Author: Gloria Addo

The World Health Organization (WHO) has launched a groundbreaking initiative to provide cost-free cancer medicines to thousands of children in low- and middle-income countries, aiming to improve survival rates that lag significantly behind those in wealthier nations. As part of the project’s pilot phase, the first shipments of medicine have already reached Mongolia and Uzbekistan, with further deliveries planned for Ecuador, Jordan, Nepal, and Zambia. The initiative is expected to benefit around 5,000 children across at least 30 hospitals in these six countries by the end of the year. “Countries in the pilot phase will receive an uninterrupted supply of…

The Health authorities in the Bono East Region of Ghana are intensifying education and surveillance initiatives to prevent the potential spread of meningitis as the dry season approaches. The Regional Health Services, led by Dr. Paulina Clara Appiah, is implementing proactive measures to curb the disease’s impact. “Starting from November, when the dry season comes in, we sometimes see a high number of meningitis cases. In preparation, we met and notified our teams that we are getting close to the meningitis season, so we should get ourselves ready,” Dr. Appiah stated. In an interview with JoyNews reporter Anass Sabit, Dr.…

More non-smokers are being diagnosed with Lung Cancer with air pollution being identified as a significant contributing factor. A recent study published in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine reveals that lung cancer in non-smokers is now the fifth leading cause of cancer-related deaths globally. Conducted by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and the World Health Organization (WHO), the study found that lung cancer accounts for nearly one in eight cancers diagnosed worldwide and one in five cancer deaths. The most prevalent subtype among non-smokers is adenocarcinoma, which forms in glandular tissue and is particularly vulnerable to airborne pollutants…

The Ghana Health Service (GHS) has raised alarms over the potential healthcare crisis in the Northern, North East, and Savannah regions following the suspension of supply chain support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The abrupt halt comes as a result of an executive order issued by U.S. President Donald Trump, enforcing a global freeze on U.S. foreign aid. The suspension has led to a directive for SkyNet Express, the logistics company responsible for transporting medical supplies, to cease operations for 90 days. This decision is expected to cause significant disruptions in the availability of essential medicines…

February 4 marks World Cancer Day, commemorating 25 years since the signing of the Charter of Paris Against Cancer at the World Summit Against Cancer for the New Millennium. This year’s theme, United by Unique, highlights the collective fight against cancer while recognizing each patient’s unique journey and the need for patient-centered care. In the WHO South-East Asia Region, cancer remains a significant public health challenge. In 2022, the region recorded 2.4 million new cases, including 56,000 children, and 1.5 million deaths. The region also reported the highest global incidence of lip, oral cavity, uterine cervix, and childhood cancers. By…

Niger has reached a significant milestone in healthcare by becoming the first African country to eliminate onchocerciasis, commonly known as river blindness. The World Health Organization (WHO) has officially recognized Niger for successfully stopping the transmission of the *Onchocerca volvulus* parasite. This achievement places Niger among an elite group of only five countries worldwide that have eradicated the disease. Niger now joins Colombia (2013), Ecuador (2014), Mexico (2015), and Guatemala (2016) as the only nations to have eliminated onchocerciasis. The WHO Director-General, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, commended Niger’s efforts, highlighting the immense dedication required to achieve such a feat. “I…

A recent study conducted by the Norwegian Institute of Public Health (FHI) has shown that artificial intelligence (AI) can identify women at an increased risk of developing breast cancer several years before a formal diagnosis. Researchers from FHI, along with experts from the University of California and the University of Washington, analyzed mammograms from 116,495 women who participated in a breast cancer detection program in Norway between 2004 and 2018. Out of these participants, 1,607 were later diagnosed with breast cancer. The AI algorithm was successful in predicting which women were at a higher risk of developing breast cancer, and…

The Upper West Region is grappling with a concerning surge in meningitis cases, with regional health officials confirming that the death toll has reached 10 in January 2025. The number of reported cases has also increased significantly, rising to 30 from 17 earlier in the month. Dr. Damien Punguriye, Upper West Regional Director of Health Services, disclosed these alarming figures during a recent interview on GBC News. He clarified that the reported cases are of meningitis, not cerebrospinal meningitis, stressing the distinction between the two diseases. Health authorities are ramping up surveillance efforts, but Dr. Punguriye identified a major challenge:…

The Chairman of the Ghana Association of Chinese Societies, Tang Hong, has urged stakeholders in healthcare to move forward with a shared commitment to improving health outcomes and advancing medical knowledge in order to build a healthier future at the just-ended AI Healthcare Summit organised by the Health Community of West Africa Association at Tang Palace Hotel in Accra, Ghana. Giving the keynote address at the conference, he indicated that the ongoing cooperation between China and Ghana has included efforts to combat infectious diseases such as malaria, HIV/AIDS, and more recently, the COVID-19 pandemic. “Both China and Ghana have rich…

Global health experts have called for redefining obesity to improve medical care and reduce stigma, according to a report in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology. They propose categorising obesity into clinical obesity—for individuals whose weight causes health issues—and pre-clinical obesity—for those who are “fat but fit” but at risk of disease. The report critiques the current reliance on Body Mass Index (BMI), which measures weight relative to height. While useful for population-level assessments, BMI has significant limitations. It does not distinguish between muscle and fat, nor does it reveal health conditions like heart problems or measure dangerous fat around the…