Tsotsoo's journal

Counterfeit drugs — silent murderers

2012-01-09T04:58:00.000-08:00

By Rebecca Kwei
It was a sunny Monday morning as I boarded a ‘trotro’, dreading the traffic and the more than one-hour journey to the office. Soon I was dozing off till someone yelled, “Praise the Lord” which jostled me out of my slumber.
“Not these ‘van preachers’ again” I murmured. Fortunately or unfortunately, he wasn’t a ‘van preacher’ but a drug peddler preceding his illegal business by invoking the forces of the Good Lord and pretending to be a preacher. Knowing the spate of road accidents in Ghana, this man was using the “fear factor” by praying for journey mercies for all the passengers and then quickly proceeding to his real aim — selling all sorts of medicines to unsuspecting citizens!
From deep within the bag he had strapped on his shoulder, he pulled out a drug claiming it could cure all manner of diseases — from diabetes to hypertension; erectile dysfunction to malaria; impotence to depression and childlessness to poverty, if one counted poverty as a disease. Of course most passengers patronised the ‘goody’, since he was offering two for the price of one. This was not the first time I had encountered a drug peddler — in fact they are everywhere in Africa — from those who carry the medicines on their heads and roam the streets to those who sell in mini vans.
Counterfeiting has been with us since the dawn of creation and appears in almost all cases to be motivated by the desire to make quick money. In the 1st Century AD, Dioscorides, a Greek Physician, warned of the dangers of adulterated drugs, an issue which still persists today and is a serious threat. Imagine you have malaria and you are taking artesunate-amodiaquine, the recommended first line treatment in Ghana, only to find out later that the medication had no effect. You surely will not get better and in the case of children or non-immune adults, this can easily lead to death from untreated malaria. Frightening! Isn’t it?
And yet this used to occur as late as the 17th Century when it was detected that the bark of the Peruvian Cinchona that is used to treat malaria was being adulterated with cheaper substances in order to increase profits. People did not get well and some died. The staggering size of the counterfeit pharmaceuticals market estimated to be about US$75 billion in 2010 alone shows this is serious business; even if it is deadly business too.
Each year counterfeit drugs are responsible for thousands of deaths worldwide. Some of these fake drugs contain nothing, some chalk in capsules, and some of them little or none at all of the active ingredients, and yet others contain dangerous additives including paints, industrial chemicals, banned substances and impure compounds.
The counterfeit issue was first discussed by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in 1951 when the Director-General considered the advantages of more uniform methods for drug control. However, it was not till the 1985 Conference of Experts on the Rational Use of Drugs held in Nairobi Kenya that the current anti-counterfeiting initiatives gathered full steam.

Kofi’s story
Kofi (not his real name), had severe stomach pains accompanied by high temperature, sweating and diarrhoea. He visited the polyclinic and some medicines were prescribed, he purchased the drugs from the usual “drug seller”. After three days of taking the medicine, his situation got worse; the pain in the stomach became excruciating. The last thing he knew he was in hospital, where it was discovered he had been given fake ciprofloxacin, meaning the typhoid infection he was suspected to have, had not been treated leading to perforation of his intestines. He was the lucky one who got away, though he had to endure emergency surgery.

Fake Coartem in Ghana
In July 2009, the issue of fake/counterfeit medicines came up again in Ghana.
The Food and Drugs Board (FDB) warned the public of the sale of fake Coartem tablets in Kumasi in the Ashanti Region. Coartem (artemether-lumefantrine) is one of the fastest selling antimalarial medicines in Ghana and at the time, one of the most expensive as well. Its effectiveness is such that patients accept the high price associated with it. The FDB confiscated 150 packs of the product from nine wholesale and retail pharmacies (note, not drug peddlers but pharmacies) involved in the distribution and sale.
The FDB said confirmatory tests on the fake products showed that the fake Coartem tablets did not contain any artemether-lumefantrine, the main active ingredients of the original Coartem tablet.

Ripple effects of counterfeit/substandard medicines
It has been estimated that up to 15 per cent of all sold drugs are fake, and in parts of Africa this figure exceeds 50 per cent.
Dr Patrick Lukulay, the Director of the United States Pharmacopoeia Drug Quality and Information Programme, says there is need for more public education on the effects of substandard and counterfeit medicines to the public.
“People should be made to understand that medicine quality is not a luxury but a matter of life and death,” he stressed.
Dr Lukulay described fake/counterfeit medicines as “deliberately mislabelled with respect to identity, amount and source” while substandard medicines refer to legally sold products which fall short of the expected and approved quality specifications”.
The ripple effects of counterfeit/substandard medicines are numerous: it is a threat to public health and economic development and a burden on national health care. Since patients end up not treated, their conditions do not go away and they may visit hospital again – a clear drain on national resources.
“People who take counterfeit drugs may have less of the active ingredient and could die because they are not receiving their life-saving treatment,” Dr Lukulay said.
It is estimated that about $12 billion is lost in wages due to counterfeit/substandard medicines, since failed treatment leads to more days out of work.

China, India, Nigeria — hub of fake medicines?
The Guardian (UK) in a story headlined “Health fears grow as fake drugs flood into Britain” in January 2010, said counterfeiting gangs based in China were producing sophisticated copies of the world’s bestselling pharmaceuticals.
The story said in 2008, an estimated eight million of these potentially deadly pills found their way to the United Kingdom’s National Health Service (NHS).
In 2007, Zheng Xiaoyu, the former head of China’s Food and Drugs Administration who was found guilty of taking bribes to license fake drugs, was executed.
According to Internet reports, about 20 per cent of drugs sold in India are fake.
Figures released by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development state that almost 75 per cent of fake drugs exported the world over accrue from India.
Dr Dorothy "Dora" Akunyili, the former head of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) in Nigeria, waged a relentless war against counterfeiters.
A survey conducted by the WHO found more than half the drugs on sale in Nigeria were fake or substandard.
"Counterfeit drugs are murder," says Dora. "It is the highest form of terrorism against public health because it kills a large number of people"
Despite an attempt on her life, Dr Akunyili continued to wage this war driven by memories of a personal tragedy. Her 21-year-old diabetic sister, Vivian, died in 1988 because of a fake insulin injection.
News report credits the effort of Dr Akunyili and NAFDAC, for the reduction in the level of fake drugs in Nigeria to 35 per cent down from about 70 per cent in 2001.

Winning the war against counterfeit/substandard drugs
The WHO notes that the increasing international trade of pharmaceuticals and sales via the internet has further facilitated the entry of counterfeit products into the supply chain.
In 2006 this led to WHO's launch of the International Medical Products Anti-Counterfeiting Taskforce (IMPACT) which has been the main conduit for WHO's work against counterfeits since.
In Ghana there are sentinel sites in Bolgatanga, Kumasi, Ho, Accra and Tarkwa for drug quality monitoring.
These sites could help in the identification of counterfeit medicines though all avenues for medicine supply and distribution are also avenues for the proliferation of counterfeit medicines.
Prof. Alex Dodoo, the President of the International Society of Pharmacovigilance and Director of the Centre for Tropical Pharmacology and Therapeutics of the University of Ghana Medical School, says counterfeiting has become increasingly sophisticated and requires a multi-sectoral approach involving academicians, policy makers and civil society.
“The fake Coartem story shows how legitimate pharmacies and chemical sellers’ shops could also be used to supply counterfeit medicines. Vigilance is, therefore, needed always and consumers should check and check again all products they purchase. If in doubt, report to the FDB or the law enforcement agencies,” Prof. Dodoo advises.
He insists that all countries should develop appropriate systems to enable them to quickly identify the supply route for all medicines, including unlicensed and fake products. This is the best way of protecting the public, who most often will not be able to tell the difference between a fake and a genuine product. Not everyone will be as lucky as Kofi.

Research funders urged to be committed to fair trade, not free trade

2011-08-09T06:41:00.000-07:00

Tuesday, August 2, 2011 (Daily Graphic Pg 16)

By Rebecca Kwei
The Executive Director of INDEPTH Network, Accra, Dr Osman Sankoh, has called on research funders to be committed to ‘fair trade, not free trade’ with regard to sharing research data by putting in place mutually binding agreements and measures.
This was in response to a statement of purpose by several research funders on sharing research data to improve public health in an article published on July 30, 2011 in The Lancet, titled; “Sharing research data to improve public health: a perspective from the global south”.
He said although scientists were willing to share research data to improve public health, it must be done in a way such that researchers in resource-poor settings doing much of the work to generate data did not lose out to better-resourced researchers in the global North.
“We have to seek the balance between the rights and responsibilities of those who generate data and those who analyse and publish results using those data”, Dr Sankoh said.
Dr Sankoh made the call at a two-day seminar on “Ethics of Sharing Public Health Research Data: Perspectives from Low- and Middle-Income Countries” in Nairobi, Kenya from July 28-29, 2011.
The seminar, which was organised by INDEPTH Network and the Council on Health Research for Development (COHRED) and hosted by the African Population and Health Research Centre (APHRC), was to among others, seek solutions on ethics, technical, process, and capacity strengthening issues of sharing public health research data.
More than 30 researchers, demographers and scientists from various INDEPTH member health research centres in Africa and Asia participated in the seminar.
Dr Sankoh said it was welcoming news that after a series of meetings from 2008, 17 health research funders had come up with a joint statement to support public health research scientists to share data in ways that were equitable, ethical and efficient.
He said sharing data had many benefits such as potential to guide policy makers to make informed decisions to improve public health.
What was important, he said, was for scientists in the South to strengthen their capacity so that they would not only generate data but be able to analyse and publish results from those data.
He emphasised that data sharing was not new to Indepth Network, since its various sites had been sharing data with a cross-section of organisations and students.
For his part, Carel IJsselmuiden, the Director of COHRED, said reasons researchers gave for not sharing data was that it would affect patient confidentiality, compiling a data set for sharing was too much work and data might be analysed using invalid methods.
However, he noted that misuse of data was one of the downsides of sharing, but it was a price worth paying.
“If we give priority to the interests of the research subject then answering the question of how widely their data should be shared is easy. Patients volunteer for research because they want to benefit others. It is in their interests for the usefulness of their
contribution to be maximised. Data sharing, rather than data hoarding, achieves this goal,” Dr IJsselmuiden said.
He said key obstacles identified for not sharing data were ‘technical’and personal which could be overcome by filling the gaps in data management, increase incentives to share data and establish data libraries.
A Policy Advisor at the Wellcome Trust, Dave Carr said his organisation was dedicated to ensuring that research outputs were preserved and shared to maximise their long-term value.
He said the trust was committed to supporting high quality health research that was timely and widely used; transparent and available to others and quickly translated into better policies and better health.
However, he said the current situation for public health research was that data analysis and reporting were slow and incomplete and also the lack of access to data limits the capacity for comparative analysis or even checking for accuracy.
Therefore, Mr Carr said it was important to have an ethical balance that will among others ensure the confidentiality of participants in a research, prevent stigmatisation of small communities and better investments in health.

