to the Ohene Djan Sports Stadium in Accra where the vaccination took place, a sizeable number of people had already queued up.
A number of health personnel were smartly dressed and busily arranging the various items for the exercise to begin.
The medical officer attached to Ghana’s Welfare Committee for South Africa 2010, Dr Prince Pambo, was also present to oversee the exercise.
In addition to the H1N1 vaccination, those who had not been vaccinated against yellow fever were taken care of as part of the travelling requirements.
As the individuals were being vaccinated, the health workers took time to explain to them the possibility of some side effects, depending on the level of individuals’ immune system.
Those side effects, according to the Programme Manager of the Expanded Programme of Immunisation (EPI) of the Ghana Health Service, Dr Nana Kwadwo Antwi-Adjei, included headache, fever, nose blockage, heaviness of the ear, and pain at the site of the vaccine.
Dr Antwi-Adjei explained that not everybody would experience a side effect and advised those who might experience them not to apply anything at the site of the vaccination and when in doubt, they should report to the nearest health facility.
He told the Daily Graphic that there were 10 vaccinators available for the exercise and that the team was expected to complete the exercise by the close of the day.
He, however, indicated that all those who would not able to receive the vaccine should contact the various vaccination centres in Accra such as the Adabraka Polyclinic and also at the various regional health directorates for help.
Although it was raining, those who were to be vaccinated came on foot, in taxis as well as private cars.
Members of the group were mostly young men and women and a few elderly people who looked excited while going through the exercise.
In a related development, Ghana recorded its first H1N1 death last week, few days after the first consignment of two million doses of the vaccines arrived in the country.
The victim, an 11-month-old baby girl, died at the 37 Military Hospital in Accra where he was sent to in an unconscious state.
Speaking to the Daily Graphic in Accra, the Director of Public Health, Dr Joseph Amankwah, said specimen from the child was taken for testing before he passed away and explained that both parents of the child had the influenza but had been treated.
Dr Amankwah said the vaccines were donated by the World Health Organisation (WHO), which was also footing the cost of shipment, as well as distribution within Ghana.
Dr Amankwah explained that the first batch of the vaccines were meant for health professionals, personnel of the security agencies, pregnant women and most importantly, Ghanaians who would go to South Africa for this year’s World Cup.
He said the WHO was assisting Ghana to receive additional vaccines for the general public but the country would have to take care of the cost of shipping and distribution.
THE Ghana Health Service (GHS) today administered H1N1 vaccine to a large number of people who are scheduled to travel to South Africa for the 2010 World Cup tournament in that country.
They included sports officials, media practitioners, members of the various football supporters groups and selected individuals from some identifiable groups.
A total of 2,000 people are being sponsored by the Government of Ghana (GOG) to go to South Africa to cheer the Black Stars. All the 2,000 people and other Ghanaians who will go there privately for the tournament and are able to produce documents to support their claim will also be vaccinated.
The group formed part of the initial 2.3 million Ghanaians who will be vaccinated against the pandemic within the next few days.
The rest are health workers, security personnel and pregnant women.
The 2.3 million vaccines were donated freely by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to Ghana to help the country combat the spread of the pandemic.
Around 9.25am when the Daily Graphic team got to the Ohene Djan Sports Stadium in Accra where the vaccination took place, a sizeable number of people had already queued up.
A number of health personnel were smartly dressed and busily arranging the various items for the exercise to begin.
The medical officer attached to Ghana’s Welfare Committee for South Africa 2010, Dr Prince Pambo, was also present to oversee the exercise.
In addition to the H1N1 vaccination, those who had not been vaccinated against yellow fever were taken care of as part of the travelling requirements.
As the individuals were being vaccinated, the health workers took time to explain to them the possibility of some side effects, depending on the level of individuals’ immune system.
Those side effects, according to the Programme Manager of the Expanded Programme of Immunisation (EPI) of the Ghana Health Service, Dr Nana Kwadwo Antwi-Adjei, included headache, fever, nose blockage, heaviness of the ear, and pain at the site of the vaccine.
Dr Antwi-Adjei explained that not everybody would experience a side effect and advised those who might experience them not to apply anything at the site of the vaccination and when in doubt, they should report to the nearest health facility.
He told the Daily Graphic that there were 10 vaccinators available for the exercise and that the team was expected to complete the exercise by the close of the day.
He, however, indicated that all those who would not able to receive the vaccine should contact the various vaccination centres in Accra such as the Adabraka Polyclinic and also at the various regional health directorates for help.
Although it was raining, those who were to be vaccinated came on foot, in taxis as well as private cars.
Members of the group were mostly young men and women and a few elderly people who looked excited while going through the exercise.
In a related development, Ghana recorded its first H1N1 death last week, few days after the first consignment of two million doses of the vaccines arrived in the country.
The victim, an 11-month-old baby girl, died at the 37 Military Hospital in Accra where he was sent to in an unconscious state.
Speaking to the Daily Graphic in Accra, the Director of Public Health, Dr Joseph Amankwah, said specimen from the child was taken for testing before he passed away and explained that both parents of the child had the influenza but had been treated.
