Author: Chance Iradukunda

Health officials from Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire have reached an agreement on a joint action plan to control the Mpox epidemic and other infectious diseases after a regional meeting in the Western Region. The Regional Cross-Border Meeting on the Mpox Epidemic, organized by the West African Health Organization (WAHO), was held from February 19th to 21st, 2025. It brought together health professionals, immigration and customs officers, as well as local government representatives from both countries to discuss strategies for preventing and managing cross-border disease outbreaks. A representative speaking on behalf of Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh emphasized the importance of…

On Friday, 21st February 2025, the Health Community of West Africa (HCOWA) Association hosted a pivotal seminar at its West Africa Headquarters, Labadi Trade Fair. The event, focusing on AI in healthcare, gathered key stakeholders to discuss AI’s potential in diagnosis and treatment deployment across West Africa. The keynote speech was delivered by Dr. Paulina Denteh, CEO of the Remedy Foundation and a medical doctor. Her address, titled “Advancing AI Diagnosis and Treatment: Building a Framework for Healthcare Transformation”, highlighted the transformative power of AI in healthcare. Dr. Denteh emphasized that AI is no longer a future concept but a…

The Health Community of West Africa (HCOWA) Association is hosting a pivotal seminar on Friday, 21st February 2025, at the HCOWA West Africa Headquarters, Labadi Trade Fair. The seminar, running from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM, will focus on AI in healthcare, specifically looking at its potential in diagnosis and treatment deployment. The event will gather key stakeholders, including policymakers, healthcare professionals, AI developers, and industry leaders, with the goal of exploring how AI can revolutionize healthcare delivery in both public and private sectors across West Africa. Keynote Speakers and Presentations The seminar will feature insightful presentations from experts in…

Every day, 50 new cases of HIV infection are reported in Ghana, with the highest rates occurring in those between the ages of 15 and 49. To reach national goals, the Ghana AIDS Commission calls for more robust interventions.According to the Ghana AIDS Commission (GAC), an estimated 50 individuals in Ghana get infected with HIV each day.When the national and sub-national HIV and AIDS estimations and predictions for 2023 were released, the concerning figure was made public.According to the report, there were 17,774 new HIV infections in 2023, affecting 1,698 children under the age of 15 and 16,076 individuals aged…

Dr. Ruth Owusu-Antwi, a psychiatrist at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, reports a high prevalence of mental health issues among Ghanaians, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Mental health awareness has increased during the Covid-19 period, with approximately 12,000 cases reported in the past year at KATH alone. However, Dr. Owusu-Antwi questions whether people became aware of mental health or experienced it. She believes that people would be able to tell if they have a mental health issue if there is a change in their way of life. Change can be defined as a shift from being lively to introvert or reserved…

Virtue Foundation, a non-governmental organization, has donated medical equipment and consumables to the Upper West Regional Hospital and Sissala East Municipal Hospital in Ghana, valued at around GH¢403,000. The donations, including an ultrasound machine and anesthesia machine, were presented to hospital managers for their dedication to improving healthcare services. “We are dedicated to continuing our support for the hospital and are confident that the donated equipment will be put to good use,” Battaglia said.”We are committed to ensuring that all Ghanaians have access to high-quality healthcare, as we believe it to be a fundamental human right,” he continued. Ghanaian MP…

The hospital urged bereaved families, whose deceased relatives had been in the mortuary for three to six weeks, to make immediate arrangements for burial or transfer them to alternative facilities. The refurbishment of the 600-capacity cold room is aimed at enhancing service delivery at the facility. Refurbishment The facelift, which started yesterday, involves servicing and replacing some parts of the cold rooms. The management of the hospital announced its decision to suspend taking in fresh bodies and BID cases from last Monday. It said the refurbishment was necessary to ensure better service delivery at the country’s premier tertiary healthcare facility. …

In 2022, Ghana recorded 2,395 prostate cancer cases and 1,233 deaths, accounting for 52% and 90% of mortality respectively. The Ghana Health Service (GHS) emphasized the need for annual cancer screenings to identify early cases for treatment. The GHS assured the public that prevention, early detection programs, and life-saving interventions were available across the country. This was announced during a media briefing in Accra to commemorate World Cancer Day, which is celebrated globally on February 4 to raise awareness about cancer prevention, early detection, and treatment. Prostate and liver cancers Dr. Akoriyea, a cancer expert, has emphasized the importance of…

A gene-editing therapy for sickle cell disease, priced at £1.65m, is set to be offered to NHS patients in England. Around 50 people a year with the inherited blood disorder are expected to receive the one-off treatment, Casgevy, also known as Exa-cel. NHS England’s Prof Bola Owolabi called it a “monumental step forward” and said the one-off treatment holds a real prospect of a cure. A confidential agreement has been made with manufacturer Vertex on the NHS’s payment. Sickle cell disease, mainly affecting people of Black African and Black Caribbean heritage, can be life-threatening and cause intense pain. A therapy…

The World Health Organization (WHO) has congratulated Guinea on eliminating the gambiense form of human African trypanosomiasis, the first neglected tropical disease in the country. This achievement is a testament to global progress against neglected tropical diseases and a beacon of hope for nations still battling the disease. Human African trypanosomiasis is a vector-borne parasitic disease caused by infected tsetse flies, causing fever, headaches, joint pain, and neurological symptoms in advanced stages. Successful national collaborations and investments In the 1990s, HAT resurged along Guinea’s coast due to increased human activity in mangroves. Guinea’s Ministry of Health and Public Hygiene established…