Donate blood to prevent maternal deaths

2011-08-09T06:38:00.000-07:00

Saturday, July 16, 2011 (The Mirror Pg 3)
By Rebecca Kwei
The Greater Accra Regional Directorate of the Ghana Health Service (GHS) in collaboration with the USAID Behaviour Change Support Project has embarked on a campaign to get more community blood donors to donate blood on periodic basis to stock the blood banks.
This is to among others prevent maternal deaths through profuse bleeding.
Acute blood loss in women during childbirth as a result of bleeding can lead to death since the blood volume is drastically reduced and oxygen supply to vital organs is severely compromised.
According to the service women bore the brunt of blood shortage at the blood banks because of bleeding during and after childbirth.
It said bleeding after birth was common in Ghana and that had accounted for so many deaths in health care facilities and the campaign was to create awareness on the problems of bleeding during pregnancy and childbirth as a major cause of maternal mortality and how to address it.
Maternal death is the death of any woman that occurs during pregnancy, labour and within six weeks after birth due to preventable factors. Maternal death remains the best indicator for the quality of women’s health care world-wide.
The Ghana Maternal Health Survey in 2007 indicated that maternal mortality ratio in Ghana was 451 deaths out of 100,000 babies born alive.
In 2008 at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital alone, out of the 10,312 pregnant women who reported, 69 of them died from problems related to child birth.
A total of 905 maternal deaths were recorded in health facilities throughout the country in 2009 and excessive bleeding was known to contribute about a quarter of all these deaths.
The directorate said there were many causes of bleeding but some life saving measures could be used to manage the situation and in the case of excessive bleeding, blood transfusion may be required.
On the role of the National Blood Transfusion Service in preventing maternal deaths, it said the service also created awareness on the need to donate blood voluntarily so that safe blood will always be available as of the time it was needed.
Unfortunately, the blood bank does not always have enough blood to be given to these women and the blood transfusion service is also appealing to all Ghanaians to cultivate the habit of donating blood voluntarily to stock the blood banks.
Males and females between the ages of 17 to 60 who weigh 50 kilograms and above can conveniently donate blood.
The service said blood donation was very simple and safe and could take about five to seven minutes after which the donor is made to rest for 10 minutes and then refreshed.

13 Children missing at Dansoman

2011-08-09T06:15:00.000-07:00

Saturday, July 2, 2011 (The Mirror Pg 21)
By Rebecca Kwei
Thirteen children between the ages of two and five living at Dansoman, a suburb of Accra, were reported missing during the first quarter of this year.
This is a sharp rise from 15 children that were reported missing from the same area for the whole of 2010 according to records at the Accra Regional Police. Within the same period too, there there was one missing child each in Tudu, Taifa and Chorkor, all suburbs of Accra.
According to ASP Cyprian Zenge of the Public Affairs Unit, five out of the 13 missing children have been found and reunited with their parents.
However, he said, those five were the ones reported to the police and there were cases where the found children were not reported.
ASP Zenge said the trend, especially around Dansoman and its environs was worrying and appealed to parents to take good care of their children and be vigilant.
He said the cases could be attributed to negligence on the part of parents who sometimes failed to pick them from school or fail to leave them in the care of someone they trust when they are leaving for work.
He said parents should ensure that they leave their children in the care of trustworthy people when they cannot take them along to wherever they are going.
“It is a crime for parents to neglect their responsibility to protect and keep safe any child whether biological or not under their care” ASP Zenge said.
He said the police was conducting a lot of education and awareness programmes on safety and security for communities but added that the primarily responsibility lied with the individual to be cautious and vigilant.
The June 18, 2011 issue of The Mirror reported that between February, 2010 and June, this year, the Social Welfare Office at the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit of the Ghana Police Service, (DOVVSU) in Accra, had received 172 cases of missing children, and more cases are being recorded daily.
Giving a break-down of the cases, the Head of the Social Welfare Office, Mr Dela Ashiagbor, said from February to December, 2010, 120 missing children were brought from various parts of the city to the unit, out of which 50 had so far been released to their families.
From January to June 14, this year, there were 52 cases out of which 14 had been reunited with their relatives.

Campaign on safe delivery begins

2011-08-09T06:08:00.000-07:00

Saturday, June 25, 2011 (The Mirror Pg 13)

By Rebecca Kwei
THE Ghana Health Service (GHS), in collaboration with the USAID Behaviour Change Support (BCS) project, has started a campaign to educate the Ghanaian public, especially women, on birth and emergency preparedness.
This is to ensure that women have healthy pregnancies and safe delivery.
The Ghana 2007 Maternal Health Survey revealed that about 451 women per 100,000 live births died in the country due to pregnancy, unsafe abortion or complications of labour (GSS 2007).
Statistics show that women in sub-Saharan Africa have a one in 22 chance of dying in childbirth, compared to only one in 4,800 for women in the United States.
As part of the project, the Greater Accra Regional Directorate of the GHS has embarked on series of educational programmes to reach out to as many women as possible for them to understand the issues of maternal health and safe motherhood.
Maternal health refers to the health of women during pregnancy, labour and after birth. Pregnancy and childbirth have an enormous impact on the physical, mental, emotional and socio-economic well-being of women and their families.
A release from the Greater Accra Health Directorate identified the main causes of maternal death as delays in recognising danger signs in pregnancy, labour and after birth; delays in making decisions to seek care; delays in reaching health facility; and delays in receiving care.
The release said one of the things that women should do to stay healthy during pregnancy, labour and after birth so that they did not lose their lives was to attend ante-natal care early and visit the clinic as soon as they realised that they were pregnant.
That is to ensure that both baby and mother are well and also to detect and treat any problems early before they become serious.
Pregnant women should eat energy-giving foods such as maize, oil, rice, cassava and yam; and body building foods such as fish, meat, eggs and beans.
For protection against diseases, such women should consume enough fruits and vegetables, which include banana, pawpaw, mango, pineapple, okra, garden eggs and tomatoes.
There is also the need for expectant mothers to take the prescribed iron and folic acids until six weeks after the baby is born. These are blood-forming tablets and will help make the blood richer, make the woman stronger and healthier and make her sleep better. They also make the foetus grow well.
To avoid catching malaria during pregnancy, all pregnant women should take the malaria-preventing drug that will be given to them by health centres as soon as they feel the movement of the foetus. There is the need for women who take the malaria tablets to report to their health centres if they experience fever after taking them.
Another intervention which is important for pregnant women is tetanus injection, this is given once or twice to protect the mother and the baby from getting tetanus.
To have safe pregnancy and delivery, a pregnant woman should report to a health facility immediately she experiences severe headache, blurred vision and excessive vomiting, and finds that the inside of their eyelids are pale.
During labour, some of the danger signs which women should not ignore include vaginal bleeding before the baby is born; green, brownish or foul smelling fluid from the vagina, persistent and severe abnormal pain which is tender to touch; no movement of the foetus; fever; baby not born within 24 hours of being in labour; convulsions, which are signs of pregnancy-induced hypertension and the loss of consciousness.
The statement mentioned some of the danger signs a woman could experience after birth to include retained placenta and womb infection which could manifest as fever and chills; abdominal pains and tenderness; and also badly smelling discharge from the vagina.
It said women could help themselves and their unborn babies if they avoided drinking alcohol during pregnancy, stopped smoking or chewing tobacco or not expose themselves to poison as these could make the baby abnormal or underweight.
They are also to sleep under insecticide treated nets (ITN) to prevent mosquito bites, have enough rest and also do daily exercises such as walking to strengthen their muscles.

Nana Boroo is Malaria Ambassador

2011-08-09T06:06:00.000-07:00

Saturday, June 16, 2011 (The Mirror Pg 19)
By Rebecca Kwei
Hiplife musician, Nana Boroo (Nana Osei Bonsu), has urged every Ghanaian to sleep under insecticide treated nets to prevent malaria.
He said prevention was better than cure and sleeping under treated nets was a sure way to prevent malaria which was a major cause of death, especially in children and pregnant women in sub Saharan African.
Nana Boroo made the call when he was unveiled as the Malaria Ambassador at a short ceremony held at the Citizen Kofi Entertainment Centre in Accra.
Music easily carries messages across and using it as a behaviour change communication component has worked well over the years.
Thus, Nana Borro was chosen to use the medium of music to encourage people to sleep under treated nets.
The project dubbed ‘Aha yede’ — Always sleep under a treated net’- has been put together by the USAID, Promoting Malaria Prevention and Treatment (ProMPT), the Ghana Health Service and the National Malaria Control Programme.
His hit track ‘Aha yede’ has been remixed as ‘Aha yede-ntom tom be wu’ as the theme song.
Part of the lyrics of the song in English and Akan which says “Let’s come together and drive malaria away- Sleep under treated net every day” talks about the benefits of sleeping under treated nets in an interesting way.
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.
A survey showed that almost every household in Ghana had an ITN but “sleeping in the ITN” was the problem.
Therefore, as the Malaria Ambassador, Nana Boroo said he would create more awareness and also intensify education to encourage Ghanaians to sleep in treated nets to prevent malaria.
“The mosquito doesn’t care where you sleep, who you sleep with or what you do when you sleep. The best way to prevent the mosquito bite which results in malaria is to sleep under the treated net,” Nana Boroo emphasised.
Recently at the launch of six different reports published by the Roll Back Malaria (RBM) Partnership highlighting the progress and impact made in the fight against malaria, it came to light that in the past 10 years 736,700 children in 34 African countries had been saved from malaria through the use of insecticide-treated nets (ITNs), indoor residual spraying (IRS), effective medicines and preventive treatment during pregnancy.
Within the same period, household distribution and ownership of ITNs increased significantly in sub-Saharan Africa from three per cent in 2000 to 42 per cent in 2010.
The Coordinators of the project, Ian Tweedie and Maurice Oquaye, who engaged guests at the event in a pop quiz, said one person died from malaria in Ghana every three hours.
They said severe malaria was also a major cause of permanent brain damage and physical disability.
Treated nets which has been approved by the World Health Organisation (WHO) give double protection by preventing the mosquito from landing on you and the insecticide in it repels or kills the mosquito when they land on the net.

