Author: Priscilla Akorfa Fomevor

With the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals deadline looming, a dire warning has been issued: Africa must urgently accelerate efforts to eliminate cervical cancer or risk failing an entire generation of women. CDA Consult, a development advocacy firm, released a statement on Tuesday, 10th February, 2026 highlighting what it describes as a widening gap between global elimination targets and on-the-ground reality across the continent. Cervical cancer, a disease that is virtually preventable, continues to claim the lives of African women at rates far exceeding those in higher-income regions. The World Health Organisation’s strategy for eliminating cervical cancer hinges on three ambitious…

Ghana’s Ministry of Health has announced that the much-anticipated Free Primary Healthcare Policy will be piloted in approximately one hundred deprived districts across all sixteen regions beginning the first week of April, in a major step toward achieving Universal Health Coverage. The policy, which removes user fees at the point of care, is designed to expand access to essential health services with a strong emphasis on preventive, promotive and basic curative care. Vulnerable populations in underserved communities are expected to be the primary beneficiaries. Addressing stakeholders at a media and civil society engagement on February 6, 2026, Health Minister Kwabena…

A grim reality is confronting Ghana’s healthcare system as new data confirms cancer now claims the lives of more than 17,600 Ghanaians each year, prompting a powerful legislative demand for immediate and widespread reform. In a compelling address to Parliament, Hon. Ewurabena Aubynn, Member of Parliament for Ablekuma North, declared the current centralized model of cancer care broken and called for a rapid decentralization of life-saving services to every region of the country. The alarming statistics, sourced from the World Health Organization’s Global Cancer Observatory, reveal a devastating 65% mortality rate, with 17,654 deaths recorded out of 27,123 new diagnoses…

As part of preventive measures to eradicate Female Genital Mutilation, the heads of six United Nations agencies issued a stark warning on the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation (FGM): an estimated 4.5 million girls are at risk of undergoing this harmful practice in 2026 alone. Currently, more than 230 million girls and women worldwide are living with its lifelong physical and psychological consequences Female genital mutilation (FGM) comprises all procedures that involve partial or total removal of the external female genitalia, or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons. It has no health…

In a powerful display of community solidarity, the Teshie Community Clinic hosted a major World Cancer Day event under the theme “Closing the Care Gap: Community Action for Cancer Prevention and Early Detection in Ghana.” The programme brought together traditional leaders, health experts, survivors, and international partners to tackle the nation’s growing cancer burden through education, advocacy, and on-the-ground action. Chaired by Teshie Paramount Chief, Nii Ashitey III, and graced by other local chiefs and queens, the event underscored the critical role of community leadership in driving health interventions. Dr. Robert Amesiya, Regional Director of the Ghana Health Service (GHS),…

The fight against cervical cancer in Ghana witnessed a significant technological advancement during World Cancer Day event at the Teshie Community Clinic on 6th February, 2026. The programme, themed “Closing the Care Gap: Community Action for Cancer Prevention and Early Detection in Ghana”, saw the Health Community of West Africa Association and its member, Essence Clinic and Medical Laboratory, introduce and deploy a revolutionary rapid screening test, conducting free screenings for dozens of women on the spot. Mr. Benjamin Mensah, representing both the Association and Essence Clinic, delivered a stark reminder that cervical cancer remains the second leading cause of…

In the chorus of global health challenges, some voices are amplified while others fade into a background hum. Among the most consistently misunderstood are Neglected Tropical Diseases, often perceived as a collection of ancient, non-fatal afflictions causing mere suffering but not death. This belief, however widespread, is a dangerous illusion that obscures a much grimmer reality. These diseases are not just burdens of disability; they are active and significant agents of mortality, claiming lives on a scale that demands our immediate attention and clarity. The evidence dismantles the myth with unsettling force. Every year, Neglected Tropical Diseases are responsible for…

Beyond its visible surface, your skin is the body’s largest and most dynamic organ—a layered, living shield. Composed of the protective epidermis, the supportive dermis, and the insulating hypodermis, it performs essential life functions: it defends against pathogens, regulates temperature, senses the environment, and synthesizes vitamin D. The outermost layer, the epidermis, is our waterproof, keratinized frontier. Its topmost sheets are composed of dead cells that constantly slough off, taking with them trapped microbes and debris. Below this, living keratinocytes multiply and produce keratin, the tough protein that gives skin its resilience. Specialized immune cells within the epidermis stand guard,…

You wake up to find a small, painless bump on your arm. It looks like a bug bite or a harmless cyst. You ignore it. Weeks pass. The bump softens, swells, then erupts. An ulcer forms, with ragged, undermined edges. It doesn’t hurt much, but it grows relentlessly, eating away skin, fat, and sometimes even bone. There’s no fever, no dramatic illness—just your own body being consumed before your eyes. This is the reality of Buruli ulcer, one of the world’s most neglected and mystifying skin diseases. Buruli ulcer is caused by Mycobacterium ulcerans, a cousin of the bacteria responsible…

We measure illness in symptoms cured and parasites cleared. But for a child, the truest toll of a neglected tropical disease is often counted in silent currencies: missed friendships, lost classroom days, and a self-esteem shaped by shame. While medicine fights the infection in the body, a parallel battle unfolds in the developing mind—one that frequently leaves the deepest scars. When diseases like schistosomiasis or soil-transmitted helminths invade a child’s body, they do more than cause anemia or abdominal pain. They steal the very energy required to learn and grow. A child battling chronic fatigue doesn’t just fall behind in…