Saturday, March 27, 2010 (The Mirror Pg 29)
By Rebecca Kwei
In its bid to meet the needs of parents with regard to caring for their children, Databank has opened a creche for its staff on its premises in Accra.
Christened Data Kids Crèche, it is to give nursing mothers returning to work a child-friendly work environment that encourages and eases the transition back to work while nursing their babies.
Additionally, it is also aimed at reducing the challenges that working mothers face in working full time and caring for their kids.
The crèche started operating in September last year with four children and presently has eight toddlers between the ages of eight months and two years and four ‘after school’ pupils. The ‘after school’ pupils visit the crèche after school to wait for their parents.
According to the Mother of the crèche, Captain Anna Adams (retd), a retired nursing officer of the Ghana Armed forces, the crèche opens from 7.15 a.m. to 5 p.m. or till the last child is picked up.
She said the ‘after school’ pupils were also helped with their homework when necessary as they waited for their parents to pick them up.
Capt Adams (retd ) is supported by three other tutors to take care of the kids.
The crèche is fitted with a kitchenette and has a washroom and the children are fed with their own food they bring from home.
At the inauguration of the crèche, the Executive Chairman of Databank, Mr Ken Ofori-Atta, said the crèche demonstrated the culture of family spirit at the bank.
He said the crèche would enable nursing mothers (and fathers) to have the peace of mind when working, knowing that their children were safe, which also increases productivity.
He commended Keli Gadzekpo, Executive Vice-Chairman of the bank, who he said was instrumental in the setting up of the crèche.
Mr Ofori-Atta expressed the hope that other corporate bodies would emulate the example, adding that it was important for corporate organisations to invest in the development of children and make women have easier times while working with them.
The Head of Human Capital and Administration, Mrs Felicia Gyamfi Ashley, said the bank thought it wise to address the needs of staff that affected productivity.
For instance, she said, if a nursing mother left a child at home in the care of someone she was not really sure of, then she would not have the peace of mind to do what was expected of her at work, since she would be constantly thinking of the security and safety of the child.
She said the crèche had been beneficial to the staff, adding that for now services at the crèche was free of charge but that might change in the future.
She also indicated that the bank gave seven days paternity leave to the male staff to enable them to ‘bond’ with mother and child after delivery.
Mrs Sophia Quarm, whose husband, Emmanuel Quarm, works with Databank, has her eight-month old baby, Nathan, at the crèche, and she said “the crèche has helped me tremendously”.
She said she was happy with the services of the crèche and that the mother of the crèche, who is a retired nurse, and her staff were doing a good job, adding that “she sometimes provides me with knowledge that I otherwise wouldn’t have known”.
Monday, March 29, 2010
Meet Nuclear Engineer — Ekua Mensimah
Saturday, March 27, 2010 (The Mirror Pg 3)
By Rebecca Kwei
For many girls, the sciences are a no-go area, but not Ekua Mensimah, the first female to have graduated with a Master of Philosophy in Nuclear Engineering from the Graduate School of Nuclear and Allied Sciences at the University of Ghana, Legon.
Ekua, who graduated on March 13, 2010, says she has always loved science subjects and excelled in them as well.
“There is a misconception that science is difficult, but it is not as difficult as people think. It’s actually fun! ” she told The Mirror in an interview.
It was recently announced that a GH¢4 million Mathematics, Science and Technology Scholarship Scheme for students at the secondary level will be instituted at the start of the 2010/11 academic year.
The scheme is to stimulate students to take up programmes in the field of maths and science and make science and technology the critical drivers of the country’s socio-economic development.
Ekua is among the second batch of students of the Graduate School of Nuclear and Allied Sciences who offered Nuclear Engineering and she was the only female with nine males. The first batch comprised seven males.
Loving science is manifested in the subject choices petite 28-year-old Ekua has made till now. Right after her primary and junior high school education at the St Peter’s Educational Centre, Kumasi, she continued at the Yaa Asantewaa Girls’ Secondary School in Kumasi where she studied science — Physics, Elective Maths, Chemistry and Biology.
Having passed the Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination with flying colours, she enrolled at the Kumasi Polytechnic to pursue a course in Electrical and Electronic Engineering.
However, she was at the polytechnic for only a semester and left for the University of Cape Coast to pursue a course in the Physical Sciences which comprises Chemistry, Maths and Physics. She majored in Physics and graduated with a BSc in Physics in 2006.
“I majored in Physics because I enjoy Physics and I am very comfortable in it,” she said.
In 2007, while doing her national service at the Ghana Atomic Energy, she enrolled for an evening course at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) for a diploma course in Database Administration.
“I also have an interest in computers and I wanted to have a lot of options aside the Physics when applying for job,” she explained.
Immediately after her national service and her diploma course in Database Administration, Ekua said she was advised to apply for the MPhil in Nuclear Engineering.
Ekua’s life seems to be one of pursuing one academic course after another but she insists she is “no book worm but just adventurous. I have a social life”.
Why nuclear engineering? Ekua says nuclear energy is the next thing to make waves soon, especially in the area of electricity generation, and she wants to be part of the new trend.
She admitted that it has not been easy, especially while pursuing her MPhil in Nuclear Engineering.
“It was very challenging and I nearly dropped out in the first year but my mum encouraged me not to lose hope, since nothing comes easy. I am really excited and grateful to God for how far He has brought me. It was only by His grace and now I can enjoy the fruits of my labour,” she said.
Ekua is also grateful to her mum, Dorcas Amuquandoh of the Trades Union Congress (TUC), who she says single-handedly took care of her and her elder brother, Kwaku Okyere Manu Tawiah.