Omar Captan: Powered by looks and ability

2011-08-09T06:03:00.000-07:00

By Rebecca Kwei
He is suave and exudes an aura that easily draws him to others.
There’s little doubt that actor, Omar Shariff Captan’s good looks and acting abilities are the elements that have kept him in the movie business for the past 22 years.
For someone who studied electrical engineering at the Accra Technical Training Centre, little did he know that he would one day be tagged as an international actor.
His ‘accidental landing’ in the industry came about while he was working as a Production Assistant on the movie, ‘Diabolo’.
“It was the late Fred Addy who saw me work as a production assistant and encouraged me to go into acting because he felt I could do well in that field,” Omar recalled.
“I took his advice and even started to believe in myself because I had performed on stage during my time at Snaps and Benkum Secondary schools,” he added.
A year later, in 1990, Omar had his debut in ‘Outrage’ where he starred alongside more experienced screen personalities like Mac Jordan Amartey, Eunice Banini and Super OD.
He then had another role in ‘My Sweetie’ the following year and other movies he could not immediately recall.
Omar’s major break came in 1996 when he played the lead role as a drug baron in ‘Dark Sands’.
He played his part well and offers to star in other movies started to pour in. He has been in some Ghana-Nigeria collaborations and in hit soaps operas like ‘Tentacles’ and ‘Broadway.’
Omar says he has now lost count of the number of movies he has starred in, mostly as a lover boy or a bad guy over the last 22 years.
Omar’s other big break materialised in 2007 when he became part of the cast of M-net’s still-running popular soap opera, ‘Tinsel.’
Shot in Nigeria, ‘Tinsel’ is packed with drama, passion, secrets and betrayal and is set against the background of a Lagos-based film studio in which romance, ambition and family feuds turn the boardroom into a battleground, and life into a rollercoaster of emotions and adventure.
Omar plays the role of Reginald Okoh, a smooth-talking workaholic who finds himself caught up in a love triangle.
“Being part of ‘Tinsel’ has been amazing. I have learnt a lot of things from how to go about shooting in a studio to improving my acting skills,” he said.
Omar’s view is that the movie business in Ghana has seen tremendous improvement but he was not happy about the fact that old actors were not being featured in movies even when their inputs were needed.
“Why must you paint the beard of a young man white just to portray him as an old man when there are old actors who can play that role?” he queried.
“The Harrison Fords, Sean Connerys and Michael Douglases are still acting. Even in neighbouring Nigeria, you still have old actors in active roles. Why not Ghana?”
Another challenge with the movie business, according to Omar, has to do with executive producers whom he described as businessmen and not producers.
He explained that because the executive producers are businessmen, their desire is often to make quick profit out of what they had invested. This sometimes leads to the influx of low-quality movies on the market.
Aside acting, Omar has learnt on the job to be a cameraman, sound technician and editor.
In between his acting career, he has also worked with various corporate organisations such as Mitsubishi, Corporate Guardian and AFGO.
He currently manages D’Imago, an advertising, film production and event management firm.
He does not see himself retiring from the movie business soon since he aspires to be an executive producer as well as a director in the near future.
Born in Accra to Samir Captan, the current Chairman of the Ghana Boxing Association and Naomi Awuku, Omar has two daughters: Paula, 10 and Doreen, 7.
On his relationship status, Omar says “I dey” with a coy smile.

Elizabeth-Irene, two others win Burt Award

2011-05-09T08:31:00.000-07:00

Saturday, April 30, 2011 (The Mirror Pg 47)

By Rebecca Kwei
“The more you read, the more you know” is a popular saying which the august gathering at the British Council for the launch of the Burt Award Winning Books made even more pressing as speaker after speaker emphasised the need to invest in books, revive creative writing and put information on Ghana on the shelves and stands globally.
For Prof Ablade Glover, Director of the Arts Alliance Gallery, what was more refreshing was the fact that, “we are seeing African writers tapping into our own African dreams and aspirations.
“A very special place of honour must be accorded these men and women who today are devoting time and energies to write for us, particularly young minds, and helping in a major way to win these young minds from the lures of alien cultures currently swallowing us, well almost”.
He expressed the hope that the award winning books will be made available for the young and that “when they are made available they will not lie on the shelves untouched, but they will be read and read copiously”.
Prof Glover urged policy makers to formulate policies and programmes that will plant African efforts in literature firmly in the educational system.
The President of the Ghana Writers Association (GAW), Mr Kwasi Gyan -Apenteng, who chaired the function said it was the position of the association and like-minded bodies like the Ghana Book Publishers Association to send a request to the government to institute a policy that will ensure that government buys a minimum of 1000 copies of every book published in Ghana that passes a quality threshold.
He said the association was keen on being part of the educational agenda of the country and has started a schools outreach programme which showed that many schools have Writers Clubs.
Consequently, Mr Gyan-Apenteng said the association would re-launch a magazine, Takra, which used to be a GAW literary publication in the 70s to encourage young writers to publish their stories, poems and reviews.
Again he said the Ghana Literary Awards would be revived.
The Deputy Director General of the Ghana Education Service, Mr Charles Tsegah, said the ministry would collaborate with the Ghana Book Trust to provide some of the copies of the winning titles for school libraries to complement efforts being made under the Ghana Education Service’s National Literacy Acceleration Programme (NALAP) to improve the reading skills and habits of the youth.
The Executive Director of the Ghana Book Trust, Mr Robert Amoako, said Bill Burt established the awards after he had visited some African countries and saw the need for relevant reading materials.
The Burt Award honours, which is co-ordinated by the Ghana Book Trust, supports the writing and publication of excellent young adults literature by and for Africans. It is sponsored by CODE, a Canadian NGO, with support from a Canadian Philanthropist, Bill Burt.
The awards are restricted to authors who are Ghanaian citizens and resident in Ghana.
For the maiden edition of the award, Elizabeth-Irene Baitie won the first prize with her book The Twelfth Heart. She received GH¢16,000.
Kwabena Ankomah-Kwakye’s The Deliverer took the second prize of GH¢8,000 while The Mystery of the Haunted House written by Ruby Yayra Goka received the third prize of GH¢4,000.
Mr Amoako said the trust had purchased 3,000 each of the three award winning books to be donated to schools and libraries across the country.
He said as part of the Burt Award, the trust also organises training for writers and editors to improve their capacity to write.
The awards have also been established in Tanzania and Ethiopia.

Dream! We'll make it happen

2011-05-09T08:27:00.000-07:00

Saturday, April 30, 2011 (The Mirror Pg 46)

By Rebecca Kwei
Do you have a dream? One that can have your home totally transformed for you?
Then continue to dream big, because it may soon come true, thanks to a new series on television, Dream Makeovers.
Dream Makeovers is a family-oriented infotainment show that rewards beneficiaries with a free makeover.
The show, which started airing on GTV in February this year and is aired at 6.30 p.m. every Saturday, seeks to, among others, celebrate unsung heroes in society and show that every home can be transformed using the basic elements of design.
The beneficiaries range from people with touching stories, local philanthropists, professionals who show exceptional commitment on and for the jobs they do in public or private service and celebrities who are making significant contributions to society.
So far, nine beneficiaries have been rewarded with a total transformation of their homes.
They are Ghana’s first policewoman, Madam Rose Nkansah, whose bedroom was transformed and also provided with a new bathroom; Daniel Boahene, a teacher of the St John’s Grammar School who has taught for 25 years, was rewarded with two fully furnished bedrooms for his children; the Teshie Orphanage had its living room given a new look; Basics International at Chorkor in Accra also had its hostel transformed, while Mrs Kate Duggan, a philanthropist, also had her living room changed beautifully.
The others are Tina Odamtey, a hair stylist for children who had her living room changed to make it more child-friendly; Dr Mawuli Ametepey, a surgeon at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, was rewarded with a brand new living and dining room; Mr Nat Botchway had a new office set for the Help Age branch at Bubuashie, a suburb of Accra, while Steven Grant, who runs a school for children of squatters, received a new single room plus kitchen.
“As an interior designer, I realised that many people wanted to know how to transform their living areas without the transformation costing them an arm and a leg. From experience, I knew how and wanted to teach little tricks on how to transform a home at very little cost,” Zoe Akosua Akumia, the creator and host of the show, said concerning how it all started.
She said in order to teach how to redo a home, she needed someone’s house and the idea of also rewarding someone who was making a positive impact on society came.
On how those beneficiaries got rewarded, Zoe explained that people nominated the beneficiaries, giving reasons, after which the story was investigated to find out if it was credible.
Dream Makeovers is designed such that viewers get to know the beneficiary, why he or she was selected and the impact the show will have on people’s lives. It is also interlaced with good housekeeping, design and home improvement tips.
The excitement on the faces of the beneficiaries when they see their makeover homes is a sight to behold.
As I watched the episodes, the surprises, excitement and appreciation on the faces of the beneficiaries, their families and friends gave me goose bumps all over.
“I am so excited! God bless you!” were the words of Tina Odamtey, a beneficiary, as tears welled up in her eyes.
For the children of the Teshie Orphanage, they could not have been happier and more thankful for their new environment.
“I love doing things for people and when the beneficiaries get all excited about their new homes, that is the high point for me,” Zoe said.
Season One of Dream Makeovers ends on May 7 and, according to Zoe, she had invested a lot of money in the project, adding that for Season Two to be feasible, she would need a lot of funding.
“I intend to take Dream Makeovers across the whole country so I’m appealing to corporate Ghana to come on board to help make the dreams of unsung heroes a reality,” she said.
She was grateful to her sponsors — Latex Foam, Syriatex, Global Lighting Centre, Sikelele, West African Decor Tiles and Manet.
Why don’t you make a date with GTV at 6.30 p.m. tonight to find out who the 10th beneficiary of a dream makeover will be?