Dr Amankwah said the vaccines were donated by the World Health Organisation (WHO), which was also footing the cost of shipment, as well as distribution within Ghana.
Dr Amankwah explained that the first batch of the vaccines were meant for health professionals, personnel of the security agencies, pregnant women and most importantly, Ghanaians who would go to South Africa for this year’s World Cup.
He said the WHO was assisting Ghana to receive additional vaccines for the general public but the country would have to take care of the cost of shipping and distribution.
Friday, June 4, 2010
Certificates for 50 new publication
FIFTY new newspapers and magazines yesterday received certificates from the National Media Commission (NMC) to enable them to operate in various parts of the country.
The newspapers and magazines will focus on general news, sports, business, fashion, education and religion, among other issues.
Among the publishers is a the 83 year-old former Editor of the Ghanaian Times, Mr Kwame Gyau Kyem, who was given a certificate to publish “The Fortune Hunters”.
In addition to the presentation of the certificates, the NMC in collaboration with the Friedrich Ebert Foundation organised a seminar for owners and editors of newspapers on the theme: The Role of the Media in Ghana’s Democracy: Responsible Journalism, Media Accountability and Standards”.
In an address, the Chairman of the NMC, Ambassador Kabral Blay Amihere, said journalists could do well to their profession, if they refused to serve as footnotes to the ambitions of politicians and other interest groups.
He said it was wrong for journalists to walk in the shadows of others when society expected them to set a positive agenda.
Ambassador Blay-Amihere reminded journalists to, at all times, be guided by the code of ethics of journalism.
Touching on the theme, the Executive Director of the Media Foundation for West Africa, Professor Kwame Karikari, called on the NMC and National Communications Authority (NCA) to establish a monitoring centre to monitor the activities of radio stations.
He said such monitoring mechanism would help in the identification of recalcitrant radio stations which encouraged insults and other anti-social comments on air for possible withdrawal of their licences.
Professor Karikari sensitised the participants to political responsibility, social responsibility, professional responsibility, legal responsibility, among others.
The President of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), Mr Ransford Tetteh, said the seminar was significant, since it would help the media practitioners to be mindful of their responsibilities to society.
He also called on Ghanaians journalists not to devote all their time to politics but concentrate more on issues of development for the benefit of the majority of the people.
The Programmes Co-ordinator of Friedrich Ebert Foundation, Mr Danaa Nantongmah, stated that the foundation was committed to encouraging independent media, since it was critical to good governance.
A representative of the Private Newspapers Publishers Association of Ghana (PRINPAG), Nii Laryea Sowah, advised private newspaper owners to employ qualified editors and also a sizeable number of reporters of which the owner could pay adequately.
The Executive Secretary of the NMC, Mr George Sarpong, sensitised the participants to the NMC Act, registration of newspapers and the work of the Complaints Settlement Committee of the NMC.
Speaking on behalf of the incoming publishers, Mr Gyau Kyem advised journalists, especially editors, to act professionally so that society would always remember them for their good deeds.
The newspapers and magazines will focus on general news, sports, business, fashion, education and religion, among other issues.
Among the publishers is a the 83 year-old former Editor of the Ghanaian Times, Mr Kwame Gyau Kyem, who was given a certificate to publish “The Fortune Hunters”.
In addition to the presentation of the certificates, the NMC in collaboration with the Friedrich Ebert Foundation organised a seminar for owners and editors of newspapers on the theme: The Role of the Media in Ghana’s Democracy: Responsible Journalism, Media Accountability and Standards”.
In an address, the Chairman of the NMC, Ambassador Kabral Blay Amihere, said journalists could do well to their profession, if they refused to serve as footnotes to the ambitions of politicians and other interest groups.
He said it was wrong for journalists to walk in the shadows of others when society expected them to set a positive agenda.
Ambassador Blay-Amihere reminded journalists to, at all times, be guided by the code of ethics of journalism.
Touching on the theme, the Executive Director of the Media Foundation for West Africa, Professor Kwame Karikari, called on the NMC and National Communications Authority (NCA) to establish a monitoring centre to monitor the activities of radio stations.
He said such monitoring mechanism would help in the identification of recalcitrant radio stations which encouraged insults and other anti-social comments on air for possible withdrawal of their licences.
Professor Karikari sensitised the participants to political responsibility, social responsibility, professional responsibility, legal responsibility, among others.
The President of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), Mr Ransford Tetteh, said the seminar was significant, since it would help the media practitioners to be mindful of their responsibilities to society.
He also called on Ghanaians journalists not to devote all their time to politics but concentrate more on issues of development for the benefit of the majority of the people.
The Programmes Co-ordinator of Friedrich Ebert Foundation, Mr Danaa Nantongmah, stated that the foundation was committed to encouraging independent media, since it was critical to good governance.
A representative of the Private Newspapers Publishers Association of Ghana (PRINPAG), Nii Laryea Sowah, advised private newspaper owners to employ qualified editors and also a sizeable number of reporters of which the owner could pay adequately.
The Executive Secretary of the NMC, Mr George Sarpong, sensitised the participants to the NMC Act, registration of newspapers and the work of the Complaints Settlement Committee of the NMC.