“I never lacked anything; my mum made sure of that, and I am very grateful and proud of her,” she added.
Now working as a Research Scientist with the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission, Ekua says she hopes to expand her knowledge in nuclear engineering as the years go by, as well as pursue a PhD.
For girls who want to pursue science, Ekua says, “You just have to know where your interest lies and pursue it. Science is not difficult and there are more opportunities in the science field. Above all, you must seek the grace of God.”
Is Ekua attached? She answers with a definite “Yes”, although she would not mention the name of the man with whom she says she will very soon be walking down the aisle.
When she is not studying, Ekua loves to read, write poems or watch movies.
By Rebecca Kwei
For many girls, the sciences are a no-go area, but not Ekua Mensimah, the first female to have graduated with a Master of Philosophy in Nuclear Engineering from the Graduate School of Nuclear and Allied Sciences at the University of Ghana, Legon.
Ekua, who graduated on March 13, 2010, says she has always loved science subjects and excelled in them as well.
“There is a misconception that science is difficult, but it is not as difficult as people think. It’s actually fun! ” she told The Mirror in an interview.
It was recently announced that a GH¢4 million Mathematics, Science and Technology Scholarship Scheme for students at the secondary level will be instituted at the start of the 2010/11 academic year.
The scheme is to stimulate students to take up programmes in the field of maths and science and make science and technology the critical drivers of the country’s socio-economic development.
Ekua is among the second batch of students of the Graduate School of Nuclear and Allied Sciences who offered Nuclear Engineering and she was the only female with nine males. The first batch comprised seven males.
Loving science is manifested in the subject choices petite 28-year-old Ekua has made till now. Right after her primary and junior high school education at the St Peter’s Educational Centre, Kumasi, she continued at the Yaa Asantewaa Girls’ Secondary School in Kumasi where she studied science — Physics, Elective Maths, Chemistry and Biology.
Having passed the Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination with flying colours, she enrolled at the Kumasi Polytechnic to pursue a course in Electrical and Electronic Engineering.
However, she was at the polytechnic for only a semester and left for the University of Cape Coast to pursue a course in the Physical Sciences which comprises Chemistry, Maths and Physics. She majored in Physics and graduated with a BSc in Physics in 2006.
“I majored in Physics because I enjoy Physics and I am very comfortable in it,” she said.
In 2007, while doing her national service at the Ghana Atomic Energy, she enrolled for an evening course at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) for a diploma course in Database Administration.
“I also have an interest in computers and I wanted to have a lot of options aside the Physics when applying for job,” she explained.
Immediately after her national service and her diploma course in Database Administration, Ekua said she was advised to apply for the MPhil in Nuclear Engineering.
Ekua’s life seems to be one of pursuing one academic course after another but she insists she is “no book worm but just adventurous. I have a social life”.
Why nuclear engineering? Ekua says nuclear energy is the next thing to make waves soon, especially in the area of electricity generation, and she wants to be part of the new trend.
She admitted that it has not been easy, especially while pursuing her MPhil in Nuclear Engineering.
“It was very challenging and I nearly dropped out in the first year but my mum encouraged me not to lose hope, since nothing comes easy. I am really excited and grateful to God for how far He has brought me. It was only by His grace and now I can enjoy the fruits of my labour,” she said.
Ekua is also grateful to her mum, Dorcas Amuquandoh of the Trades Union Congress (TUC), who she says single-handedly took care of her and her elder brother, Kwaku Okyere Manu Tawiah.
“I never lacked anything; my mum made sure of that, and I am very grateful and proud of her,” she added.
Now working as a Research Scientist with the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission, Ekua says she hopes to expand her knowledge in nuclear engineering as the years go by, as well as pursue a PhD.
For girls who want to pursue science, Ekua says, “You just have to know where your interest lies and pursue it. Science is not difficult and there are more opportunities in the science field. Above all, you must seek the grace of God.”
Is Ekua attached? She answers with a definite “Yes”, although she would not mention the name of the man with whom she says she will very soon be walking down the aisle.
When she is not studying, Ekua loves to read, write poems or watch movies.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Campaign on use of treated nets
Saturday, March 20, 2010 (The Mirror Pg 25)
By Rebecca Kwei
The Programme Manager of the National Malarial Control Programme (NMCP), Dr (Mrs) Constance Bart-Plange, has said her outfit will intensify education to encourage Ghanaians to sleep in Insecticide Treated Nets (ITNs) to prevent malaria.
She noted that because of the hot weather, many Ghanaians were not comfortable using ITNs and queried, “which one do you prefer? To sleep in the nets and be malaria-free or outside it and get malaria which could kill you?
Insecticide Treated Nets have been known to reduce mortality in children under five by about 20 per cent and malarial illnesses among children under five and pregnant women by up to 50 per cent.
Dr Bart-Plange said this at a press briefing by the United Against Malaria (UAM) Partnership, a Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation-led initiative with the goal of supporting the global fight against malaria.
The partnership involves football teams and heroes, celebrities, health and advocacy organisations, governments, corporations and personalities who have united ahead of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa to win the fight against malaria.
It is estimated that there are between 300 million and 500 million clinical cases of malaria per year, with 80 per cent of those cases in Africa. In Ghana, malaria continues to be the leading cause of death among children under five years.
Dr Bart-Plange said the World Health Organisation (WHO) Malaria Report 2009 showed that in a 2008 survey, 33 per cent of households owned an ITN, but only 19 per cent of children under five in Ghana had slept under an ITN the night before.
Dr Bart-Plange said in the past the focus was on children under five to use ITNs but now it was imperative for all Ghanaians to use the net.