Journalists promote use of bednets

2011-05-09T08:24:00.000-07:00

Saturday, April 30, 2011 (The Mirror Pg 34)

From Rebecca Kwei, Ahwiam
As part of the World Malaria Day celebrations which fell on Monday, April 25, members of the African Media and Malaria Research Network (AMMREN) in collaboration with other partners promoted the use of bednets in some communities of the Dangme West District.
Malaria affects about three million people annually in Ghana resulting in about 38,000 deaths most of whom are women and children under five. Studies have shown that the use of insecticide treated nets reduced 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.
One thousand Long Lasting Insecticide Treated Nets (LLITNs) were provided by Exxon Mobil through NetsforLife, a partnership for malaria prevention which were hung in the homes of the people of Ahwiam and other communities in the Dawa and Osuwem Area Councils of the district.
In times past ITNs were distributed to people to hang themselves but they were not being used for the purpose for which they were meant and this has resulted in a paradigm shift in the strategy for deploying ITNs known as the Hang Up method being championed by Netsforlife.
Under this volunteers actually go to homes and hang up the ITNs over the sleeping areas of households.
For the Executive Secretary of AMMREN, Mrs Charity Binka, the event was very important since this time round, journalists were not only there to report but were part of the process getting the ITNs to the people of the community.
She called on the government to waive taxes on ITNs and other anti-malarials as has been done in other African countries so that children and pregnant women would not die needlessly of malaria.
“After 11 years of the Abuja Declaration, why are we still dying of malaria? We need to engage policy makers and hold them accountable to the declarations they have signed” Mrs Binka said.
Stressing on the need to use ITNs, the Director of the Dodowa Health Research Centre, Dr Margaret Gyapong, said globally and nationally countries were striving to meet the MDG targets and with regard to malaria, the promotion and use of LLINs was one of the control measures.
She said national data showed that the use of ITN increased successively from 3.5 per cent in 2002 to a peak of 55.3 per cent in 2007.
However, the proportion of children under five years sleeping under ITNs declined significantly to 40.5 per cent in 2008. Similarly, ITN use among pregnant women has been encouraging until 2008 where it declined drastically to 30.2 per cent from a peak of 52.5 per cent in the 2007.
On her part, the District Director of Health Services, Dangme West District, Dr Evelyn K. Ansah, emphasised in the local dialect that malaria was caused by the female anopheles mosquito which liked to breed in clean and not dirty water contrary to local beliefs that malaria was caused by working in the sun, eating unripe mangoes and eating oily food.
The Monitoring and Evaluation Manager of NetsforLife, Mr Samuel Asiedu said the organisation in collaboration with its partners had distributed 4.8 million LLINs across 17 African countries with 1.2 million of those in Ghana.
This year’s World Malaria Day had the global theme “Achieving Progress and Impact” while the event had the sub theme of “Ensuring Universal Coverage of Bednets”.
It was organised in collaboration with the Dodowa Health Research Centre, the District Health Service with funding from the Malaria Clinical Trials Alliance (MCTA) of the INDEPTH Network.

Daring ‘419’ at Ghana Music Awards - As VIP snap top prize

2011-05-09T08:20:00.000-07:00

By Rebecca Kwei
Despite the tight security measures organisers adopted to check overcrowding at last Saturday’s MTN Ghana Music Awards by ensuring that ticket sales matched the number of seats available at the Dome, some cheats still managed to print and sell fake tickets.
Close to 100 fake tickets from punters were confiscated from patrons who had purchased them from a young man who is currently in custody at the Ministries Police Station in Accra while investigations go on.
This year’s cache seems to be the largest of all incidences of fake tickets impounded by Charterhouse security at any of their public events.
It will be recalled that Charterhouse, organisers of many other special events, had always been criticised for poor protocol management.
People who attended their events and faced difficulty finding seats accused Charterhouse of selling more tickets than there were seats.
Although Charterhouse had explained that no matter how hard they tried to put things in place, people always managed to beat the system by either coming in through the backstage or some unauthorised exit.
This year’s event, which took place at the Dome, a huge makeshift tent marquee set on the car park of the Accra International Conference Centre, saw yet another full house.
While efforts were made this year to stop people from entering the main hall through unauthorised routes and exits, a good number still managed to infiltrate using the fake tickets, perhaps, unknowingly.
“If you consider that our quota for paid VIP tickets was only 150 seats, the remaining seats in that area were reserved for nominees, award presenters and sponsors. You can begin to appreciate that we cannot afford to have even one seat unaccounted for. Someone would have bought an official ticket for that seat so anyone who takes up that one seat, with a fake ticket, causes a major problem for our protocol arrangements,” explained Ms Hedwig Quist, head of security and protocol for the event.
“Now that the kingpin of ticket racketeering has been caught, perhaps, it will make our protocol work easier,” she added.
All that notwithstanding, the show took off to a flying start, kicking off with a brilliant performance from Sherifa Gunu, Bertha and Efya who did a medley of Osibisa tunes namely Welcome Home, Osa (Warrior Song) and Celebration which saw the legendary leader of Osibisa Teddy Osei himself joining the girls, and blowing his trumpet!
Teddy Osei received the Lifetime Achievement Award on behalf of Osibisa, and it was presented to him by the former Vice President of the International Federation of Musicians (FIM), Alhaji Sidiku Buari.
And so the performances and receiving of awards went on till the end of the night when the sensational boys from Nima, the group VIP (Vision In Progress), came up to receive the ‘Artiste of the Year’ award – their second time – having earlier picked up the one for ‘Hiplife/Hiphop Artiste of the Year’ award.
MC for the night was the inimitable KKD!
Here’s the full list of winners for the night:
Artiste of the Year - VIP
Most Popular Song - 'Aha Ye De', Nana Boroo
Discovery - Herty Borngreat
Hip hop /Hiplife Song - 'Africa Girl' by Castro and Asamoah Gyan
Hip hop/Hiplife Artistes - VIP
Hip-hop Song - 'Get On the Dance Floor' D' Black
Gospel Song - 'Efunuba' Cecilia Marfo
Gospel Artiste - No Tribe
Highlife Song' – ‘Dadeanoma' Kwabena Kwabena
Highlife artiste - Kwabena Kwabena
Afro-Pop Song – ‘Kiss Your Hand’, R2Bees
Reggae Song - IWAN
Best Collaboration - 'Africa Girls', Castro and Asamoah Gyan
Best Rapper - Trigmatic
African Artiste - K'Naan
Record - Sammi B
Album – ‘CEO’, Samini
Song Writer – ‘Efunuba’ by Pastor Boamah
Best Male Vocal Performance - KNii Lante
Best Female Vocal Performance - Efya
Producer - Zapp Mallet
World Bank Music for Development Award - Reggy Zippy, with GH¢3,000. All the other nominees took home GHC¢300. Abraham Ohene-Gyan of OM Studios took home GH¢5,000 for helping to promote 100 per cent indigenous Ghanaian music on his Fiesta TV platform.

Dr Vera Fosu — Best All-round Student

2011-04-13T06:20:00.000-07:00

Saturday, April 9, 2011 (The Mirror Pg 3)
By Rebecca Kwei
RUNNING around playfully on the dusty backroads of Tamale as a child, Vera Mawusime Fosu continually had it at the back of her mind that her father had been talking about her becoming a medical doctor one day and her heart is now swollen with pride that the prediction has materialised.
At the 10th Congregation and swearing-in ceremony of the College of Health Sciences of the University of Ghana held last weekend, she was the toast of the day as she officially became Dr Vera Mawusime Fosu and collected seven prizes, including the highly treasured one for Best All-round Student throughout the course.
The other prizes were the Lucy Peprah Tawiah Prize for Best Female Student in Child Health; Harry Sawyerr Prize for Best Overall Student in Child Health; Harry Sawyerr Prize in Medicine and Therapeutics; MB ChB Final Part I Best Overall Student; David Scott Prize in Community Health and the Ghana Medical Association Prize for Best Overall Student in the MB Ch.B Final Part II Examination.
“I feel great and blessed, especially with the overall best student prize. I was surprised at that because I was in a very competitive class with equally intelligent students but by the grace of God I came out tops,” she told The Mirror in an interview.
Aside the grace of God factor, Vera attributed her success to hard work and the support of her parents, husband, friends and congregation of the International Central Gospel Church, Holy Family Assembly at Dansoman in Accra.
She also said she had role models whom she looked up to for hope and encouragement as she ploughed on with her studies. She mentioned Prof. Efua Hesse, the Director of Medical Affairs at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital and other female doctors whom she greatly respected for excelling in the medical field.
Becoming a medical doctor did not come by chance for Vera. She recollected growing up and how her parents, father especially, always told her she would be a doctor in future. That hint did not leave her until she got to secondary school and started admiring a friend’s father’s profession: civil engineering.
“I got a little change of heart and wanted to be a civil engineer. After secondary school, however, and a few discussions here and there, I decided to go to medical school,” she recalled.
“I love taking care of people and the medical field provides that opportunity. Being a doctor is about saving lives and bringing hope to people to make them feel better. That’s what I love doing.”
Though most girls assume that the sciences are very difficult areas to tackle, Vera says it all has to do with one’s mentality. “If you perceive it to be difficult, then it will be difficult. It is also a matter of interest. Once you have the interest and the hunger within you to make it, you can go all out for it and not rely on hearsay.”
She conceded that there are a lot of challenges with the sciences but other subjects also require hard work and determination to pull through.
In order to get more girls to offer science subjects, Vera said it was important for them to be encouraged from early childhood. They must also get career counsellors and they must be given equal opportunities, just like boys.
Born in Tamale on April 3, 1985 to Dr Mathias Fosu, a research scientist and Mrs Matilda Fosu, a teacher, Vera attended St Monica’s Primary School in Nyankpala to Class Five before moving to Accra to continue her basic education at St Anthony’s Preparatory School, South Odorkor from Class Six to the Junior High School level.
She had her secondary school education at Yaa Asantewaa where she offered Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Elective Maths and completed in 2002. She then entered the University of Ghana in August 2003.
For now, the young brilliant doctor is still basking in the euphoria of coming out tops at her graduation as she waits to start her housemanship at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital next month. She hopes to specialise in Family Medicine in the future.
Dr Vera Mawusime Fosu is married to Dr Titus Beyuo whom she met in medical school.

