Category Health

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• June 9, 2025
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• 2 minutes Read

GRNMA rejects govt’s “unfair” 2026 proposal

The nationwide strike by the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) remains unresolved, as the union has firmly rejected a government proposal to postpone the implementation of their conditions of service to 2026.

In a closed-door emergency meeting held on Monday, June 9, the Ministry of Health engaged with GRNMA leaders and other key stakeholders in an attempt to end the impasse and negotiate improved working conditions.

However, speaking to journalists after the meeting, GRNMA Vice President Samuel Alagkora Akologo revealed that the Ministry attributed its inability to meet the association’s demands to budgetary constraints.

“We were told that there was no budget provision for it, and these conditions of service were presented to the government in January, and we expected that they would be factored into this year’s budget. Unfortunately, we are being told that the challenges of the implementation are such that they have budget constraints,” he said.

According to Akologo, the government proposed deferring implementation until 2026—a move the association considers unacceptable.

“And what they wanted us to agree on was to push the implementation to 2026. What it means is that they wanted to set the conditions of the service calendar so that it will be like we have just renegotiated, and then we are moving on, so that the idea of arrears will not come in. This is not fair,” he added.

The GRNMA’s National Council is expected to review the proposal and determine the union’s next steps, as health facilities across the country continue to grapple with the impact of the ongoing strike.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health says it remains committed to engaging the GRNMA further.

Ministry Spokesperson Tony Goodman stressed their openness to continued dialogue and compromise.

“We are open to any proposals they may also come back with. We are open to any discussion. We are not saying that whatever position we have is what they should take. They may also have their own position. We will look at it and see if necessary, we will adjust. That is what negotiation is about,” he stated.

Source: citinewsroom.com

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• June 6, 2025
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• 3 minutes Read

Nurses Strike: Health Minister calls for independent mediation as Nurses and Midwives’ strike

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• March 21, 2025
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• 4 minutes Read

Central Region records 45.3% new cases cases of HIV in 2024

The Central Region recorded a dramatic rise in new HIV infections in 2024, with 3,803 new people contracting the virus, the Regional Health Directorate has reported.

This is a 45.3 per cent rise from the 2,168 new infections recorded in 2023, posing a significant risk to the population.

Dr Mrs Agnes Achiamaa Anane, the Acting Regional Director of Health Service, who shared the report expressed disquiet over the development, citing substantial pressures on the health system.

She was making a statement at the 2024 Central Regional annual performance review meeting in Cape Coast, where the region’s health system was appraised by health officials from the Eastern Regional Health Directorate with a high score.

A two member-team from the Eastern Region visited the Central Region to assess its performance, using three key objectives.

The assessment focused on universal access to better and efficiently managed quality health care; reduced avoidable maternal, adolescent and child deaths and disabilities; and increased access to responsive and public health emergency services.

The region’s overall performance inched up from 3.9 in 2023 to 4.1 out of the score of five in 2024.

On cholera outbreak, Dr Anane announced that suspected cases in the region stood at 3,028 as of Tuesday, March 18 with 260 of them, including four health workers, confirmed.

Unfortunately, 19 people had succumbed to the infection so far.

She noted that mortality in general in the region increased by 14 per cent with maternal mortality jumping from 71 per 100,000 Live births in 2023 to 82 per 100,000 live births in 2024.

Despite that, the region saw a general improvement in its health situation, recording positive outcomes in stillbirth rate, Measles-Rubella coverage, incidence of malaria, mother-to-child HIV transmission and many other areas.

The Acting Regional Director, entreated the public to take precautionary measures against HIV by the youth abstaining from sex, using condoms or avoiding multiple sex partners.

In the case of cholera, she implored citizens to practice proper sanitation and stop open defecation.

She stressed that cholera remained a major public health concern in the region, with the recent outbreak exposing gaps in water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) interventions.

“In response, we are intensifying cholera prevention efforts, conducting mass awareness campaigns, and strengthening surveillance and early response mechanisms to contain and prevent future outbreaks,” she said.

Dr Anane acknowledged the grave human resource gaps, the lack of technical personnel and the necessary equipment in many of the districts needed to provide quality care in many health facilities.

She, however, assured that the directorate was actively engaging the relevant authorities on the issues to lessen the burden of health workers to enable them give off their best.

Mr Ekow Panyin Okyere Eduamoah, the Central Regional Minister, in a statement presented on his behalf, applauded the Regional Health Directorate and health workers in the region for their dedicated services and pledged to support them in every means possible to deliver their work effectively.