She said Ghana was using all available interventions such as treatment with Artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT), use of ITNs and indoor residual spray to combat malaria since no one intervention would work fully.
She said partnership was also key and said the UAM initiative was a laudable idea, adding that “football unites and through the passionate voice of football, players who serve as role models will help spread the message of ITNs, pregnant women take the required Sulphadoxine Pyremithamine (SP), the message will sink down to accelerate the desire to reduce malarial cases”.
The President of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Mr Kwesi Nyantakyi, said it was a social service obligation for the association to be part of the campaign “as we find the 3.2 million cases of malaria recorded each year in Ghana and the 20,000 children who die of the disease in a year totally unacceptable.”
Mentioning some actions undertaken so far with regard to the UAM, he said Black Stars used their last World Cup qualifying match with the Eagles of Mali in Kumasi to send out messages on bed net use.
He gave the assurance that “our use of the game football at all levels to promote resource generation to support the NMCP and also promote effective use of prevention and treatment tools such as ITNs, ACTs and SP for pregnant women shall not end with our participation in South Africa 2010”.
Mr Nyantakyi said the association shall sustain its efforts by involving all the national teams, the national premier league, the division one and division two league clubs and even the colts league in the UAM campaign.
He appealed to the business community to support the association to raise two million ITNs for the NMCP towards the achievement of the universal access goals.
The President of the Tanzania Football Federation, Leodegar Tenga, said between 17million and 20 million were affected by malaria with 18,000 dying annually.
He said it was important to use the World Cup tournament to spread the message, adding that “the very existence of football depends on how healthy the player is and it is imperative that African leaders take the issue of malaria seriously. Malaria can be prevented, curable and can be eradicated”.
A former captain of Uganda’s national team, the Cranes, Mr Edgar Watson Soubi, said his country was using role models of all ages to spread the message of the fight against malaria.
He said football was also a good medium to spread the malarial message since it could affect a player directly or indirectly, thereby preventing the player from playing.
The Deputy Director-General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr George Amofah, who chaired the event, said the economic burden of the disease could not be ignored and the involvement of all stakeholders was necessary to fight malaria.
He said the totality of all the interventions available could make an impact to enable the goal of reducing malaria cases and deaths to be reduced.
The Country Director of the John Hopkins Centre for Communication Programmes — Voices Project, Mr Emmanuel Fiagbey, said three key UAM promotional materials had been developed, including the Ghana UAM Cheer song/music video, a 60-second TV spot projecting the Black Stars promoting ITN use and IPT access, a 30-second TV spot with Michael Essien and Stephen Appiah promoting ITN use, posters and banners among others.
By Rebecca Kwei
The Programme Manager of the National Malarial Control Programme (NMCP), Dr (Mrs) Constance Bart-Plange, has said her outfit will intensify education to encourage Ghanaians to sleep in Insecticide Treated Nets (ITNs) to prevent malaria.
She noted that because of the hot weather, many Ghanaians were not comfortable using ITNs and queried, “which one do you prefer? To sleep in the nets and be malaria-free or outside it and get malaria which could kill you?
Insecticide Treated Nets have been known to reduce mortality in children under five by about 20 per cent and malarial illnesses among children under five and pregnant women by up to 50 per cent.
Dr Bart-Plange said this at a press briefing by the United Against Malaria (UAM) Partnership, a Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation-led initiative with the goal of supporting the global fight against malaria.
The partnership involves football teams and heroes, celebrities, health and advocacy organisations, governments, corporations and personalities who have united ahead of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa to win the fight against malaria.
It is estimated that there are between 300 million and 500 million clinical cases of malaria per year, with 80 per cent of those cases in Africa. In Ghana, malaria continues to be the leading cause of death among children under five years.
Dr Bart-Plange said the World Health Organisation (WHO) Malaria Report 2009 showed that in a 2008 survey, 33 per cent of households owned an ITN, but only 19 per cent of children under five in Ghana had slept under an ITN the night before.
Dr Bart-Plange said in the past the focus was on children under five to use ITNs but now it was imperative for all Ghanaians to use the net.
She said Ghana was using all available interventions such as treatment with Artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT), use of ITNs and indoor residual spray to combat malaria since no one intervention would work fully.
She said partnership was also key and said the UAM initiative was a laudable idea, adding that “football unites and through the passionate voice of football, players who serve as role models will help spread the message of ITNs, pregnant women take the required Sulphadoxine Pyremithamine (SP), the message will sink down to accelerate the desire to reduce malarial cases”.
The President of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Mr Kwesi Nyantakyi, said it was a social service obligation for the association to be part of the campaign “as we find the 3.2 million cases of malaria recorded each year in Ghana and the 20,000 children who die of the disease in a year totally unacceptable.”
Mentioning some actions undertaken so far with regard to the UAM, he said Black Stars used their last World Cup qualifying match with the Eagles of Mali in Kumasi to send out messages on bed net use.
He gave the assurance that “our use of the game football at all levels to promote resource generation to support the NMCP and also promote effective use of prevention and treatment tools such as ITNs, ACTs and SP for pregnant women shall not end with our participation in South Africa 2010”.
Mr Nyantakyi said the association shall sustain its efforts by involving all the national teams, the national premier league, the division one and division two league clubs and even the colts league in the UAM campaign.
He appealed to the business community to support the association to raise two million ITNs for the NMCP towards the achievement of the universal access goals.
The President of the Tanzania Football Federation, Leodegar Tenga, said between 17million and 20 million were affected by malaria with 18,000 dying annually.
He said it was important to use the World Cup tournament to spread the message, adding that “the very existence of football depends on how healthy the player is and it is imperative that African leaders take the issue of malaria seriously. Malaria can be prevented, curable and can be eradicated”.