WHO releases list of drugs — To save mothers and children

2011-04-13T06:17:00.000-07:00

Saturday, March 6, 2011 (The Mirror Pg 34)

By Rebecca Kwei
Surveys conducted in 14 African countries show that children's medicines are available in only 35 to 50 per cent of public and private pharmacies and drug stores.
The availability of medicines in developing countries for maternal and child health is compromised by poor supply and distribution systems, insufficient health facilities and staff, low investment in health and the high cost of medicines.
Consequently, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has compiled its first ever list of priority medicines that need to be available everywhere for maternal and child health.
The top 30 essential medicines which was launched at the 18th Expert Committee on the Selection and Use of Essential Medicines in Accra, was compiled by experts in maternal and child health and medicines who analysed the WHO Model List of Essential Medicines and the latest WHO treatment guidelines to establish which medicines would save the most lives.
A Clinical Pharmacologist at the WHO, Dr Suzanne Hill, at a press briefing, said more than eight million children under the age of five still died every year from causes such as pneumonia, diarrhoea and malaria while an estimated 1,000 women died every day due to complications during pregnancy and childbirth.
"Almost all of these deaths occur in developing countries and the vast majority can be prevented when the right medicines are available in the right formulations and are prescribed and used correctly," she said.
According to the WHO, haemorrhage or severe bleeding was the leading cause of maternal death and it could kill a healthy woman within two hours of giving birth.
It said an injection of oxytocin, immediately after delivery, can stop bleeding and can make the difference between life and death.
Other medicines on the list for mothers are medicines to treat infection, high blood pressure and sexually transmitted infections and drugs to prevent preterm birth.
Additionally, the WHO estimates that pneumonia kills an estimated 1.6 million children under the age of five years, yet research has shown that treatment with simple antibiotics could prevent as many as 600,000 deaths.
It said improving access to Oral Rehydration Salts (ORS) and zinc tablets would save many of the 1.3 million children who are dying annually from diarrhoea.
The organisation noted that medicines appropriate for children are often not available, partly because of lack of awareness that children need different medicines from adults.
As a result, health workers are forced to adapt medicines intended for adults. Tablets are crushed into imprecise portions and dissolved into unpalatable drinks that are difficult for children to swallow and are potentially ineffective, toxic or harmful.
The WHO, therefore, recommends that wherever possible, medicines for children should be provided in doses that are easy to measure and easy for children to take.
A newly developed artemisinin combination tablet for malaria is dissolved in liquid and is sweet tasting, making it easier for children to swallow and ensuring that they receive correct and effective doses.

Regular eye examination prevents glaucoma

2011-03-14T03:33:00.000-07:00

Saturday, March 12, 2011 (The Mirror Pg 13)

By Rebecca Kwei
THE President of the Glaucoma Association of Ghana (GAG), Mr Harrison Kofi Abutiate, has urged Ghanaians to go for regular eye examination in order to help prevent glaucoma which causes blindness.
He said although some risk factors for glaucoma such as heredity could not be prevented, regular monitoring and maintaining healthy eyes could help prevent the onset of the disease.
Mr Abutiate said this at the launch of this year’s World Glaucoma Awareness Week organised by the Glaucoma Association of Ghana (GAG), in collaboration with other eye care stakeholders.
The World Glaucoma Day is celebrated on March 12, each year and the theme for this year’s event is “Glaucoma — Don’t lose sight of your family”.
Glaucoma is the second most common cause of blindness world-wide and it is estimated that 4.5 million people are blind due to glaucoma and this will rise to 11.2 million by 2020.
In Ghana, it is estimated that more than 600,000 people have glaucoma and 30,000 may be blind from it.
Mr Abutiate said a global programme dubbed Vision 2020 — the right to sight which was launched in 1999 was halfway through with 10 years left to achieve the goal of the elimination of avoidable blindness by 2020.
“Too many people are going blind unnecessarily. It is, therefore, our ethical and moral duty that anything that can be done to prevent blindness and restore sight must be done” he said.
He gave the assurance that the association would continue to create awareness so that the general public will seek avenues to check their eyes adding that from 2005 to date there has been dramatic increase in the numbers of patient attendance at various clinics and hospitals for eye checks.
He further called on government to waive duties on medicines and equipment for eye care so that more professionals can provide the public with better eye care services.
To support the GAG, the Minister of Health, Mr Joseph Yieleh Chireh, who launched the week, said the ministry would include in its budget GH¢10,000 each year to support the activities of GAG.
He said this year had been set aside by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the United Nations as a year to focus on non-communicable diseases and that glaucoma would, therefore receive maximum attention.
Consequently, he said the National Eye Care Programme had come out with the policy direction and strategy for managing glaucoma in Ghana.
The strategy he said was to raise awareness for people to know about the disease and report early; put in place screening facilities to detect cases early and manage cases early and properly.
Mr Chireh said to support the glaucoma control programme as well as the management of other eye diseases in the country, the ministry had increased intake into the Ophthalmic Nursing Training School to produce more Eye Nurses and more doctors have enrolled with the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons to be trained as Ophthalmologists.
He said the ministry had also placed an order for basic ophthalmic equipment to support the staff in their work and to make screening for conditions such as glaucoma possible in district hospitals.

Gifty Anti - a gift to our women

2011-03-14T03:31:00.000-07:00

Saturday, March 5, 2011 (The Mirror Pg 16/17)

By Rebecca Kwei
Perhaps her name Gifty inspires her to ‘be a gift onto others’ and that is why ever-bubbly broadcast journalist, Gifty Dansoa Anti, is using the media to ensure that women have a voice that is clearly heard by all.
She has taken a stand through her regular programme on television, The Standpoint, to create a vital platform for women to air their views on a wide variety of important matters.
According to Gifty, The Standpoint was born out of the frustration of sitting in a newsroom where issues regarding women and their empowerment were not given enough prominence.
Having watched The View, an American programme hosted by four females having fun while discussing serious issues, Gifty decided to have her own programme where she could freely talk about the things she was passionate about — issues affecting women and their well-being.
“We live in a society where women are seen in a certain light, especially women who are assertive. The Standpoint creates the environment where women speak frankly about issues and share experiences on how they have been able to survive and empower themselves so others can learn from them,” she stated.
As the world celebrates the 100th International Women’s Day on Tuesday, March 8, countless women (and men) who have committed themselves to improving the lives of women and girls around the world will be honoured. But there are many unsung women contributing their quota to women’s empowerment who also need to be inspired and celebrated.
Sitting with her in the airy corridor of the GTV Newsroom, Gifty said to date there had been 141 episodes of The Standpoint which had seen panellists discussing topics such as Is Marriage the Ultimate?, Dealing With a Broken Heart, Life Without a Biological Child, Cervical Cancer, Safe Pregnancy, Understanding the Pregnant Woman, Breast Cancer, Pregnancy Did Not Stop Me, Life With a Sickle Cell Child, Life With an Autistic Child, The Muslim Man and Gender Equality, Women and Politics, among others.
Since July 2008 when the programme started airing, it has caught on with many Ghanaians and also touched lives in so many ways.
Giving instances, Gifty said a mother who had sent her daughter out of the house because she was pregnant went in search of her after watching one of the programmes titled ‘Pregnancy did not stop me’.
She said after the programme, the mother called her (Gifty) and told her what she had done.
Fortunately, she found her pregnant daughter and took care of her till she delivered. The young girl is now back in school.
In another story, a young girl about to have an unsafe abortion and actually had the concoction she was about to drink by her, watched a discussion on “Meet the survivors” which featured two young single mothers and a rape victim. After the programme, she called Gifty who spoke to her mother. The good news is that she had a safe delivery and is now back in medical school.
A panellist on the programme which discussed “Life without a biological child” had her former in-laws calling her to apologise and tell her they did not realise what they had put her through.
There is also the story of a young professional lady living in an abusive marriage in the Upper West Region who also watched the programme on “Marital Abuse”. She sent an e-mail to Gift detailing all that she was going through and how she was ready to commit suicide because her parents and relatives were insisting she stay in the marriage.
“We got her some assistance. She moved out of home and, thankfully, her parents who were afraid to take her in or help her financially because of traditions and beliefs took her in and now she is gainfully employed and taking care of her sons,” Gifty said with pride in her voice.
“The testimonies by abused persons who have been on the programme have been amazing. Many have received apologies from the perpetrators. The show is inundated with calls and we have referred many women to specialists. Many women have written to say how liberated and enlightened they became after watching the programme,” she said.
“More men are freely exploring their feminine sides and want to appear on the programme,” she added with a giggle.
“The Standpoint is our way of supporting the struggle to empower women and the sensitisation through the power of the media has been obvious. Women talk openly and freely about so-called taboo topics,” she said.
For Gifty, although some strides had been made to empower women, there was still a long way to go and that it was first and foremost up to women to change their attitudes.
“It is not what society says. Women need to be stronger, assertive and believe in ourselves. It is not only unmarried women who can make it; you can be married and have it all. If you are not married, there is still a lot you can do.
“Every woman’s dream should be to be in a space where she can be all that she wants to be, married or single. And when you get into that space where you can be all that you want to be, you must hold on with passion, determination and focus, not letting anything push you out of that space.
Gifty, who is the last of eight children (four boys and four girls), had different professions in mind while growing up. She had wanted to be an air hostess, while her father, the late Samuel Anti, wanted her to be a lawyer. She also liked people in uniform but her dad would have none of that.
“My stint in the media was by accident,” she explained. Having failed to gain admission to read Land Economy at the university after completing Mfanstiman Girls’ Secondary School, one of her brothers encouraged her to apply to the Ghana Institute of Journalism.
Her first broadcast experience was at Joy FM where she was a regular panellist on the Young Generation and Every Woman programmes.
When she got the chance to do her National Service with GTV in 1997, her impressive output culminated in her moving from being a floor manager to hosting the Breakfast Show. She is now an Assistant Chief Editor.
“It is the way I was socialised. My father always told me, ‘for your good, not your goods’. So no matter where I find myself, I try and give of my best”.
She runs commentary on many state programmes, does live interviews and has also covered some international assignments. Locally, Gifty has covered stories from all the 10 regions of the country.
Gifty, who holds a Masters degree in International Journalism from City University in London, has also attended a number of training courses at the United Nations, the Commonwealth Broadcasting Association and had internship at SABC-Africa in South Africa.
She hopes to produce more programmes in the future and also give young people the chance to host them.
In the next five years she is optimistic about setting up a production company to help abused children and women. But, ultimately, she is aiming at starting a home for the elderly where they can go for a hot meal every day.
“My ultimate satisfaction is the people whose lives I touch and the people I help. It is an explained feeling when you become the answer to someone’s problem, dilemma or challenge; the hero is someone’s life,” she said.
For all the guys who have their eyes on Gifty, it’s time to step back because she says she is seriously attached to a special person.
“When are the wedding bells ringing?” I asked.
“It will happen .... soon,” she said with a laugh.
The Standpoint is a private production by GDA Concepts. It is aired on GTV twice a week — 8.15 p.m. on Fridays and repeated at 2.30 p.m. on Tuesdays.