Speaking on behalf of the incoming publishers, Mr Gyau Kyem advised journalists, especially editors, to act professionally so that society would always remember them for their good deeds.
Book Review
Book Title: Ghana International Journal of Mental Health
Editor-in-Chief: C. Charles Mate-Kole, Department of Psychology, University of Ghana, Legon.
Founder: Samuel A. Danquah, Professor of Psychology, University of Ghana, Legon.
Printed by: G-Pak Limited, a subsidiary of Graphic Communications Group Limited.
Reviewer: Lucy Adoma Yeboah
THE issue of mental health, especially in a society such ours, continues to be pertinent. This is rightly so because of lack of knowledge on the subject which had helped in a large extent to make those in authority to treat it with little or no importance.
A statement made by the Chief Psychiatrist of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr Akwasi Osei, indicated that a situation analysis of mental health system and services in Ghana showed that there was little research output in mental health.
This makes the publication of the various write-ups titled: "Ghana International Journal of Mental Health", a welcome news, especially at this time in the nation's history when efforts are being made to get a new mental health bill into law.
Mental health, according to the editorial of the journal, is a continues issue in our society. It is considered a stigma even though at least one in three people would experience some kind of mental illness in the course of their lives.
"Despite these figures, mental illness appears to rouse negativity, thus isolating the mentally ill to a sub-human category," the editorial of the journal indicated.
Going through the Ghana International Journal of Mental Health, one could realise that the various writers have made attempts to present mental health to reflect its diversity and complexity.
The topics, as treated, cover a wide range of areas from depression, treatment approaches, cultural identity, dementia, acquired dyslexia, policy, aggression among other related issues worth reading. The materials as published in the new journal include original articles, as well as literature reviews from other writers.
As one goes through the pages, it becomes evident that the new journal has brought to the fore subject areas that have long been inadequately covered in this country and other parts of Africa.
In fact, the main aim of the journal is to reflect current mental health trends in many different countries and allowing mental health professionals the opportunity to become familiar with developments elsewhere.
"The journal devotes more attention to mental health issues through research and other articles which are of outstanding historical or biographical interest and often remain unpublished,” says S. A. Danquah, Professor of Psychology at the University of Ghana, Legon.
To encourage professionals in mental health to read and also contribute to the continuous publication of the journal, Dr Osei, who is also the head of the Accra Psychiatric Hospital, stated that, "It is hoped that all mental health workers of all categories, psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, social workers, clinical pharmacists in psychiatry, counsellors, therapists, psychiatric nurses, administrators, researchers and teachers alike, are all welcome to read and contribute".
"Let this be seen as the intellectual mouthpiece of all of us to share and promote knowledge," Dr Osei stressed.
The "Ghana International Journal of Mental Health" is published bi-annually in April and November.
Editor-in-Chief: C. Charles Mate-Kole, Department of Psychology, University of Ghana, Legon.
Founder: Samuel A. Danquah, Professor of Psychology, University of Ghana, Legon.
Printed by: G-Pak Limited, a subsidiary of Graphic Communications Group Limited.
Reviewer: Lucy Adoma Yeboah
THE issue of mental health, especially in a society such ours, continues to be pertinent. This is rightly so because of lack of knowledge on the subject which had helped in a large extent to make those in authority to treat it with little or no importance.
A statement made by the Chief Psychiatrist of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr Akwasi Osei, indicated that a situation analysis of mental health system and services in Ghana showed that there was little research output in mental health.
This makes the publication of the various write-ups titled: "Ghana International Journal of Mental Health", a welcome news, especially at this time in the nation's history when efforts are being made to get a new mental health bill into law.
Mental health, according to the editorial of the journal, is a continues issue in our society. It is considered a stigma even though at least one in three people would experience some kind of mental illness in the course of their lives.
"Despite these figures, mental illness appears to rouse negativity, thus isolating the mentally ill to a sub-human category," the editorial of the journal indicated.
Going through the Ghana International Journal of Mental Health, one could realise that the various writers have made attempts to present mental health to reflect its diversity and complexity.
The topics, as treated, cover a wide range of areas from depression, treatment approaches, cultural identity, dementia, acquired dyslexia, policy, aggression among other related issues worth reading. The materials as published in the new journal include original articles, as well as literature reviews from other writers.
As one goes through the pages, it becomes evident that the new journal has brought to the fore subject areas that have long been inadequately covered in this country and other parts of Africa.
In fact, the main aim of the journal is to reflect current mental health trends in many different countries and allowing mental health professionals the opportunity to become familiar with developments elsewhere.
"The journal devotes more attention to mental health issues through research and other articles which are of outstanding historical or biographical interest and often remain unpublished,” says S. A. Danquah, Professor of Psychology at the University of Ghana, Legon.
To encourage professionals in mental health to read and also contribute to the continuous publication of the journal, Dr Osei, who is also the head of the Accra Psychiatric Hospital, stated that, "It is hoped that all mental health workers of all categories, psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, social workers, clinical pharmacists in psychiatry, counsellors, therapists, psychiatric nurses, administrators, researchers and teachers alike, are all welcome to read and contribute".