A former captain of Uganda’s national team, the Cranes, Mr Edgar Watson Soubi, said his country was using role models of all ages to spread the message of the fight against malaria.
He said football was also a good medium to spread the malarial message since it could affect a player directly or indirectly, thereby preventing the player from playing.
The Deputy Director-General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr George Amofah, who chaired the event, said the economic burden of the disease could not be ignored and the involvement of all stakeholders was necessary to fight malaria.
He said the totality of all the interventions available could make an impact to enable the goal of reducing malaria cases and deaths to be reduced.
The Country Director of the John Hopkins Centre for Communication Programmes — Voices Project, Mr Emmanuel Fiagbey, said three key UAM promotional materials had been developed, including the Ghana UAM Cheer song/music video, a 60-second TV spot projecting the Black Stars promoting ITN use and IPT access, a 30-second TV spot with Michael Essien and Stephen Appiah promoting ITN use, posters and banners among others.
HIV prevalence increases
Saturday, March 20, 2010 (The Mirror Pg 13)
By Rebecca Kwei
GHANA’s 2009 adult national HIV prevalence is estimated at 1.9 per cent as compared to 1.7 per cent in 2008.
Also, the HIV prevalence among pregnant women attending antenatal clinics was 2.9 per cent, representing a 31 per cent increase of last year’s 2.2 per cent.
Giving the facts and figures of the 2009 HIV Sentinel Survey and National HIV and AIDS Prevalence Estimates, Dr Nii Akwei Addo, Programme Manager of the National AIDS/STI Control Programme said,despite the increase in prevalence of HIV in 2009, Ghana’s epidemic is still on the decline.
He was however, quick to add that more effort was required by all stakeholders to keep the HIV prevalence on further decline since complacency would erode the progress made so far.
The HIV prevalence had increased after a decline for the second time in 2008 after 2007 as observed in 2003 and 2006. Prior to this, it had risen from 2.3 per cent in 1999 to 3.6 per cent in 2003.
The sentinel survey is a cross sectional survey targeting pregnant women attending antenatal clinics (ANC) in selected ANC sites in Ghana. The surveillance system was initiated based on the premise that prevalence of HIV among pregnant women was a good proxy indicator of the spread of the infection among the populace.
A total of 18,833 samples were collected from 69 ANC located in 40 sentinel sites (23 urban and 17 rural) across the country and records on 18,809 were analysed.
Dr Addo said there was an estimated 267,069 persons comprising 112,457 males and 154,612 females living with HIV AIDS in Ghana and 25,666 of that were children; 12,579 being females.
Additionally, there were 22,177 new infections and 20,313 AIDS deaths with 2,566 being children.
The HIV site prevalence ranged from 0.7 per cent in North Tongu (rural) to 5.8 per cent in Koforidua and Agomanya (urban).
Interestingly, Agomanya saw a drop in prevalence from the 2008’s figure of eight per cent but still maintained its position as the site with the highest prevalence with Koforidua.
Although Fanteakwa’s prevalence dropped to four per cent, it still remained the rural site with the highest prevalence.
All the regions, with the exception of the Eastern Region, recorded an increase in prevalence over 2008. Upper West Region recorded the highest increase of 3.1 per cent from 1.6 per cent. However, Eastern Region continued to be the region with the highest prevalence level.
For the age group, 40 to 44 years recorded the highest prevalence of four per cent, while the 15-19 year group had the least prevalence of 1.9 per cent. Prevalence among the youth of age group 15-24 years, which is used as a marker for new infections, was 2.1 per cent.
According to the report, 91.8 per cent of the HIV positive samples were HIV type I; HIV type II was 5.2 per cent, while HIV types I and II was three per cent.
Dr Addo said the country was gradually getting more HIV type II and HIV types I and II and considerations for a review of national antiretrovirals (ART) guidelines must take this trend into account, given the limited regimens available for managing HIV type II.
For syphilis, Central Region remained the region with the highest syphilis prevalence and Asikuma Odoben Brakwa (rural), the site with highest prevalence.
The report indicated that rural areas continued to have higher syphilis prevalence than urban areas.
HIV prevalence among Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI) clients was almost halved from 10.5 per cent in 2008 to 5.5 per cent in 2009, due to decreases at both the Adabraka and Kumasi sites.
???Dr Addo while the number of AIDS deaths is expected to decline???, the number of people living with HIV is expected to increase gradually with improved access to ART
coupled with resulting new infections.
He said more persons living with HIV would need ART and co-trimoxazole prophylaxis but the demand for these medications in children was expected to decline as the risk of Mother-to-Child transmission of HIV is reduced through PMTCT intervention.
The Deputy Minister of Health, Mr Rojo Mettle-Nunoo, expressed the government’s commitment to work together with all sectors of the society to fight against HIV AIDS.
“Equally important for us is the need to work with academics and researchers as we continue to find new ways to respond to this challenge,” he added.
Mr Mettle-Nunoo said the results of the survey remained an important indicator for monitoring the trend of the disease in the country and provide useful information for policy intervention.
He cautioned against complacency in order not to erode the gains made so far saying “the more we reduce the prevalence, the more we must work hard to keep it low”.
The Director-General of the Ghana AIDS Commission, Dr Angela El-Adas, said the survey report would help the commission in the development of the third national strategic framework response for HIV AIDS.
She said there was the need to move away from organising floats to preparing specific HIV AIDS messages for various target groups and also intensify efforts to prevent new infections
The World Health Organisation (WHO) representative in Ghana, Dr Daniel Kertesz, expressed the hope that the data derived from the survey would be used to impact on public health.
