Author: Gloria Addo

England is set to make history as the first country to launch a national vaccination program targeting gonorrhoea, a sexually transmitted infection (STI) that has become increasingly resistant to treatment. While the program will initially focus on high-risk groups—particularly gay and bisexual men with multiple partners or a history of STIs—it sets a precedent with far-reaching global implications. Though the vaccine, originally developed to protect against meningitis B, is only 30–40% effective against gonorrhoea, public health experts view its rollout as a critical step in reversing soaring global infection rates. In England alone, gonorrhoea cases surged to more than 85,000…

At the recent AI Applications West African Hospital Needs Exchange Meeting, Health Services Administrator Michael Abeku Yankson delivered an insightful keynote that underscored the urgent need for systemic reform across the region’s healthcare delivery systems. His address, which was presented at the event hosted by the Health Community of West Africa (HCOWA), served as a highly informative piece as it centered on integrating artificial intelligence to strengthen hospital support and medical supply systems. Standing before a room of representatives from Ghana Health Service, Ministry of Health, Food and Drugs Authority, fellow administrators in healthcare facilities both private and government, stakeholders,…

Dr. Paulina Denteh, Director of HCOWAA Women’s Health, has championed the use of AI-powered chatbots in transforming patient care across the region at the recent AI Applications – West African Hospital Needs Exchange Conference, hosted by the Health Community of West Africa (HCOWA) Association at its headquarters in Accra. Speaking with urgency and clarity, Dr. Denteh highlighted everyday challenges that patients and healthcare workers face—from long wait times and language barriers to a lack of clear medical guidance. “Our healthcare workers are overwhelmed, trying to serve too many people with too few resources,” she said. “Patients leave confused about their…

The Health Community of West Africa Association has successfully launched its Medical and Academic Exchange Committee (H-MAEC), in a high profile event featuring distinguished personalities from China, partner agencies, academia, and health professionals at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra. Delivering his keynote address as Executive Chairman of the H-MAE Committee, Dr. Yang Yongguang who is also Captain of 14th Batch of the Chinese medical team to Ghana highlighted the broader significance of the collaboration. “With the joint efforts of the Chinese and Ghanaian governments, we are not just performing surgeries—we are shaping a healthcare future grounded in shared…

“Today, we stand at a transformative moment in our region’s healthcare journey—a moment where the wisdom of tradition meets the precision of modern science, where borders dissolve in the face of shared human purpose.’ That was the fundamental message from Dr. (MH) Yakubu Tobor Yusuf – Registrar of the Traditional Medicine Practice Council who was a keynote speaker at the launch of the HCOWA Medical and Academic Exchange Committee (H-MAEC). The launch of the commitee captured the ambition of a new regional vision: one where healthcare excellence transcends national boundaries, and where West Africa emerges as a model of integrated,…

“We are not just talking about technology—it’s about saving lives.”That was the emphatic message from Dr. George Henry Acquah,  Public Health Physician at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital and Director of Digital Innovations and Artificial Intelligence at HCOWAA as he addressed stakeholders at the AI SUPPLY Seminar held by the Health Community of West Africa Association in Accra(HCOWAA). His presentation on leveraging Artificial Intelligence in Ghana’s medical supply chain captured key points in how AI can improve healthcare in the area of logistics, deployment framework and application standards of medical supply systems for Medicines, Reagents, Consumables Supply to an audience of…

The 4th edition of the West Africa Pharma and Healthcare Exhibition, held at the Accra International Conference Centre, featured a dynamic panel discussion exploring how artificial intelligence (AI), big data, and telemedicine are shaping the future of medicine in Ghana and across the West African sub-region. Themed “AI, Big Data and Telemedicine Diffusion in Ghana—Achievements, Challenges and the Way Forward,” the panel of profound healthcare professionals, regulators, and stakeholders tackled pressing issues including telemedicine regulation, pharmaceutical innovation, medicine accessibility, and emerging trends in pharmacy. The event opened up with a welcome address from Mr. Praveen Kumar Singh, Project Director of…

The 4th edition of the West Africa Pharma and Healthcare Exhibition officially opened today, May 6, 2025, at the Accra International Conference Centre, drawing together over 120 exhibitors and more than hundreds of professionals from across the pharmaceutical, medical, and healthcare sectors across the globe. Themed “E-Pharmacy & Digital Health,” the three-day event, running from May 6 to 8, aims to strengthen the country’s pharmaceutical industry by bringing together manufacturers, exporters, wholesalers, retailers, and other key stakeholders from across West Africa. In his welcome address, Mr. Praveen Kumar Singh, Project Director of West Africa Pharma and Healthcare (WAPHC) and Director…

Dr. Emmanuel Kwaku Ireland, Chairman of the Community Practice Pharmacists Association (CPPA), has called for a strategic and inclusive deployment of artificial intelligence in Ghana’s community health system. Delivering a keynote address on “Harnessing Artificial Intelligence to Revolutionize Community Health and Pharmacy Practice in Disease Surveillance and Control,” at a seminar held by the Health Community of West Africa Association on AI-CDC, Dr. Ireland described AI as a transformative tool that holds “immense promise” in changing how communities experience and access healthcare. “We are standing at the intersection of innovation and urgency. Artificial intelligence is not just a buzzword —…

Chief Executive Officer of the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), Dr. Delese Mimi Darko, has pledged the Authority’s full commitment to collaborating with the Health Community of West Africa (HCOWA) Association in its agenda to register and regulate advanced medical equipment and products. The assurance was given during a strategic high-level dialogue held on Thursday, April 10, 2025, following HCOWA’s formal invitation to partner with the Authority as part of its broader push to integrate Artificial Intelligence (AI) and modern medical technologies into Ghana’s healthcare landscape. Dr. Darko welcomed the HCOWA delegation warmly and expressed her utmost appreciation for the…