"Let this be seen as the intellectual mouthpiece of all of us to share and promote knowledge," Dr Osei stressed.
The "Ghana International Journal of Mental Health" is published bi-annually in April and November.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Corporate bodies urged to support doctors' fund (Graphic Business)
One of the missing links in the country’s health delivery system is the training of specialised personnel for the country’s hospitals. Most medical doctors have to rely on scholarships from foreign agencies and organisations to enable them undergo various training programmes outside the country.
The the country is very limited to the number of medical doctors that it can send outside to undergo such specialised programmes
It is therefore in this direction that College of Health Sciences has made a passionate appeal to corporate bodies, groups and individuals to contribute to the college’s Post Graduate Endowment Fund for specialist training.
The fund which was established in 2000, is expected to help raise funds to complement government’s effort through the award of scholarships and research grants to postgraduate students.
At the launch of the colleges 10th Anniversary Celebration in Accra, the Chairman of the fund, Mr Sam Okudzeto said availability of specialists in Ghanaian hospitals would help to treat especially, non-communicable or chronic diseases which often affected many of the best brains the country could boast of.
The theme for the celebration was "The College of Health Sciences: A decade of Achievement and future prospects".
Addressing participants at the ceremony, Mr Okudzeto said there was no doubt that non-communicable diseases such as stroke and diabetes, which, he observed, were a threat to chief executives could be controlled if sufficient professionals were trained in specialised fields and made to work in the country.
Institutions which have been contributing to the Fund since its inception are the Ghana Reinsurance Company Limited, Ecobank Ghana Limited, Media Whizz Kids Limited, National Lotteries Authority, Coca Cola Bottling Company and E. N Omaboe and Associates.
Others are Nankani and Hagan Company Limited, Poly Group of Companies, Melcom Group of Companies, Barry Celebout Ghana Limited, KPMG, Visigo Opticals, Ghana Commercial Bank, Far East Mercantile Company Limited, Valco Trust Fund among others.
Mr Okudzeto, who is also a renowned legal practitioner, cited cases of deaths involving some prominent people who travelled abroad for treatment describing them as best brains.
He pointed out that “if we are able to help our health institutions we can get the best health care services without necessarily travelling outside. The rampant death of our best brains can be reduced if we support this worthy cause, ” he said.
He said if enough funds were raised, lecturers, professors and deans would also be supported to acquire additional knowledge elsewhere adding that the endowment fund had had tremendous impact on enrolment into postgraduate programmes. Mr Okudzeto and that since the establishment of the fund, almost all schools under the College had doubled their intake with about half of the students benefiting from various scholarships.
The outgoing Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Professor Clifford Nii Boi Tagoe, said the establishment of the college 10 years ago was a significant landmark in the development of the University of Ghana after several years of hard work.
He noted that with the collective strength of its constituents, which were the Medical and Dental school, School of Nursing, Allied Health Science and Public Health as well as the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, the college had “finally come to the attention of the world”.
Professor Tagoe noted that the college had chalked significant successes and singled out the establishment of the Postgraduate Endowment Fund with some innovative ways of fund raising by Trustees, making it attract students into areas where it was originally difficult to do so.
The Provost of the College, Professor A. L. Lawson, said the challenges of the college were many, including limited budgetary support, poor infrastructure, ageing faculty and inadequate capacity for research.
He said in trying to address those challenges, the college was developing its second strategic plan, embracing the liberation of the college legally, financial empowerment, establishment of a human resource framework, infrastructure expansion and modernisation as well as the development of new activities to compete for growth.
The the country is very limited to the number of medical doctors that it can send outside to undergo such specialised programmes
It is therefore in this direction that College of Health Sciences has made a passionate appeal to corporate bodies, groups and individuals to contribute to the college’s Post Graduate Endowment Fund for specialist training.
The fund which was established in 2000, is expected to help raise funds to complement government’s effort through the award of scholarships and research grants to postgraduate students.
At the launch of the colleges 10th Anniversary Celebration in Accra, the Chairman of the fund, Mr Sam Okudzeto said availability of specialists in Ghanaian hospitals would help to treat especially, non-communicable or chronic diseases which often affected many of the best brains the country could boast of.
The theme for the celebration was "The College of Health Sciences: A decade of Achievement and future prospects".
Addressing participants at the ceremony, Mr Okudzeto said there was no doubt that non-communicable diseases such as stroke and diabetes, which, he observed, were a threat to chief executives could be controlled if sufficient professionals were trained in specialised fields and made to work in the country.
Institutions which have been contributing to the Fund since its inception are the Ghana Reinsurance Company Limited, Ecobank Ghana Limited, Media Whizz Kids Limited, National Lotteries Authority, Coca Cola Bottling Company and E. N Omaboe and Associates.
Others are Nankani and Hagan Company Limited, Poly Group of Companies, Melcom Group of Companies, Barry Celebout Ghana Limited, KPMG, Visigo Opticals, Ghana Commercial Bank, Far East Mercantile Company Limited, Valco Trust Fund among others.
Mr Okudzeto, who is also a renowned legal practitioner, cited cases of deaths involving some prominent people who travelled abroad for treatment describing them as best brains.