By Rebecca Kwei
GHANA’s 2009 adult national HIV prevalence is estimated at 1.9 per cent as compared to 1.7 per cent in 2008.
Also, the HIV prevalence among pregnant women attending antenatal clinics was 2.9 per cent, representing a 31 per cent increase of last year’s 2.2 per cent.
Giving the facts and figures of the 2009 HIV Sentinel Survey and National HIV and AIDS Prevalence Estimates, Dr Nii Akwei Addo, Programme Manager of the National AIDS/STI Control Programme said,despite the increase in prevalence of HIV in 2009, Ghana’s epidemic is still on the decline.
He was however, quick to add that more effort was required by all stakeholders to keep the HIV prevalence on further decline since complacency would erode the progress made so far.
The HIV prevalence had increased after a decline for the second time in 2008 after 2007 as observed in 2003 and 2006. Prior to this, it had risen from 2.3 per cent in 1999 to 3.6 per cent in 2003.
The sentinel survey is a cross sectional survey targeting pregnant women attending antenatal clinics (ANC) in selected ANC sites in Ghana. The surveillance system was initiated based on the premise that prevalence of HIV among pregnant women was a good proxy indicator of the spread of the infection among the populace.
A total of 18,833 samples were collected from 69 ANC located in 40 sentinel sites (23 urban and 17 rural) across the country and records on 18,809 were analysed.
Dr Addo said there was an estimated 267,069 persons comprising 112,457 males and 154,612 females living with HIV AIDS in Ghana and 25,666 of that were children; 12,579 being females.
Additionally, there were 22,177 new infections and 20,313 AIDS deaths with 2,566 being children.
The HIV site prevalence ranged from 0.7 per cent in North Tongu (rural) to 5.8 per cent in Koforidua and Agomanya (urban).
Interestingly, Agomanya saw a drop in prevalence from the 2008’s figure of eight per cent but still maintained its position as the site with the highest prevalence with Koforidua.
Although Fanteakwa’s prevalence dropped to four per cent, it still remained the rural site with the highest prevalence.
All the regions, with the exception of the Eastern Region, recorded an increase in prevalence over 2008. Upper West Region recorded the highest increase of 3.1 per cent from 1.6 per cent. However, Eastern Region continued to be the region with the highest prevalence level.
For the age group, 40 to 44 years recorded the highest prevalence of four per cent, while the 15-19 year group had the least prevalence of 1.9 per cent. Prevalence among the youth of age group 15-24 years, which is used as a marker for new infections, was 2.1 per cent.
According to the report, 91.8 per cent of the HIV positive samples were HIV type I; HIV type II was 5.2 per cent, while HIV types I and II was three per cent.
Dr Addo said the country was gradually getting more HIV type II and HIV types I and II and considerations for a review of national antiretrovirals (ART) guidelines must take this trend into account, given the limited regimens available for managing HIV type II.
For syphilis, Central Region remained the region with the highest syphilis prevalence and Asikuma Odoben Brakwa (rural), the site with highest prevalence.
The report indicated that rural areas continued to have higher syphilis prevalence than urban areas.
HIV prevalence among Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI) clients was almost halved from 10.5 per cent in 2008 to 5.5 per cent in 2009, due to decreases at both the Adabraka and Kumasi sites.
???Dr Addo while the number of AIDS deaths is expected to decline???, the number of people living with HIV is expected to increase gradually with improved access to ART
coupled with resulting new infections.
He said more persons living with HIV would need ART and co-trimoxazole prophylaxis but the demand for these medications in children was expected to decline as the risk of Mother-to-Child transmission of HIV is reduced through PMTCT intervention.
The Deputy Minister of Health, Mr Rojo Mettle-Nunoo, expressed the government’s commitment to work together with all sectors of the society to fight against HIV AIDS.
“Equally important for us is the need to work with academics and researchers as we continue to find new ways to respond to this challenge,” he added.
Mr Mettle-Nunoo said the results of the survey remained an important indicator for monitoring the trend of the disease in the country and provide useful information for policy intervention.
He cautioned against complacency in order not to erode the gains made so far saying “the more we reduce the prevalence, the more we must work hard to keep it low”.
The Director-General of the Ghana AIDS Commission, Dr Angela El-Adas, said the survey report would help the commission in the development of the third national strategic framework response for HIV AIDS.
She said there was the need to move away from organising floats to preparing specific HIV AIDS messages for various target groups and also intensify efforts to prevent new infections
The World Health Organisation (WHO) representative in Ghana, Dr Daniel Kertesz, expressed the hope that the data derived from the survey would be used to impact on public health.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Aisha — Emerging Designer of the Year
Saturday, March 13, 2010 (The Mirror Pg 3)
By Rebecca Kwei
At a first glance, petite Aisha Obuobi looks unassuming. And when I had a look at her Christie Brown collection, I was very impressed.
The neat cuts and the simple but nice designs using African prints laced with satin, silk or beads were just perfect.
Aisha (with the design label Christie Brown) is one of the new young designers on the scene and her work speaks volumes for a 24-year-old.
“I have always loved fashion. I love clothes and making them. Growing up, I used to help my grandma who was a seamstress by hemming a dress or fixing buttons. I was also making miniature clothes from the left over pieces of cloth. I guess that’s where my interest started” she reminisced.
However, while schooling at Morning Star and Achimota Senior High School, Aisha shelved her passion for fashion.
It was when she was in her final year at the University of Ghana, Legon, that her passion for fashion came back to her again.
“I majored in Psychology and in my final year, when I was thinking of which career path to take, then my love for fashion came back to me because really, that is what I’ve always loved doing” she said.
Consequently, Aisha started designing clothes for friends and in March 2008, she launched the Christie Brown label while at the university.