He reiterated government’s commitment to strengthening the health system with a raft of measures, by outlining plans in the budgetary allocation to advance national healthcare delivery.

The Regional Minister, however, denounced the poor situation in some streets and communities in the area, which had made the people susceptible to infectious diseases and putting a burden on the health system.

He, therefore, charged all citizens to desist from such practices to keep their surroundings clean.

The holistic assessment was introduced seven years ago to form the basis for health performance assessment in all regions across the nation.

The primary objective of the regional holistic assessment is to provide a very brief but well-informed, balanced, all-involving and transparent assessment of the regions.

The Central Regional Health Directorate gave awards to some retirees for their dedicated services to the region and the country.

Source: GNA

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• November 18, 2024
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• 2 minutes Read

Cholera outbreak: Central region records 7 deaths, 47 confirmed and 720 suspected cases

The Ghana Health Service (GHS) has recorded seven fatalities, 47 confirmed cases and 720 suspected instances of cholera in the Central Region since Thursday, October 31.

The occurrences have been reported in eight of the 22 Districts in the region including Awutu-Senya-East and West, Gomoa East, Mfantseman, Gomoa West, Agona West, Cape Coast and Twifo-Hemang-Lawyer- Denkyira.

While the gender of the deceased remained undisclosed, the fatalities were recorded in Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abrem Municipality, Assin North and South, and Gomoa West districts.

The Acting Regional Director of the GHS, Dr Agnes Achiama Anane disclosed this during a news briefing on the outbreak of cholera in the region on Monday, November 18.

She said the deaths were preventable, as four of the patients arrived late at health facilities in critical condition, while three were already deceased upon arrival.

The current situation has prompted urgent calls for preventive measures to check further transmission, emphasising the necessity for the public to adhere to hygienic protocols that were widely practiced during the COVID-19 pandemic.

These measures include frequent hand washing, use of sanitisers, and meticulous handling of food and water, deemed crucial in curtailing the spread of the disease.

Dr Anane underscored the importance of seeking prompt medical attention at healthcare facilities when experiencing symptoms like acute diarrhoea and dehydration to reduce the likelihood of severe illness or fatality from cholera.

“Our primary concern has been the fatalities. The figures, yes, but a considerable number of them were brought in critically ill, signifying delayed care and attention, “she said.

Dr Anane further implored residents to uphold impeccable hygiene standards and prioritise nutritious dietary practices as they remained vigilant in keeping good environmental sanitation to avert the spread of the disease.

She said the clarion call is for a unified and concerted effort from neighbouring areas to effectively work to contain the disease.

Source: GNA

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• November 7, 2024
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• 3 minutes Read

Cholera Outbreak: Ten people dead, over 72 others infected

Ten persons have died with over 72 others infected, following a cholera outbreak in the Greater Accra and Central regions over the past three weeks.

The Ghana Health Service (GHS) confirmed that the cases were recorded in Ada East and West, Kpone Katamanso, Korle Klottey, Ashaiman, Ga South, Accra Metro, all in the Greater Accra Region and Awutu Senya West and East, Gomoa East and Efutu Districts in the Central Region.

Four out of the six deaths were recorded in the Awutu Senya district while the remaining six deaths were recorded in Ada and other districts.

Dr Franklin Asiedu -Bokoe, Director for Public Health, GHS, told the Ghana News Agency that most of the infections recorded were not severe but fatalities are being recorded due to the delay to report cases to the health facilities.

“Deaths are occurring, because most of the patients who had cholera tried to self-medicate, some report to the hospital three days after the cholera infection,” he said .

The Director said the lack of clean water in some of the affected districts, the practice of open defecation and poor hand hygiene had contributed to the cholera outbreak.

He urged the public to practice frequent hand washing with soap under running water and the use of hand sanitizers in cases where there was no access to clean to water.

Between 2017 and 2023, Ghana did not record a cholera outbreak although a few indigenous cases were reported.

Dr Asiedu-Bekoe said regular handwashing with soap under running water among the public during the COVID-19 outbreak was an effective measure to the control of infectious diseases.

Cholera is an acute diarrheal infection caused by ingesting food or water contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), cholera remains a global threat to public health and serves as an indicator of inequity and a lack of social development.

Symptoms of cholera include frequent diarrhea, vomiting, and dehydration, along with abdominal cramps, fever, headache, fatigue, dry mouth and throat, and decreased urine output.