Observe basic hygiene to prevent cholera

2011-03-14T03:28:00.000-07:00

Saturday, February 26, 2011 (The Mirror Pg 21)

By Rebecca Kwei
The Deputy Director of Public Health at the Greater Accra Health Directorate, Dr Edward Antwi, has called on Ghanaians to observe basic personal hygiene in order to avoid contracting cholera.
The call comes in the wake of the rising incidence of cholera in the country.
In all, a total of 1,396 cases and 34 deaths have been recorded .
Cholera is a diarrhoel disease caused by infection of the intestine with the bacterium vibrio cholerae. Both children and adults can be infected and it is characterised by the sudden onset of profuse painless watery diarrhoea, occasional vomiting and rapid dehydration.
At an emergency meeting organised by the Ghana Health Service on Wednesday on how to outline ways of responding to the outbreak, it was reported that Central Region had 396 cases with 18 deaths; Eastern Region, 258 cases with three deaths, while the Greater Accra Region had recorded 742 cases with 13 deaths.
Dr Antwi said with the onset of the rains, the situation could be alarming and advised the public to make sure their surroundings were clean and they also buy foods from clean environments.
He expressed concern about the unsanitary conditions in the cities and called for intensive public education in order for homes, markets and other dwelling places to be kept clean.
Cholera could be contracted through eating food that contains cholera germs, eating fruits and vegetables, especially those grown by irrigation with waste water and also when fruits and vegetables are eaten raw and not properly washed.
Other mode of transmission, according to health experts, are drinking water contaminated with cholera germs, and not washing hands properly with soap and water after attending to a person with the cholera, among others.
Dr Antwi appealed to the public that in case of diarrhoea and or vomiting, the affected person should be rushed immediately to the nearest healthcare facility for free treatment since those who died reported late, and nothing could be done to save them.
In his presentation, Dr Emmanuel K. Dotsi of the Disease Surveillance Department of the GHS, said about 21 districts had reported cholera cases to date and it was very possible that it could spread to other regions or districts.
He said results of environmental assessment showed that there was poor access to clean and safe drinking water, indiscriminate defecation, selling of food near open drains, urban slums and poor environmental sanitation.
Consequently, Dr Dotsi said there was need to enhance diarrhoea surveillance, improve case management and intensify public education, using multiple approaches.
Additionally, he said it was important to enforce by-laws on sanitation and food hygiene, ensure access to safe water and promote safe preparation of food, safe disposal of human waste, as well as the proper management of dead bodies.

Commit more funds into DV act — Bekoe

2011-02-24T12:20:00.000-08:00

Saturday, February 19, 2011 (The Mirror Pg 3)

By Rebecca Kwei
The Co-ordinator of the Domestic Violence (DV) Coalition, Mr Adolph Awake Bekoe, has called on the government to give priority to gender-based violence and commit more funds for the implementation of the DV Act.
He said the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands was so far the biggest donor towards the implementation of the DV Act, while the government's contribution was negligible.
"Civil society is not happy with the government's commitment. It is rather foreign governments giving support to deal with crimes perpetrated in Ghana," he said.
Mr Bekoe made the call at a one-day domestic violence reporting training for the media in Accra.
The programme was organised by the DV Coalition and sponsored by Cordaid.
He said gender-based violence, among other ills, undermined productivity and development and it was important that the government gave it priority and addressed issues affecting women and children.
"If we want more women to come into the public space, we must ensure they have peace in private space," he added.
He said the funds would also help train and retrain staff of the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU), judges, doctors and civil society and educate the public on domestic violence.
Mr Bekoe expressed concern that the state did not have shelter for abused women, noting that the only one was that of the Ark Foundation, an NGO.
Additionally, he said the coalition was still trying to get the meaning of the free medical provision in the DV Act, since victims of domestic violence still had to pay when they went to clinic.
Consequently, he said most victims of domestic violence did not push for prosecution because they had to foot the bill at the hospital.
Echoing the need for more funds to implement the DV Act, the acting Greater Accra Regional Co-ordinator of DOVVSU, DSP Bismark Agyapong, said the Ghana Police Service started the process of building a complex that would include a temporary shelter, a medical centre and a therapy/counselling room which would go a long way to help victims but that project had been put on hold due to lack of funds.
He mentioned some of the challenges in handling victims as delay in reporting the abuse, difficulty in getting evidence from witnesses to build a good case for prosecution and getting funds for medical treatment and reports.
DSP Agyapong urged the media to see the police as partners working for the common purpose of protecting the vulnerable against all forms of abuse.
He also appealed to the media not to publish one-sided stories.
He said since 2006, the Police Service had introduced gender issues and gender-based violence, child abuse, among others, into the curriculum of all its training schools.
In her presentation on, "Understanding Gender-based Violence and its impact", the Executive Director of the Ark Foundation, Mrs Angela Dwamena-Aboagye, said it was estimated that violence against women was a greater ill-health than traffic accidents, cancer and malaria combined.
She appealed to the media not to trivialise issues concerning gender-based violence.
Participants were also introduced to basic counselling skills.

What happens to child involved in murder?

2011-02-17T02:54:00.001-08:00

Saturday, February 12, 2011 (The Mirror Pg 3)

By Rebecca Kwei
In December last year, a four-year-old boy shot his seven-year-old sister while he was playing with his father’s shotgun at Magagia Camp at Sefwi-Wiawso.
Another incident occurred at Enhuutem-Eniehu, near Enchi in the Aowin-Suaman District, when a 13-year-old boy shot and killed a man believed to be mentally unstable.
Residents of Amisano, near Cape Coast in the Central Region, were left in tears last weekend when a 10-year-old boy accidentally shot and killed his friend.
These are a few of the most recent incidents involving children playing with shotguns, resulting in the accidental murder or injury to others.
But what happens to these children who are involved in such incidents?
According to the Public Relations Officer of the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU), Chief Inspector Irene Oppong, under the Criminal Code when a child below 12 commits such a murder, it is considered that the child has not committed any crime.
Act 29/60 Section 26 states that nothing is a crime committed by a person under 12.
What the prosecutors do is investigate the circumstances under which the crime was committed and if it is found out that it was through the negligence of an elderly person that the incident occurred, then he or she is arrested and prosecuted.
Additionally, if the act also exposed other children to danger, the elderly person is charged with that offence.
Chief Inspector Oppong said in such a situation a child who is below 12 is then taken through counselling and he might be used as a witness during the court process, depending on the circumstances.
She explained that if the child is 12 and above, upon committing the crime he or she is sent to the remand home at Osu, instead of the Nsawam Prison, and after investigations he or she might be prosecuted before a juvenile court and, if found guilty, he or she is sent to a correctional centre.
She explained that in all murder cases the docket was referred to the Attorney-General’s Office for advice.
On what would make a child pull the trigger, a consultant clinical psychologist of Psyconsult, Mr Nortey Dua, said most children world-wide were brought up and socialised in an environment that seemed to condone and endorse violence as a means of resolving conflict.
“Young children easily pick up and imitate the models and values they are bombarded with frequently. Thus some children have become desensitised to violence, even in their immature developing minds, and they see nothing wrong with violence or its consequence,” he explained.
He said children who were exposed to firearms also had the opportunity to fantasise about their use and they might, therefore, be tempted to actualise those maladaptive thoughts.
Mr Dua said some children might have an idea of the consequences but they might be too immature and impulsive to process that meaningfully in the face of strong urges, thoughts and feelings.
On what happened to a child when he/she accidentally killed, he said it was important that such a child and his or her family were shielded or protected from sensational media glare to facilitate a proper investigation into the circumstances leading up to the unfortunate incident and also assist with proper therapeutic interventions for him or her and the family.
He said investigations should be conducted by persons with the requisite professional qualifications and competencies to handle such cases, such as clinical psychologists, social workers, psychiatrists and a full medico-legal team.
“Depending on the nature of the incident and the age of the child, a broad range of reactions needs to be expected, identified and managed, such as guilt, depression and other mood disorders, suicidal thoughts and attempts, post-traumatic stress disorders, aggression, conduct disorders, sleep, eating and learning disorders,” he explained.
He further said a proper and detailed assessment of the child's psycho-social adjustment must be undertaken and recommendations made for both short and long-term management.
The family, he said, must also be helped to come to terms with the reality of the situation and also helped to acquire effective coping skills.
Mr Dua called for a lot more public and family education at all levels of society and clear messages given that violence was unacceptable in all forms and manifestations.
He called for censorship of the mass media with regard to violent language and films which seemed to model violence as an acceptable conflict resolution tool.
He said parents were ultimately responsible for the safety of their children and it was their duty to protect the children from exposure to danger or harm and also provide their needs.
Mr Dua said parents who left dangerous chemicals, implements, weapons and others which exposed their children to danger and or harm must be appropriately sanctioned in accordance with the laws of the country.