Christie Brown is a women’s clothing line and Aisha uses African prints vamping it up with silk, satin, beads and other accessories in modern trends.
When she completed her university education, she enrolled at the VogueStyle School of Fashion to undertake a one-year course in fashion design to learn more about what actually goes into making a garment.
While at VogueStyle School, she was invited to participate in Arise Africa in Johannesburg, South Africa in 2009.
Her designs wowed the audience such that at the end of the fashion show, she was adjudged the Emerging Designer of the Year.
As part of her prize, she took part in the Paris Fashion Week which had alongside it the Arise L’Afrique a Porte fashion show.
There were 10 designers from Africa and Aisha was the only one from Ghana.
Having attended the Paris Fashion Week early this month, Aisha is back with a lot of ideas and in fact she is dreaming big.
Already Glamour Magazine has featured her as one of the women going to make headlines in 2010.
“I want to make African prints appealing to people of other origins by producing latest trends of all seasons that women love so much but with an African twist.
In the same vein I have realised most Ghanaians relate African prints to ‘kaba’ and slit or boubou and I want to change that perception. African prints can be used for trendy wear for all occasions and not just ‘kaba’ and slit,” she added.
Aisha observed that Ghana was not very much known on the international scene for its fashion and she hopes to give Ghana that visibility.
“I plan on participating in more international fashion shows and also produce a lot of ready-to-wear outfits using African prints.”
Aisha is also planning on opening a retail shop in Accra soon where people could easily walk in an pick up an outfit from the rack other than going to a tailor or seamstress to be measured before getting an outfit made for you.
“We don’t have that tradition where one can walk into a shop and pick up an outfit made from African print (standard dress sizes) and I want to establish that. It’s like buying a brand like Chanel, Dior and others,” she said.
Aisha said the fashion industry in Ghana was gradually picking up but there was the need to organise more fashion shows to give new designers the opportunity to showcase their creativity.
Also, she was of the view that a lot of fashion magazines need to be introduced into the country to let people know the various designers and their works so as to push the fashion industry in Ghana forward.
“It is also important for us designers to create designs that people can relate to or be able to wear. If we concentrate too much on the “over the top” designs that people cannot wear anywhere apart from the runway, then the public will not patronise our products,” Aisha added.
Aisha says Christie Brown is a breath of fresh air to the fashion industry, saying “our aim is to make wearable clothes for the modern Ghanaian woman who keeps abreast of developments and knows exactly what she wants”.
So what inspires Aisha? “Everything,” she says, from the environment to anything she lays her eyes on. Fashion designer Joyce Ababio also inspires her a lot.
Her parents are Derek and Thyra Obuobi and she has a brother, Nana Addo.
On why her label is christened Christie Brown, Aisha said “Christie Brown is my late grandmother’s name. She’s my inspiration for this clothing line. I guess that’s where I got my passion for fashion, beautiful clothes and the art of making them.
My grandmother sewed for the longest time; even when her eyesight was failing her. She was blunt to a fault, she had spunk, she was chic and most importantly she had style. These qualities are what Christie Brown clothing embodies — spunk, chic, women who are in tune with themselves”.
By Rebecca Kwei
At a first glance, petite Aisha Obuobi looks unassuming. And when I had a look at her Christie Brown collection, I was very impressed.
The neat cuts and the simple but nice designs using African prints laced with satin, silk or beads were just perfect.
Aisha (with the design label Christie Brown) is one of the new young designers on the scene and her work speaks volumes for a 24-year-old.
“I have always loved fashion. I love clothes and making them. Growing up, I used to help my grandma who was a seamstress by hemming a dress or fixing buttons. I was also making miniature clothes from the left over pieces of cloth. I guess that’s where my interest started” she reminisced.
However, while schooling at Morning Star and Achimota Senior High School, Aisha shelved her passion for fashion.
It was when she was in her final year at the University of Ghana, Legon, that her passion for fashion came back to her again.
“I majored in Psychology and in my final year, when I was thinking of which career path to take, then my love for fashion came back to me because really, that is what I’ve always loved doing” she said.
Consequently, Aisha started designing clothes for friends and in March 2008, she launched the Christie Brown label while at the university.
Christie Brown is a women’s clothing line and Aisha uses African prints vamping it up with silk, satin, beads and other accessories in modern trends.
When she completed her university education, she enrolled at the VogueStyle School of Fashion to undertake a one-year course in fashion design to learn more about what actually goes into making a garment.
While at VogueStyle School, she was invited to participate in Arise Africa in Johannesburg, South Africa in 2009.
Her designs wowed the audience such that at the end of the fashion show, she was adjudged the Emerging Designer of the Year.
As part of her prize, she took part in the Paris Fashion Week which had alongside it the Arise L’Afrique a Porte fashion show.
There were 10 designers from Africa and Aisha was the only one from Ghana.
Having attended the Paris Fashion Week early this month, Aisha is back with a lot of ideas and in fact she is dreaming big.
Already Glamour Magazine has featured her as one of the women going to make headlines in 2010.
“I want to make African prints appealing to people of other origins by producing latest trends of all seasons that women love so much but with an African twist.
In the same vein I have realised most Ghanaians relate African prints to ‘kaba’ and slit or boubou and I want to change that perception. African prints can be used for trendy wear for all occasions and not just ‘kaba’ and slit,” she added.
Aisha observed that Ghana was not very much known on the international scene for its fashion and she hopes to give Ghana that visibility.
“I plan on participating in more international fashion shows and also produce a lot of ready-to-wear outfits using African prints.”
Aisha is also planning on opening a retail shop in Accra soon where people could easily walk in an pick up an outfit from the rack other than going to a tailor or seamstress to be measured before getting an outfit made for you.