Medical experts warn that severe cases of the disease can be fatal within hours if left untreated.

Most individuals infected with cholera may not exhibit symptoms, but the bacteria can still be present in their feaces for 1 to 10 days post-infection, potentially contaminating the environment and infecting others.

A minority of patients develop acute watery diarrhea with severe dehydration. This can lead to death if left untreated.

Cholera transmission is closely linked to inadequate access to clean water and sanitation facilities. Typical at-risk areas include peri-urban slums, as well as camps for internally displaced persons.

Early detection and treatment are crucial to preventing complications and reducing mortality.

The Ghana Health Service has advised the public to drink safe treated water, eat well cooked or properly handled food, avoid close contact with infected individuals, practice good hygiene; wash hands with soap under running water, ensure a proper disposal of faeces and report to the nearest health facility if experiencing profuse diarrhoea and vomiting.

Source: GNA

• goldcoastnewsline@gmail.com
• October 15, 2024
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• 2 minutes Read

Nine cholera cases recorded in Greater Accra

Ghana has recorded nine cholera cases in the Ada West and East districts of the Greater Accra Region, the Ghana Health Service (GHS) has announced.

A statement issued by the Service in Accra on Monday said the first case was confirmed on October 4, 2024 in the Ada West District.

It indicated that the infected individual sought treatment at a health facility with symptoms of vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain a few days after attending a funeral in Ada East and also noted that a cholera case was subsequently confirmed in the Ada East District.

In response, the GHS has activated Public Health Emergency Management Committees (PHEMCs) at all levels to address the situation.

These include a joint multi-sectoral Public Health Emergency Rapid Response Team (PHERRT) comprising members from national, regional, and district levels, as well as representatives from the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), the Ghana Education Service (GES), the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), and Environmental Health Units from the two affected districts.

According to the GHS, an ongoing outbreak investigation and environmental assessment are being conducted, with alerts sent to all health facilities across the country.

It noted that healthcare workers in the affected areas have been sensitised to cholera case definitions, sample management, and case management adding that a daily active community case search was being carried out, and strict infection prevention and control practices have been enforced in all health facilities.

The Ghana Health Service has advised the public to drink safe treated water, eat well cooked or properly handled food, avoid close contact with infected individuals, practice good hygiene; wash hands with soap under running water, ensure a proper disposal of faces and report to the nearest health facility if experiencing profuse diarrhoea and vomiting.

• goldcoastnewsline@gmail.com
• October 5, 2024
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• 2 minutes Read

Ghana Health Service ready to contain Mpox outbreak

Dr. Franklin Asiedu-Bekoe, Director of Public Health at the Ghana Health Service (GHS), has assured the public of the country’s preparedness to contain any potential Mpox outbreak.

In response to a question about Ghana’s readiness in an Eyewitness News interview on Citi FM on Thursday, Dr Asiedu-Bekoe highlighted several key measures that have been put in place to ensure effective surveillance and response.

“So I think that what is good for Ghana is the sensitivity of our surveillance system,” Asiedu-Bekoe stated. “What we have done is that we have set case definitions – what will make people look for suspect cases, so that is the first step.”

He emphasised that Ghana is well-equipped to confirm Mpox cases, a capability that only 30% of African countries possess.

“We have the capacity to confirm. In Africa, it is only 30% who have the ability to confirm, and yet in Ghana, we have two labs – we have Noguchi, we have our reference lab. So these are big pluses for us.”

Asiedu-Bekoe also noted the availability of treatment facilities, particularly for severe cases, which are a legacy of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“If they have a severe case, we have treatment centres which I will say are legacies from COVID. So these are pluses.”

However, he acknowledged the need for ongoing efforts to enhance preparedness.

“We need to now do more training. We also need to make sure that the health workers have enough PPEs so that they don’t get themselves infected, and then we also try to make sure that we create the necessary awareness.”

Source: citinewsroom.com

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• August 20, 2024
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• 1 minute Read

Korle Bu resumes renal dialysis services after three-week closure

Korle Bu Teaching Hospital has reopened its outpatient renal dialysis unit after addressing the shortage of essential consumables that forced the unit to close for three weeks.

The hospital management in a statement issued on Tuesday, August 20, 2024, announced that all consumables stuck at the Tema port will be cleared by the end of the week, allowing the unit to resume operations.

Renal patients had threatened to picket at the Renal Unit on Wednesday, August 21, in protest over the shortage, which had deprived them of vital medical care.