He pointed out that “if we are able to help our health institutions we can get the best health care services without necessarily travelling outside. The rampant death of our best brains can be reduced if we support this worthy cause, ” he said.
He said if enough funds were raised, lecturers, professors and deans would also be supported to acquire additional knowledge elsewhere adding that the endowment fund had had tremendous impact on enrolment into postgraduate programmes. Mr Okudzeto and that since the establishment of the fund, almost all schools under the College had doubled their intake with about half of the students benefiting from various scholarships.
The outgoing Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Professor Clifford Nii Boi Tagoe, said the establishment of the college 10 years ago was a significant landmark in the development of the University of Ghana after several years of hard work.
He noted that with the collective strength of its constituents, which were the Medical and Dental school, School of Nursing, Allied Health Science and Public Health as well as the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, the college had “finally come to the attention of the world”.
Professor Tagoe noted that the college had chalked significant successes and singled out the establishment of the Postgraduate Endowment Fund with some innovative ways of fund raising by Trustees, making it attract students into areas where it was originally difficult to do so.
The Provost of the College, Professor A. L. Lawson, said the challenges of the college were many, including limited budgetary support, poor infrastructure, ageing faculty and inadequate capacity for research.
He said in trying to address those challenges, the college was developing its second strategic plan, embracing the liberation of the college legally, financial empowerment, establishment of a human resource framework, infrastructure expansion and modernisation as well as the development of new activities to compete for growth.
NHIS collapsing -GMA
THE Ghana Medical Association (GMA) has observed that the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) is collapsing.
It has, therefore, called on President J.E.A. Mills to make a personal intervention to prevent the scheme from imminent collapse.
In a statement issued at the end of its third National Executive Council meeting at Tegbi in Keta, the GMA contended that most facilities owed substantial amounts in medicines and consumables procured on credit, adding that as a result, suppliers were no longer willing to supply on credit.
But the Deputy Director of Corporate Affairs of the NHIA, Mr Eric Ametor-Quarmyne, has denied the GMA’s assertion and claimed that the debt service schedule of the authority was on course.
In its statement, the GMA said the Korle-bu Teaching Hospital, for instance, was owed GH¢2.7 million; the Central Regional Hospital, GH¢694,000; the Eastern Regional Hospital, GH¢1,090,000, with similar examples from elsewhere.
That situation, according to the association, had enormously affected the ability of those facilities to provide quality service for their clients, including shortage of drugs and other essential supplies.
“The NHIA is not seen to be actively dealing with these challenges. Instead, in the recent past, it has taken up the responsibility of micro-managing the facilities and their providers on how to diagnose and institute treatment for their clients,” it averred.
The GMA claimed that the authority had issued a directive that medical assistants in sub-districts should refrain from treating chronic conditions such as diabetes and hypertension.
However, those cases were eventually referred to the district hospitals where they were seen by the same medical assistants who complemented the work of the few doctors in the districts, it said.
The association also accused the schemes of neglecting their responsibility for assisting the facilities in capacity building and technical support, adding that the interest of the patient did not seem to be the foremost consideration of the NHIA.
“Clinical audits by the NHIS are necessary and the GMA has no qualms about auditing facilities. It is important, however, that clinical audits should not be used to cow down facilities that complain about the indebtedness of the schemes to them,” it maintained.
In the light of those challenges, the GMA said, it would focus its annual lecture at the College of Physicians and Surgeons on August 25, 2010 on the way forward for the NHIS.
“The National Executive Council of the GMA, therefore, calls on the President of the nation, the Minister of Health and the NHIA to introduce greater efficiency into the operations of the NHIS administration and take prompt steps to reimburse health facilities owed many months in legitimate claims,” the association urged.
The statement was read by its the GMA President, Dr Emmanuel Adom Winful.
When he was reached for his reaction, Mr Ametor-Quarmyne denied that the NHIS was collapsing.
In an interview with Lucy Adoma Yebaoh in Accra, Mr Amertor-Quarmyne said the arrangement made with the health facilities would always leave some debts unpaid and called on the service providers to exercise restraint.
He explained that the NHIA was using what he termed the fee-for-service method, which meant that the health facilities would provide services for the NHIS subscribers before payments were made.
According to Mr Ametor-Quarmyne, in 2009 alone, GH¢372 million was paid to service providers, adding that NHIA would continue to make payments.
It has, therefore, called on President J.E.A. Mills to make a personal intervention to prevent the scheme from imminent collapse.
In a statement issued at the end of its third National Executive Council meeting at Tegbi in Keta, the GMA contended that most facilities owed substantial amounts in medicines and consumables procured on credit, adding that as a result, suppliers were no longer willing to supply on credit.
But the Deputy Director of Corporate Affairs of the NHIA, Mr Eric Ametor-Quarmyne, has denied the GMA’s assertion and claimed that the debt service schedule of the authority was on course.
In its statement, the GMA said the Korle-bu Teaching Hospital, for instance, was owed GH¢2.7 million; the Central Regional Hospital, GH¢694,000; the Eastern Regional Hospital, GH¢1,090,000, with similar examples from elsewhere.
That situation, according to the association, had enormously affected the ability of those facilities to provide quality service for their clients, including shortage of drugs and other essential supplies.