Multi-sectoral approach in health delivery vital

2011-02-17T02:52:00.001-08:00

Saturday, February 5, 2011 (The Mirror Pg 13)

By Rebecca Kwei
The Chief Pharmacist and Director of Pharmaceutical Services, Mrs Martha Gyansa-Lutterodt, has reiterated the need for a multi-sectoral approach to help remove barriers to access to affordable medicines in the country.
She said multi-sectoral approach in the health delivery system had been proven to be effective and also made the implementation of health policies easier.
Mrs Gyansa-Lutterodt was speaking at the launch of a publication of the Medicines Transparency Alliance (MeTA) Ghana in Accra.
The publication, dubbed ‘Memorable Milestones 2008-2010’ highlights the success, challenges and lessons learned during the two-year pilot phase of the MeTA project.
MeTA is an alliance of partners working to improve access to medicines by increasing transparency and accountability in the healthcare marketplace. It was funded by the UK Department for International Development (DFID) and piloted in Ghana, Jordan, Kyrgyzstan, Peru, the Philippines, Uganda and Zambia.
Mrs Gyansa-Lutterodt said all over the world policy development hinged on multi-sectoral approach and the lessons and successes chalked up by MeTA had shown that public, private and civil society collaboration was the way to go.
A co-chair of MeTA Ghana, Prof. David Ofori-Adjei, said the project had worked tirelessly to build a harmonious alliance of public, private and civil society stakeholders which now constituted the driving force to improve access to safe, efficacious and affordable medicines for Ghanaians.
For his part, Dr Alex Dodoo, also a co-chair of MeTA, said the two-year MeTA pilot ended in September last year and there was the need to be creative in finding ways to sustain the project, since MeTA’s cause of ensuring that all medicines in the country were of the best quality, easily available, prescribed and dispensed properly, and used rationally could not be downplayed.
Mr John Allotey, who represented the Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana, said the project enabled members to hold discussions with policy makers and policy implementors which helped in the formulation of policies that impacted positively on the lives of Ghanaians.
He said it was important that MeTA became an entrenched institution in the country to ensure transparency and accountability in the medicine supply chain.
A member of the MeTA Governing Council who represented Civil Society Organisations (CSO), Mr Charles Allotey, said the MeTA project had helped build the capacity of CSOs to engage and discuss issues relating to medicine distribution and pricing.
He said the project had trained more than 100 CSOs and a network of CSOs had also been established across the 10 regions of Ghana to work in medicines transparency issues.
A director at the Ministry of Health, Mr Sam Boateng, who launched the publication, said MeTA had deepened the multi-sectoral approach and also empowered consumers to have a voice in issues relating to medicines.

Find new ways to source funds for research

2011-02-17T02:51:00.000-08:00

Saturday, January 29, 2011 (The Mirror Pg 12)

By Rebecca Kwei
THE Director of the Research Division of the Ghana Health Service, Professor John Gyapong, has called on scientists in developing countries to find innovative ways of sourcing for funds for research.
He said most development partners were inundated with appeals and it was important that scientists begin to diversify their sources of funding.
Prof. Gyapong made the call at the last Annual General Meeting of the Malaria Clinical Trials Alliance (MCTA) in Accra. The MCTA is a project of the INDEPTH Network of demographic surveillance centres to help conduct clinical trials of new drugs and vaccines to fight malaria and to provide training and technical assistance to research centres across Africa among others. There are 16 centres comprising the MCTA network in 10 African countries including Ghana.
The project, which was launched in 2006 with a $17 million grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, will wind up in February this year.
Prof. Gyapong said over the last decade, several declarations had been made to support all forms of research.
However, he noted that mechanisms had not been put in place to ensure that those goals were achieved.
“If half of these declarations to support research have been implemented then probably, we would not need donor organisations to source for funds,” he said.
He commended the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for supporting the MCTA since it was good to invest in the infrastructure and human capacity for research to achieve the desired results.
Prof. Gyapong said it was important for research to be prioritised and the GHS in its own way had ensured that was done by moving research from a small unit to a divisional level.
He encouraged scientists to engage policy makers to ensure that research findings flowed easily into policy making so that the gap between research and policy making was bridged.
The Project Manager of the MCTA, Prof. Fred Binka, said the project had developed the human capacity of most African scientists to conduct quality research.
He said they had leadership that was 100 per cent African, unlike the past when they were led by foreigners.
He said the project had also increased the number of sites in Africa which were properly equipped and managed and ready to conduct quality clinical trials on vaccines and drug interventions.
Prof. Binka said the MCTA was conducting clinical trials of the new malaria vaccine for its safety and also monitoring the effectiveness of malarial drugs being deployed in African countries under the INDEPTH Effectiveness and Safety Studies of Anti-malarial drugs in Africa (INESS).
He pointed out that although the MCTA project was coming to an end, the trial sites were functional and was continuing the INESS project and trials for the malaria vaccine.
He said strengthening clinical trial facilities in Africa was key to saving millions of lives and that was what the MCTA sought to do.
The Programme Officer, Infectious Diseases, Global Health Programme of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Jessica Milman, said the foundation was very happy about the work the MCTA had carried out over the past five years and that was why it again supported the INESS project.
The Executive Director of the INDEPTH Network, Dr Osman Sankoh, said the work of the MCTA had helped to strengthen global research and development activities targeting malaria.

Intensify malaria control measures — WHO

2011-02-17T02:49:00.002-08:00

Saturday, January 29, 2011 (The Mirror Pg 13)

By Rebecca Kwei
THE World Health Organisation (WHO) has called on malaria endemic countries to intensify good malaria control measures in order to reduce transmission and lower the risk of resistant parasites from spreading.
This comes in the wake of reports of evidence of resistance to artemisinins being identified and confirmed on the Cambodia-Thailand border in Asia. The first resistance to chloroquine was discovered in the same region about a decade ago, leading to its ban later on in malaria endemic countries which had also developed resistance to it.
The WHO currently recommends the use of Artemisinin-based Combination Therapies (ACTs) for the treatment of uncomplicated malaria. The first line ACTs for the treatment of uncomplicated malaria in Ghana is the Artesunate Amodiaquine (ASAQ) while the second line is Arthemether/Lumefantrine (AL) or Dihydroartemisin Piperaquine (DHAP).
Fortunately, there has not been any resistance to artemisinins in Ghana but there is the need to mobilise immediately to contain artemisinin resistance and stop its spread to new areas.
Consequently, the WHO has developed the Global Plan for Artemisinin Resistance Containment (GPARC) which calls to action the prevention of resistance development in ACTs.
The plan was jointly developed by the Global Malaria Programme and the Roll Back Malaria in consultation with more than 100 malaria experts and seeks to guide countries on how to prevent development of resistance to artemisinin.
Speaking at a press briefing in Accra, the WHO Advisor for Malaria, Dr Felicia Owusu-Antwi, said what countries could do to prevent the emergence of resistance was to increase monitoring and surveillance to evaluate the threat of artemisinin resistance as well as improve access to diagnostics and rational treatment with ACTs.
For Ghana, she among others said, “There should be consistent and accurate diagnostic testing for patients suspected of having malaria; better access to ACTs for confirmed malaria cases; compliance with ACT treatment; removal or non patronage of artemisinin mono-therapies and elimination of all sub-standard and counterfeit drugs.
The Programme Manager of the National Malaria Control Programme, Dr Constance Bart-Plange, said it was important to guard ACTs because “if we lose ACTs we are finished.”
She said doctors have been retrained but there were still some “stubborn ones who were still prescribing monotherapy” which were no longer effective treatment for malaria.
On making ACTs affordable, she said with the introduction of the Affordable Medicines Facility-Malaria (AMFm), the ACTs which were of good quality were selling between GH¢1 to 1.50 p.
However, she said some saboteurs were selling the medicines at very high prices and called on the public to be on the look out and report such people.
Dr Bart-Plange said the era where every fever was malaria was over and that the NMCP had deployed rapid diagnostic test kits to health facilities and pharmacies to ensure that people were confirmed to be having malaria before they were given an anti-malarial.
The programme was organised by the Johns Hopkins University Voices for Malaria Free Future in collaboration with the NMCP and the Ghana Health Service.