However, with the prompt delivery of the consumables, the hospital has scheduled dialysis sessions to begin effective Wednesday, August 21.

The statement added, “Apart from this emergency consignment, the Ministry of Finance has granted a tax waiver to expedite the clearance of the second container at the Tema port. We anticipate receiving these additional supplies within the week, further strengthening the availability of the essential consumables for our services.”

The hospital expressed gratitude to the Ministries of Health and Finance, as well as other stakeholders, for their support in ensuring the timely availability of consumables.

The hospital also appreciated the patience and cooperation of its renal patients during the period.

• goldcoastnewsline@gmail.com
• August 11, 2024
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• 2 minutes Read

Dialysis centre to begin full operations next week – Korle Bu

The Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) has announced that it has secured a significant quantity of essential consumables for dialysis which is currently being processed for delivery from the Tema Port.

In a statement, the management of the Hospital said the Ghana Revenue Authority and the Ghana Supply Company are providing support to expedite the clearance on an emergency basis to ensure that the hospital continues to deliver top-notch care to patients.

This follows the closure of the renal unit of the hospital almost two weeks ago without any official explanation.

The President of the Kidney Patients Association, Baffour Ahenkorah, confirmed that three patients had died due to the closure of the unit.

The Health Committee of Parliament has strongly condemned the sudden closure of the Renal Unit at the KBTH.

But management of KBTH in the statement noted that “we anticipate that the outpatient section of our Dialysis Centre will return to full operations early next week. While we had initially hoped to have these supplies cleared from the port two weeks ago, procedural lapses and documentation on the part of the shipping line, unfortunately, caused a delay in the clearance.”

“During this period, we temporarily shifted dialysis operations and had some of the patients dialysed at the National Cardiothoracic Centre of the Korle in Teaching Hospital to minimise disruption and [not] inconvenience patients. We are working diligently to resolve the clearance process over the weekend, and we are optimistic that normal services will resumé promptly,” it stated.

The KBTH management apologised to patients and clients for the inconvenience caused and thanked them for their restraint and understanding.

“To prevent future shortages, and improve our service delivery and cost efficiency, the Minister of Health, Hon Dr Bernard Okoe Roye, has procured 30 additional dialyses machines with a year’s supply of consumables, for Korle Bu.

“The specifications of the new machines will allow us to access their essential consumables from the open market at competitive prices,” it added.

• goldcoastnewsline@gmail.com
• July 20, 2024
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• 2 minutes Read

Avoid mosquito bites to prevent dengue fever—Dr Gbene

Dr Simon Gbene, the Wesstern Regional Director of Veterinary Services has advised the public to avoid mosquito bites and wear protective clothing to prevent Dengue fever.

He said the disease was real and common in the tropical and sub-tropical areas of the world and was mostly spread to people through the bites of aedes aegypti infected female mosquitoes.

Dr Gbene who made the call in an interview with the media in Takoradi, explained that though Dengue fever had similar symptoms to malaria, which is caused by a parasite, Dengue fever was caused by a virus.

He educated that there were four serotypes of the dengue virus and that three DEN-1 DENV-2, DENV-3 have been identified in the African region, adding that Burkina Faso had recorded high cases of the disease.

Dr Gbene said for now there was no vaccine available for dengue fever, and no medications exist to treat dengue infection, adding “this makes prevention the most important step and prevention means avoiding mosquito bites, by using insect repellents, wearing long sleeves and eliminating the containers that hold water and give aquatic stages of mosquitoes a place to develop”

He mentioned server headache with pain behind the eyes, high fever, body aches-muscle, bone and join pains, nausea, and or vomiting and rash as well as mild bleeding from the nose or gums as the symptoms of the disease, which could only be managed with pain killers preferably paracetamol.

He said the western region has not recorded any cases of the disease yet, and, therefore, urged the public to put in place preventive measures to stop the disease from entering the region.

Dr Gbene said the mosquito that caused dengue fever, bites both day and night and advised people to endeavour to wear protective clothes, sleep under treated mosquito nets, rest, drink plenty of fluids and adhered to the advice of health professionals.

He also advised that the people to visit the hospital if they sight any of the symptoms for early diagnosis and management since there was not known drug to cure the disease.

Dr Yaw Ofori Yeboah, Regional Director of Health service said though the region has not recorded any case of the disease, his outfit has intensified surveillance in the region and asked the public to avoid mosquito bites.

Source: GNA