“The NHIA is not seen to be actively dealing with these challenges. Instead, in the recent past, it has taken up the responsibility of micro-managing the facilities and their providers on how to diagnose and institute treatment for their clients,” it averred.
The GMA claimed that the authority had issued a directive that medical assistants in sub-districts should refrain from treating chronic conditions such as diabetes and hypertension.
However, those cases were eventually referred to the district hospitals where they were seen by the same medical assistants who complemented the work of the few doctors in the districts, it said.
The association also accused the schemes of neglecting their responsibility for assisting the facilities in capacity building and technical support, adding that the interest of the patient did not seem to be the foremost consideration of the NHIA.
“Clinical audits by the NHIS are necessary and the GMA has no qualms about auditing facilities. It is important, however, that clinical audits should not be used to cow down facilities that complain about the indebtedness of the schemes to them,” it maintained.
In the light of those challenges, the GMA said, it would focus its annual lecture at the College of Physicians and Surgeons on August 25, 2010 on the way forward for the NHIS.
“The National Executive Council of the GMA, therefore, calls on the President of the nation, the Minister of Health and the NHIA to introduce greater efficiency into the operations of the NHIS administration and take prompt steps to reimburse health facilities owed many months in legitimate claims,” the association urged.
The statement was read by its the GMA President, Dr Emmanuel Adom Winful.
When he was reached for his reaction, Mr Ametor-Quarmyne denied that the NHIS was collapsing.
In an interview with Lucy Adoma Yebaoh in Accra, Mr Amertor-Quarmyne said the arrangement made with the health facilities would always leave some debts unpaid and called on the service providers to exercise restraint.
He explained that the NHIA was using what he termed the fee-for-service method, which meant that the health facilities would provide services for the NHIS subscribers before payments were made.
According to Mr Ametor-Quarmyne, in 2009 alone, GH¢372 million was paid to service providers, adding that NHIA would continue to make payments.
'Help smokers to quit habit' (Spread)
Ghana’s Health Minister, Dr Benjamin Kunbuor, yesterday made an emotional appeal to the public not to condemn smokers but see them as people who need help to get out of the habit.
Dr Kunbour touched the hearts of an august audience of health professionals and media practitioners during the launch of this year’s World No Tobacco Day, which is observed on May 31, each year when he admitted that he had been a smoker before and shared some of the challenges he had to overcome in his effort to quit smoking.
“I have been on that road before so I know what I’m talking about,” he said
Dr Kunbour, who sounded emotional during his address, stated that majority of smokers were aware that the habit was bad but found it difficult to stop due to the addictive nature of the product.
He, therefore, advised the youth against anything which would introduce them to smoking especially movies.
He went ahead to reveal that he picked the habit from frequently watching James Bond movies in which the main character usually smoked cigarettes to calm his nerves.
In his address to commemorate the day, Dr Kunbour said “smoking is the largest avoidable death and a major non-communicable disease worldwide”. The theme for the day was: “Gender and tobacco with emphasis on marketing to women”.
The minister said his ministry, as well as the Ghana Health Service (GHS), would in collaboration with relevant other stakeholders ensure that women and girls would not be duped by the misleading deceptions which lured them into smoking.
He also indicated that both men and women alike must be protected from the tobacco industry marketing and smoking, as stated in the preamble of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Framework on Tobacco Control.
Delivering the keynote address, the Minister for Women and Children’s Affairs, Mrs Juliana Azumah Mensah, said according to evidence, women who smoked were more likely to experience infertility and delays in conceiving.
“Maternal smoking during pregnancy increases the risks of premature delivery, stillbirth and newborn deaths and cause a reduction in breast milk. Women who smoke are at increased risk of developing potentially fatal chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases which include chronic bronchitis and emphysema,” she explained.
The Women and Children’s Minister also mentioned other diseases which affected smokers as cancers of the mouth, pharynx, oesophagus, larynx, bladder, pancreas, kidney and cervix, as well as acute myeloid leukaemia.
Mrs Azumah Mensah said as the nation awaited the passage of the Tobacco Control Bill, the press, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), all other ministries, departments and agencies, as well as the private sector, should team up with the Ministry of Health (MoH) to pursue actions aimed at protecting women and girls from subtle and deceptive marketing strategies of tobacco companies.
The WHO Country Representative in Ghana, Dr Daniel Kertesz, said tobacco use was one of the biggest public health threats that the world ever faced in spite of the fact that the world had for the past 60 years known that tobacco was a killer.
“Not only does smoking kills, but being around smokers even if you don’t smoke also kills.”
?????Touching on the theme, Dr Kertesz said women represented 200 million of the world’s more than 1.0 billion smokers adding that the tobacco industry had seen new market opportunities in narrowing that gender gap.?????
He said that was being done through associating smoking with female beauty, luxury, empowerment and wealth and also targeting younger generations of women.
The chairperson for the occasion, who is also the Executive Director of the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), Mrs Jane Quaye, said the government should put in place all the necessary legislation to protect the public especially women and children from the harmful effects of tobacco.
