Day: June 15, 2024

Madam Charlotte Owusu, the founder of Sickle Cell Condition Advocate (SICCA), has emphasised the importance of knowing one’s sickle cell status before falling in love.

Sickle cell disease is a genetic disorder that can be passed down from parents to children. If both parents are carriers of the sickle cell gene, there is a high chance that their children will inherit the disease.

Madam Owusu, interacting with staff of the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Tema, on the disease, stressed that many young people were unaware of the risks of having sickle cell disease children and its implications on their relationships.

She emphasised the need for education and awareness about sickle cell disease to be created, particularly among young people.

She urged young people to get tested for their genotype before committing to a relationship, as doing so would help them make informed choices to avoid bringing forth sickle cell patients, which come with a lot of pain, financial commitment, and psychological implications.

Sh
e stated that knowing your genetic compatibility before falling in love was a vital step in discovering what lies ahead, which could help safeguard the health and well-being of their future children.

‘Knowing your genotype can help you make informed decisions about your health and your relationships. It is better to be aware of the risks and take steps to reduce them than to ignore them and suffer the consequences,’ she added.

She encouraged people with AA genotypes to accept marrying SS, AS, and the other variants of sickle cell disease to help reduce and eradicate the disease in the country.

According to her, 75 percent of the population were of the AA genotype, while two percent were of the SS genotype, and the remaining 23 were carriers who could transfer to their children. ‘Therefore, if 75 percent agreed to marry the others, it would make a significant difference in reducing the disease rate among Ghanaians and other black people,’ she stated.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Faith-based organisations, especially churches and mosques, have been urged to actively join the awareness creation on sickle cell prevention among the populace, especially the youth.

Madam Charlotte Owusu, Founder of the Sickle Cell Condition Advocates (SICCA), who made the call when interacting with staff of the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Tema, said such organisations could make a change in awareness creation due to the large number of people they lead.

Madam Owusu emphasised the crucial role faith communities play in supporting individuals and families affected by sickle cell disease.

She said faith groups can influence health education, health promotion, and positive health outcomes amongst members of their faith community, making them a critical stakeholder in preventive health campaigns.

She noted that many people with sickle cell disease face stigma and discrimination, even in faith communities, which need to be addressed to make it easy for them to declare their sickle cell status.

She encouraged
Christians to remember that everyone is created equal in the eyes of God and that sickle cell disease is a natural part of human diversity.

The SICCA founder said there was a need to raise awareness and promote education to break the stigma surrounding sickle cell disease.

She added that faith groups have a significant role to play in supporting affected individuals and families and must work together to create a society that understood and accepts people with sickle cell disease.

Madam Owusu also highlighted the importance of early detection and treatment, citing the need for increased access to healthcare services.

She urged faith groups to partner with organisations like SICCA to promote sickle cell education and awareness.

She expressed the belief that, with a higher percent of Ghanaians identifying as Christians, faith-based communities, especially Christians, have a unique opportunity to make a positive impact in the lives of individuals and families affected by sickle cell disease.

Source: Ghana
News Agency

The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) will roll out a Visitor Health Insurance Scheme (VHIS), effective July 1, 2024.

It will require non-residents on a visit to Ghana to sign onto a health insurance scheme which will cover them during the period of stay in the country.

The policy is in line with section 2(b) of the National Health Insurance Act, 2012 (852).

Members of a technical working committee set up to deliberate on modalities of the policy made this known at a media engagement in Accra.

Dr. Isaac Charles Noble Morrison, a member of the NHIA Board, said there had been stakeholder engagement on the policy which would be implemented in phases.

He said the technical working group included the Ministry of the Interior, Ghana Immigration Service, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Transport, Tour Operators, and ‘anybody who has something to do with visitors coming into the country’.

He said the policy was backed by the Ministry of Health, and that the technical committees had also engage
d various Ghanaian consular missions abroad who made input towards the implementation of the policy.

‘…It is all about health, in case you [a visitor] bought an insurance policy and had any medical condition, which is not a chronic medical condition, you will be covered,’ he stated.

Dr Inua Yusuf, Head of Legal, Ministry of Health, said the policy would be applied based on ‘what the [Ghana] law defines as non-resident’.

Non-residents, he explained, were persons living in the country for a period less than six months and a total period of 12 months.

He said the Authority was considering six different layers of the policy, and that details of each of the service packages would be communicated.

‘It has taken us several years to implement this project so we want to start gradually. We are tying the (VHIS) to visa issuance, and we are working closely with the Immigration Service and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs…We are starting with people coming into the country with a foreign passport,’ he stated.

Dr Yus
uf ad a National Non-Resident Visa Insurance Technology platform, designed through a private-public partnership, would enable visitors to register and buy the insurance policy from healthcare service providers in the country, adding that there would be terms and conditions for subscribers of the VHIS.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Sung Foundation, an NGO, has commemorated Menstrual Hygiene Day at some schools in north to improve personal hygiene amongst students.

Sung Foundation took the initiative to provide sanitary pads to girls in three schools in the Northern Region in commemoration of Menstrual Hygiene Day, which is observed annually.

A team from the NGO visited Tali JHS in the Tolon District, A.M.E Zion and Garizegu JHS in the Sanarigu Municipality to educate adolescent girls on the importance of menstrual and personal hygiene.

The educational sessions covered comprehensive information about menstruation, including its biological process, the importance of accepting, and embracing this transition into womanhood, and the proper use of sanitary items.

Additionally, the girls were advised to practise abstinence to avoid teenage pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections, which could jeopardise their education, and health.

Madam Adam Shafawu, Gender and Governance Officer, Sung Foundation, speaking during the event, said Sun
g Foundation recognised that one major reason for girls’ absenteeism from school during their periods was lack of access to sanitary pads leading to fear of soiling their clothes and being mocked.

She said, ‘to address this issue and support these girls in staying in school during their periods, each girl received a free sanitary pad as part of Sung Foundation’s celebration of this important day.’

Source: Ghana News Agency

Dr. Bernard Okoe Boye, Minister of Health, has met officials of the Ministry of Finance (MOF), and the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) to expedite the clearance of essential health commodities donated by the Global Fund.

The move followed a statement issued by the Health Ministry confirming the receipt of GHC7,429,694.39 from the Ministry of Finance for the payment of demurrage and other third party charges to ensure the clearance of all outstanding Global Fund containers.

The Ministry of Health emphasised the importance of the funding stating: ‘It is expected that with the funds received, all outstanding containers will be cleared by the end of June 2024.’

Dr Okoe Boye, in an interview with the media during a project inspection visit to the La General Hospital and Weija Children’s Hospital, said he was taking personal interest in the matter and would not rest until the goods were cleared.

In pursuit of that, a meeting was held with the Finance Ministry and the GRA on Friday June 14, 2024, to ensure the cle
arance and delivery of the life-saving medications, medical equipment, and other essential health commodities.

Members of the Ghana Country Coordinating Mechanism of the Global Fund (CCM Ghana) recently threatened a demonstration over the inability of the government to clear the remaining medical provisions at the port.

In an open letter to the President Akufo-Addo, Mr Ernest Amoabeng Ortsin, Acting Chair, Ghana CCM, highlighted the concerns of members of the international community on the matter.

‘Some are asking whether the Government of Ghana no longer has control over its ports, because they [international agencies] do not understand how a sovereign State cannot clear commodities from its port,’ he stated.

Mr Ortsin called for quicker intervention by the Government, saying the delay could affect relations between Ghana and the Global Fund.

Source: Ghana News Agency