“We don’t have that tradition where one can walk into a shop and pick up an outfit made from African print (standard dress sizes) and I want to establish that. It’s like buying a brand like Chanel, Dior and others,” she said.
Aisha said the fashion industry in Ghana was gradually picking up but there was the need to organise more fashion shows to give new designers the opportunity to showcase their creativity.
Also, she was of the view that a lot of fashion magazines need to be introduced into the country to let people know the various designers and their works so as to push the fashion industry in Ghana forward.
“It is also important for us designers to create designs that people can relate to or be able to wear. If we concentrate too much on the “over the top” designs that people cannot wear anywhere apart from the runway, then the public will not patronise our products,” Aisha added.
Aisha says Christie Brown is a breath of fresh air to the fashion industry, saying “our aim is to make wearable clothes for the modern Ghanaian woman who keeps abreast of developments and knows exactly what she wants”.
So what inspires Aisha? “Everything,” she says, from the environment to anything she lays her eyes on. Fashion designer Joyce Ababio also inspires her a lot.
Her parents are Derek and Thyra Obuobi and she has a brother, Nana Addo.
On why her label is christened Christie Brown, Aisha said “Christie Brown is my late grandmother’s name. She’s my inspiration for this clothing line. I guess that’s where I got my passion for fashion, beautiful clothes and the art of making them.
My grandmother sewed for the longest time; even when her eyesight was failing her. She was blunt to a fault, she had spunk, she was chic and most importantly she had style. These qualities are what Christie Brown clothing embodies — spunk, chic, women who are in tune with themselves”.
First Lady launches polio campaign
Saturday, March 6, 2010 (The Mirror Pg 25)
By Rebecca Kwei
A TOTAL of 5.1 million children aged between zero and five years are expected to be vaccinated against polio through the two rounds of nationwide Poliomyelitis (polio) Immunisation Campaigns.
The first round of the immunisation is from March 5-7 and the second round takes place from April 23-25 this year.
Polio is an acute viral disease that is easily spread from human contact through contaminated food or water and can kill or cripple children for life.
The First Lady, Mrs Ernestina Naadu Mills, who launched this year’s polio immunisation exercise in Accra, said she was delighted to note that the number of polio cases in West Africa was going down.
Ghana, from September 2003 to August 2008, recorded no case of wild polio virus in the country until November 2008 when eight cases were reported in the Northern Region.
However, as of now no case has been recorded. There has been three polio cases from neighbouring countries from January to date as compared to 21 recorded within the same period last year.
Mrs Mills said the eradication of the polio disease in Ghana was a subject that ought to receive the utmost attention in preventive health care.
“Polio, one of the childhood killer diseases has no cure but a vaccine, which has been in existence since 1963 can prevent a child from being affected. It would, therefore, be very unacceptable to witness children in this modern era being killed or incapacitated by polio”, she said.
The Programme Manager of the Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI), Dr Kwadwo O. Antwi-Agyei, said the rationale for the 2010 National Immunisation Days (NIDs) was to synchronise the exercise in 14 West African countries to ensure that the entire sub-region was free from the disease.
He gave the assurance that more doses of the vaccine was not injurious.
Dr Antwi-Agyei said a Vitamin A supplement would be added to the second round of the exercise for children between the ages of six months and five years.
The Chairman of the Ghana National Polio Plus of Rotary International (GNPPC), Mr Winfred A. Mensah, said Rotary had committed a total of $1,150,000 globally to help in the eradication of polio.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) representative, Dr Daniel Kertesz, on behalf of health partners, said the vaccination campaign was a collective responsibility of everyone to ensure that children received the life saving vaccine.
By Rebecca Kwei
A TOTAL of 5.1 million children aged between zero and five years are expected to be vaccinated against polio through the two rounds of nationwide Poliomyelitis (polio) Immunisation Campaigns.
The first round of the immunisation is from March 5-7 and the second round takes place from April 23-25 this year.
Polio is an acute viral disease that is easily spread from human contact through contaminated food or water and can kill or cripple children for life.
The First Lady, Mrs Ernestina Naadu Mills, who launched this year’s polio immunisation exercise in Accra, said she was delighted to note that the number of polio cases in West Africa was going down.
Ghana, from September 2003 to August 2008, recorded no case of wild polio virus in the country until November 2008 when eight cases were reported in the Northern Region.
However, as of now no case has been recorded. There has been three polio cases from neighbouring countries from January to date as compared to 21 recorded within the same period last year.
Mrs Mills said the eradication of the polio disease in Ghana was a subject that ought to receive the utmost attention in preventive health care.
“Polio, one of the childhood killer diseases has no cure but a vaccine, which has been in existence since 1963 can prevent a child from being affected. It would, therefore, be very unacceptable to witness children in this modern era being killed or incapacitated by polio”, she said.
The Programme Manager of the Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI), Dr Kwadwo O. Antwi-Agyei, said the rationale for the 2010 National Immunisation Days (NIDs) was to synchronise the exercise in 14 West African countries to ensure that the entire sub-region was free from the disease.
He gave the assurance that more doses of the vaccine was not injurious.
Dr Antwi-Agyei said a Vitamin A supplement would be added to the second round of the exercise for children between the ages of six months and five years.
The Chairman of the Ghana National Polio Plus of Rotary International (GNPPC), Mr Winfred A. Mensah, said Rotary had committed a total of $1,150,000 globally to help in the eradication of polio.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) representative, Dr Daniel Kertesz, on behalf of health partners, said the vaccination campaign was a collective responsibility of everyone to ensure that children received the life saving vaccine.