There were statements from the GHS, the Coalition of NGOs in Tobacco Control, the Narcotics Control Board and the Parliamentary Select Committee on Health.
Dr Kunbour touched the hearts of an august audience of health professionals and media practitioners during the launch of this year’s World No Tobacco Day, which is observed on May 31, each year when he admitted that he had been a smoker before and shared some of the challenges he had to overcome in his effort to quit smoking.
“I have been on that road before so I know what I’m talking about,” he said
Dr Kunbour, who sounded emotional during his address, stated that majority of smokers were aware that the habit was bad but found it difficult to stop due to the addictive nature of the product.
He, therefore, advised the youth against anything which would introduce them to smoking especially movies.
He went ahead to reveal that he picked the habit from frequently watching James Bond movies in which the main character usually smoked cigarettes to calm his nerves.
In his address to commemorate the day, Dr Kunbour said “smoking is the largest avoidable death and a major non-communicable disease worldwide”. The theme for the day was: “Gender and tobacco with emphasis on marketing to women”.
The minister said his ministry, as well as the Ghana Health Service (GHS), would in collaboration with relevant other stakeholders ensure that women and girls would not be duped by the misleading deceptions which lured them into smoking.
He also indicated that both men and women alike must be protected from the tobacco industry marketing and smoking, as stated in the preamble of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Framework on Tobacco Control.
Delivering the keynote address, the Minister for Women and Children’s Affairs, Mrs Juliana Azumah Mensah, said according to evidence, women who smoked were more likely to experience infertility and delays in conceiving.
“Maternal smoking during pregnancy increases the risks of premature delivery, stillbirth and newborn deaths and cause a reduction in breast milk. Women who smoke are at increased risk of developing potentially fatal chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases which include chronic bronchitis and emphysema,” she explained.
The Women and Children’s Minister also mentioned other diseases which affected smokers as cancers of the mouth, pharynx, oesophagus, larynx, bladder, pancreas, kidney and cervix, as well as acute myeloid leukaemia.
Mrs Azumah Mensah said as the nation awaited the passage of the Tobacco Control Bill, the press, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), all other ministries, departments and agencies, as well as the private sector, should team up with the Ministry of Health (MoH) to pursue actions aimed at protecting women and girls from subtle and deceptive marketing strategies of tobacco companies.
The WHO Country Representative in Ghana, Dr Daniel Kertesz, said tobacco use was one of the biggest public health threats that the world ever faced in spite of the fact that the world had for the past 60 years known that tobacco was a killer.
“Not only does smoking kills, but being around smokers even if you don’t smoke also kills.”
?????Touching on the theme, Dr Kertesz said women represented 200 million of the world’s more than 1.0 billion smokers adding that the tobacco industry had seen new market opportunities in narrowing that gender gap.?????
He said that was being done through associating smoking with female beauty, luxury, empowerment and wealth and also targeting younger generations of women.
The chairperson for the occasion, who is also the Executive Director of the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), Mrs Jane Quaye, said the government should put in place all the necessary legislation to protect the public especially women and children from the harmful effects of tobacco.
There were statements from the GHS, the Coalition of NGOs in Tobacco Control, the Narcotics Control Board and the Parliamentary Select Committee on Health.
Ghana records first H1N1 death
GHANA recorded its first H1N1 death last week, few days after the first consignment of two million doses of vaccines arrived in the country.
The victim, an 11-month-old baby girl, died at the 37 Military Hospital in Accra where he was sent in an unconscious state.
Speaking to the Daily Graphic in Accra, the Director of Public Health, Dr Joseph Amankwah, said specimen from the child was taken for testing before he passed away.
He explained that both parents of the child had the influenza but had been treated.
On the vaccine, Dr Amankwah said they were donated by the World Health Organisation (WHO), which was also footing the cost of shipment, as well as that of distribution within Ghana.
Dr Amankwah explained that the first batch of vaccines was meant for health professionals, personnel of the security agencies, pregnant women and most importantly Ghanaians who would go to South Africa for this year’s World Cup.
He, however, pointed out that his outfit was still waiting for the list of people who would go to South Africa for the vaccine and also pass them through public health education programmes to ensure that they contract no disease outside Ghana.
Dr Amankwah said the WHO was assisting Ghana to receive additional vaccines for the general public of which the country would had to take care of the shipping cost and also the cost of distribution.
When asked why schoolchildren were not among the first group of people to receive the vaccine, since they were the most affected, he said the health sector was still discussing with the WHO as to the correct dose which was appropriate and safe for children under 18.
The Director of Public Health said his outfit was beginning an orientation programme for health professionals who would administer the vaccines today at the national level and said all the 10 regions would have their training simultaneously by next week, to be followed with the administration of the vaccines to the identified groups.
Dr Amankwah said the vaccines had already been sent to the various regions ready to be administered and that 774 cases had been confirmed out of which one life had been lost.
He also indicated that the rate at which people were catching the influenza had slowed down as compared to March this year and added that Ghana was recording more cases because health workers had been vigilant in looking up for the cases.
He indicated that in some countries the case was different, as health professionals were rather playing down on the spread of the disease, a situation he pointed out was not the best and reiterated the need for the observance of personal hygiene to prevent the spread of the disease, since it was not yet over.
The victim, an 11-month-old baby girl, died at the 37 Military Hospital in Accra where he was sent in an unconscious state.
Speaking to the Daily Graphic in Accra, the Director of Public Health, Dr Joseph Amankwah, said specimen from the child was taken for testing before he passed away.
He explained that both parents of the child had the influenza but had been treated.
On the vaccine, Dr Amankwah said they were donated by the World Health Organisation (WHO), which was also footing the cost of shipment, as well as that of distribution within Ghana.
Dr Amankwah explained that the first batch of vaccines was meant for health professionals, personnel of the security agencies, pregnant women and most importantly Ghanaians who would go to South Africa for this year’s World Cup.
He, however, pointed out that his outfit was still waiting for the list of people who would go to South Africa for the vaccine and also pass them through public health education programmes to ensure that they contract no disease outside Ghana.
Dr Amankwah said the WHO was assisting Ghana to receive additional vaccines for the general public of which the country would had to take care of the shipping cost and also the cost of distribution.
When asked why schoolchildren were not among the first group of people to receive the vaccine, since they were the most affected, he said the health sector was still discussing with the WHO as to the correct dose which was appropriate and safe for children under 18.
The Director of Public Health said his outfit was beginning an orientation programme for health professionals who would administer the vaccines today at the national level and said all the 10 regions would have their training simultaneously by next week, to be followed with the administration of the vaccines to the identified groups.
Dr Amankwah said the vaccines had already been sent to the various regions ready to be administered and that 774 cases had been confirmed out of which one life had been lost.
He also indicated that the rate at which people were catching the influenza had slowed down as compared to March this year and added that Ghana was recording more cases because health workers had been vigilant in looking up for the cases.
He indicated that in some countries the case was different, as health professionals were rather playing down on the spread of the disease, a situation he pointed out was not the best and reiterated the need for the observance of personal hygiene to prevent the spread of the disease, since it was not yet over.
Health Ministry submits seven bills to cabinet
Seven health bills to change the face of health delivery have been submitted by the Minister of Health, Dr Benjamin Kunbour, to Cabinet for perusal and approval.
The bills include the much-awaited Mental Health Bill, the General Health Service Bill, the Health Professions Regulatory Bill and the Health Institutions and Facilities Bill.
Others are the Traditional and Alternative Medicine Bill, the Medical Training and Research Bill and the Health Co-ordination Council Bill.
Officials at the Public Relations Unit of the Ministry of Health in Accra told the Daily Graphic in Accra that the bills were prepared under the Law Review Exercise embarked upon by the ministry.
Throwing more light on the review exercise, a Public Relations Officer at the ministry, Mr Tony Goodman, explained that because of the multiplicity of laws regulating the health sector, Cabinet, in June 2005, directed that those laws be consolidated to reduce their number by grouping the various laws under specific subjects matters.
He explained that other health-related bills which were at the Attorney-General’s Office and awaiting onward submission to Cabinet were the Health Insurance Bill and the Tobacco Control Bill.
These two bill are said to be awaiting the finalisation of the Public Health Bill for them to be presented together.
Mr Goodman explained that the Mental Health Bill was treated as a separate piece of legislation on its own and was, therefore, not affected by the consolidation because of the uniqueness of mental health, as well as the human rights aspects involved in the legislation.
The review exercise became necessary because most of the existing laws in the health sector had been in existence since 1958 and, therefore, did not serve the purpose for which they were enacted.
There was also the need to provide for new legislation in unregulated areas of the health delivery system, he added.
The Mental Health Act (NRCD 30), for example, has been in existence since 1972 but has never been amended.
The bills include the much-awaited Mental Health Bill, the General Health Service Bill, the Health Professions Regulatory Bill and the Health Institutions and Facilities Bill.
Others are the Traditional and Alternative Medicine Bill, the Medical Training and Research Bill and the Health Co-ordination Council Bill.
Officials at the Public Relations Unit of the Ministry of Health in Accra told the Daily Graphic in Accra that the bills were prepared under the Law Review Exercise embarked upon by the ministry.
Throwing more light on the review exercise, a Public Relations Officer at the ministry, Mr Tony Goodman, explained that because of the multiplicity of laws regulating the health sector, Cabinet, in June 2005, directed that those laws be consolidated to reduce their number by grouping the various laws under specific subjects matters.
He explained that other health-related bills which were at the Attorney-General’s Office and awaiting onward submission to Cabinet were the Health Insurance Bill and the Tobacco Control Bill.
These two bill are said to be awaiting the finalisation of the Public Health Bill for them to be presented together.
Mr Goodman explained that the Mental Health Bill was treated as a separate piece of legislation on its own and was, therefore, not affected by the consolidation because of the uniqueness of mental health, as well as the human rights aspects involved in the legislation.
The review exercise became necessary because most of the existing laws in the health sector had been in existence since 1958 and, therefore, did not serve the purpose for which they were enacted.
There was also the need to provide for new legislation in unregulated areas of the health delivery system, he added.
The Mental Health Act (NRCD 30), for example, has been in existence since 1972 but has never been amended.
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