Ghana to host WHO confab on tobacco
Saturday, February 27, 2010 (The Mirror Pg 34)
By Rebecca Kwei
UNDER its Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), the World Health Organisation (WHO) is encouraging member countries to promote economically viable alternatives for tobacco workers, growers, as well as sellers.
This is because people who cultivate and handle tobacco leaves are equally at risk of tobacco-related diseases such as green tobacco sickness, pesticide intoxication, respiratory and dermatological disorders and other types of cancers.
The WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) reaffirms the right of all people to the highest standard of health and articles 17 and 18 deal with the provision of alternative means of livelihood for those who rely on tobacco farming or work for their living; and also to protect the environment and people from the harmful effects of tobacco.
To this end, Ghana will host the second working group on Article 17 and 18 of the WHO FCTC from April 20 to 23, 2010 in Accra.
About 38 delegates from 18 member countries and civil society will participate in the meeting in Accra.
The first meeting was held in India in September last year.
Inaugurating the local planning committee for the second working group of the WHO FCTC, the immediate past Deputy Minister of Health, Dr Nii Oakley Quaye-Kumah, and now Deputy Minister of Roads and Highways, said tobacco smoking was unhealthy, caused chronic diseases and could lead to death.
He said the FCTC called on all parties to the convention to raise awareness about the addictive and harmful nature of tobacco products and about industry interference with tobacco control policies.
Additionally, it also called on all parties to avoid conflicts of interest for government officials and employees to monitor and evaluate measures to reduce exposure to tobacco smoke and enforce laws on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship.
Dr Quaye-Kumah said the main objectives of the working group meeting in Accra was to interact with other global players and to deliberate and strategise on alternative livelihoods to tobacco growing in order to protect the environment and health of persons in the production and manufacture of tobacco products.
The working group meeting is also expected to come up with recommendations on effective measures that parties may take to promote sustainable alternatives to tobacco growing.
The local planning committee has Dr Akwasi Osei, Chief Psychiatrist, as its chairman. The members are Mrs Edith Wellington, Focal Person, Tobacco Control Programme, Ghana Health Service; Mrs Marian Tackie, Director, Administration and Gender, Ministry of Health; Ms Sophia Twum-Barima, WHO; Mrs Pearl Akiwumi-Siriboe, Attorney General’s Department; a representative each from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Ms Martha Osei, Coalition of NGOs in Tobacco Control, and Mr Ben Ahiagbe, Consumer Concerns Initiative.
For his part, Dr Osei said the meeting in Accra would elaborate on the FCTC guidelines, which would then be used by the WHO to guide various countries in their implementation of the articles.
He said the document would then be discussed and adopted by the General Assembly towards the end of the year as a guide for the world towards the control of tobacco production, marketing and consumption.
Dr Osei assured the deputy minister that “we will do our utmost best for this meeting to be a memorable and a very productive one so that the working group can produce a document worthy of its sort”.
By Rebecca Kwei
UNDER its Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), the World Health Organisation (WHO) is encouraging member countries to promote economically viable alternatives for tobacco workers, growers, as well as sellers.
This is because people who cultivate and handle tobacco leaves are equally at risk of tobacco-related diseases such as green tobacco sickness, pesticide intoxication, respiratory and dermatological disorders and other types of cancers.
The WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) reaffirms the right of all people to the highest standard of health and articles 17 and 18 deal with the provision of alternative means of livelihood for those who rely on tobacco farming or work for their living; and also to protect the environment and people from the harmful effects of tobacco.
To this end, Ghana will host the second working group on Article 17 and 18 of the WHO FCTC from April 20 to 23, 2010 in Accra.
About 38 delegates from 18 member countries and civil society will participate in the meeting in Accra.
The first meeting was held in India in September last year.
Inaugurating the local planning committee for the second working group of the WHO FCTC, the immediate past Deputy Minister of Health, Dr Nii Oakley Quaye-Kumah, and now Deputy Minister of Roads and Highways, said tobacco smoking was unhealthy, caused chronic diseases and could lead to death.
He said the FCTC called on all parties to the convention to raise awareness about the addictive and harmful nature of tobacco products and about industry interference with tobacco control policies.
Additionally, it also called on all parties to avoid conflicts of interest for government officials and employees to monitor and evaluate measures to reduce exposure to tobacco smoke and enforce laws on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship.
Dr Quaye-Kumah said the main objectives of the working group meeting in Accra was to interact with other global players and to deliberate and strategise on alternative livelihoods to tobacco growing in order to protect the environment and health of persons in the production and manufacture of tobacco products.
The working group meeting is also expected to come up with recommendations on effective measures that parties may take to promote sustainable alternatives to tobacco growing.
The local planning committee has Dr Akwasi Osei, Chief Psychiatrist, as its chairman. The members are Mrs Edith Wellington, Focal Person, Tobacco Control Programme, Ghana Health Service; Mrs Marian Tackie, Director, Administration and Gender, Ministry of Health; Ms Sophia Twum-Barima, WHO; Mrs Pearl Akiwumi-Siriboe, Attorney General’s Department; a representative each from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Ms Martha Osei, Coalition of NGOs in Tobacco Control, and Mr Ben Ahiagbe, Consumer Concerns Initiative.
For his part, Dr Osei said the meeting in Accra would elaborate on the FCTC guidelines, which would then be used by the WHO to guide various countries in their implementation of the articles.
He said the document would then be discussed and adopted by the General Assembly towards the end of the year as a guide for the world towards the control of tobacco production, marketing and consumption.
Dr Osei assured the deputy minister that “we will do our utmost best for this meeting to be a memorable and a very productive one so that the working group can produce a document worthy of its sort”.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)