Achibra wins 2011 Martin Luther King award

2011-01-27T01:44:00.000-08:00

Saturday, January 22, 2011 (The Mirror)

By Rebecca Kwei
FOR his commitment and courage in stopping child trafficking and promoting child welfare in communities in the Volta Lake area, Mr George Achibra has been awarded the US Embassy’s 2011 Martin Luther King, Jr. Award.
This is the fourth year the embassy has presented the Martin Luther King, Jr. Award for Peace and Social Justice to a Ghanaian citizen who has best personified the philosophy and actions of Dr King Jr.
The award is to recognise a Ghanaian citizen who has been engaged in building a culture of peacemaking through activism for non-violence, social justice and stabilisation while promoting human rights and peace in the communities where he or she lives and works and has shown sustainable results from his or her actions.
Mr Achibra founded the Partners in Community Development Programme (PACODEP) in Kete Krachi in 2003 to work with partners toward protecting the rights of all persons, especially vulnerable children, and supporting them to build their future.
Since then, Mr Achibra and his volunteers with PACODEP have continued to rescue trafficked children working on the Volta lake and provided them with long-term care solutions when reunification with the children’s families was not an option.
So, Mr Achibra says PACODEP and its partners have rescued about 355 children between the ages of four to 15 years. Sixty-eight children are currently at the Village of Hope, Gomoa Fetteh, 22 at the Village of Life, Kete-Krachi while the rest have re-integrated into society or reunited with their families.
The rescued children are at the moment either schooling or engaged in skills training such as soap making, basketry, weaving and jewellery.
Asked how he felt about the award, Mr Achibra said “I’m lost for words but I thank God for how far He has brought me. Little did I know that the work I was doing on the Island district will be recognised. But there was a ‘bigger eye’ somewhere watching. I’m highly elated.”
According to Mr Achibra, the award would spur him on as well as the volunteers to put the issue of human trafficking on the national agenda and the world at large so that “we can give a voice to these voiceless children”.
He said he was very passionate about children and would continue to work hard to see to it that rescued trafficked children were given hope and most importantly, formal education since they were the future leaders of the country.
Since the inception of PACODEP, it has reached out to 33 fishing communities and sensitised fishermen and students in senior high schools on human trafficking and child labour laws; sponsored widows to undergo skills training in soap making; formed anti-trafficking groups to sensitise communities, provided fishermen and spouses with financial counselling and business management skills; opened an account in Kete-Krachi Community Co-operative Credit Union Financial institution for clients to access and develop businesses among others.
Mr Achibra said it was important for other NGOs working in the same area to work passionately from their heart devoid of politics.
While calling for a total education on issues bordering on human trafficking, he also called for greater collaboration among government, the forces, human rights institutions and private organisations to curb the menace on human trafficking.
Fifty-four-year-old Mr Achibra holds a Bachelor’s degree in Basic Education from the University of Education, Winneba, and is married to Anna with seven children.
The US Ambassador to Ghana, Donald Teitelbaum, who presented the award to Mr Achibra said if people looked at Martin Luther King Jr as standing up only for civic rights then they were mistaken since he stood up for all the vulnerable and marginalised in America to bring about change.
He said Mr Achibra had also taken a bold stand to say child trafficking is wrong and working to do the right thing.

Have you examined your breast today?

2010-10-26T03:35:00.000-07:00

Saturday, October 23, 2010 (The Mirror Pg 11)

By Rebecca Kwei
October is breast cancer awareness month. It is an annual international health campaign organised by major breast cancer charities every October to increase awareness of the disease and raise funds for research into its cause, prevention and cure.
The campaign also offers information and support to those affected by breast cancer.
Every woman is afraid of breast cancer and it is one of the leading cancers and deaths worldwide. Simply being a woman is a risk for developing breast cancer and that is why it is sad that this month has not witnessed much awareness of the disease by the organisations working on breast cancer.
Just this year, a Ghana News Agency (GNA) report in May this year indicated that four female teachers died of breast cancer and four others of cervical cancer in the Eastern Region.
This is just a tip of the iceberg, since the figures of people dying of breast cancer are more but there is no cancer registry in the country and getting a national outlook of the disease is difficult.
In an interview I had last year with the Director of the National Centre for Radiotherapy and Nuclear Medicine, Dr Joel Yarney, he said breast cancer was the leading case that was brought to the centre.
In 2008, there were 266 new cases reported at the centre, representing 28 per cent of the total number of cancers reported there.
There are several breast cancer risk factors, which include age, because as one grows older, the risk of developing breast cancer increases; family and personal history of breast cancer; alcohol consumption; family planning choices and genetics.
Health experts also indicate the following as some of the symptoms of breast cancer:
• a breast that feels warm to the touch
• nipple that becomes inverted that was not inverted before
• skin on or around breast is dimpled or has an appearance similar to an orange peel
• skin on breast that is red or blotchy
• sudden increase in breast size that is not related to menstrual cycle
• nipple discharge (clear or bloody)
• nipple pain or scaly nipples
• persistent breast pain or tenderness that is unrelated to menstrual cycle
• swelling of the lymph nodes of the armpit
• a breast lump, swelling, or mass
These are symptoms of breast cancer that can be seen or touched, but there are instances in early breast cancer where there are no symptoms that can be detected by physical examination.
Imaging tests like mammograms and MRI can detect breast abnormalities that cannot be seen by the eye or by the touch.
“Most women fear that their breast will be cut and they will die but it is not automatic. Being diagnosed of breast cancer is not a death sentence,” says Dr Yarney.
Unfortunately, there are no true methods of preventing breast cancer, say the experts, but by avoiding breast cancer risk factors, you can decrease your risk of developing it.
“As soon as a woman feels a lump in her breast, it is important to see a doctor and not attribute it to the work of witches,” advises Dr Yarney.
When breast cancer is detected early, it can be cured. Breast cancer in its early stage presents no symptoms.
“That is why every woman must make a conscious effort to self examine her breast regularly and if there is anything unusual, see a doctor,” says Dr Yarney.
Every woman must be proactive in taking care of her breasts by doing self breast exams at home, having yearly clinical breast exams by a nurse or doctor in her 20s and 30s, as well as an annual mammogram, beginning at age 40 (women at a higher risk may begin having mammograms earlier at the recommendation of their doctor).
It is important not to think that you are too young to be affected by breast cancer: breast cancer can strike at any age.
The National Centre for Radiotherapy and Nuclear Medicine at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital runs a breast cancer screening programme every Tuesday and any woman can walk in for screening, since there is no need for a referral.
The centre also has all modalities such as surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy for the treatment of cancers.
Fortunately, breast cancer is on the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) and some of the medication for its treatment.
So, have you examined your breast today? Why don’t you spare a few minutes today to examine your breasts? Remember — it is one of a woman’s most treasured assets. Give it a try!

Ama is Miss Malaika ’10

2010-10-26T03:34:00.000-07:00

Saturday, October 23, 2010 (The Mirror Pg 46)

By Rebecca Kwei
A NINETEEN-YEAR-OLD student of the University of Ghana, Legon, Ama Nettey, last weekend, was the proud winner of three Cs — Crown, Cerato car and cash- that the Miss Malaika beauty pageant offers.
Being an underdog, it was a bit of a surprise that she beat the nine other finalists to win the enviable Malaika crown.
Perhaps it was her answer to the crank question: “Who is an African? And what makes one an African? Is it the country of birth or the colour of the skin? Please give a detailed explanation of your answer.” that did the trick as the other final four had also struggled to do justice to the question.
However, many in the audience felt the first runner up, Stephanie Mensah, was the one to have won the ultimate prize.
Inspired from their trip to Egypt, the 10 finalists, dressed in sari, opened the show with a choreographed Egyptian dance.
As has been happening over the years during the finals of Miss Malaika and with other pageants, the delegates each gave a speech on various issues and then answered questions from the judges.
They addressed issues ranging from the effects of broken homes; abortion; opportunities; the African identity; the need to be charitable; leprosy; what young ladies go through just for money; belief and achievement; success; to revisiting our conscience.
The delegates’ answers to the questions posed to them by the judges on the issues they addressed were not impressive.
The talent show followed and it was Stephanie’s sketches of the dress she was wearing and another dress that impressed the judges to award her the Miss Talent award.
Delegates Ama, Stephanie, Berla, Belinda and Perpetual managed to make it to the final five and it was at this stage that they all had to answer the crank question to determine the winner.
For her prize, Ama took home a KIA Cerato saloon car, GH¢4,800 annual salary, GH¢15,000 promotional contract with MTN, a charity icon for MTN, GH¢1,200 MTN talk time, personal wardrobe from ABC Wax Print, a year's supply of cosmetics and perfumery from Nouvelle Gandour and working as Youth Ambassador for the Malaria Control Programme.
Stephanie was the first runner-up and she received a cash of GH¢2,000 as well as wax prints from ABC and cosmetics and perfumery from Nouvelle Gandour.
For placing third, Berla was rewarded with cash of GHC1,500 as well as wax print from ABC and cosmetics and perfumery from Nouvelle Gandour.
The night was interspersed with performances by Praye, Trigmatic, Banky W, D Black and VIP. Although, their performances were not extraordinary, the audience seemed to have been in sync with VIP.
Chris Attoh and Naa Ashorkor Mensah-Doku steered affairs while the judges were actors John Dumelo and Jackie Appiah; broadcaster, Paul Adom-Otchere and the Miss Malaika series god-mothers Anne Sekyi and Kay Bentsi-Enchill.

6 Hours to Christmas

2010-10-20T08:36:00.000-07:00

Saturday, October 16, 2010 (The Mirror Pg 47)

By Rebecca Kwei
IT’S six hours to Christmas and what happens within those hours is what Shirley Frimpong-Manso unravels in her new movie.
6 Hours to Christmas takes you through a roller coaster of humour and bizarre circumstances where Reggie (Chris Attoh), a suave creative director makes plans with his girlfriend on a typical December 24. It sure was going to be a memorable 24th night as his girlfriend promises him dinner and fireworks before the stroke of midnight.
However, things take an exciting turn for Reggie when his office colleague (Damilola Adegbite of Mnet’s Tinsel) and the girl he has lusted after for a long time gives him a Christmas present he finds impossible to refuse.
What happens as Reggie ‘unwraps’ his Christmas present is worth seeing ‘fiilifili’.
The cast, story line, acting and dialogue are superb. Shirley’s movies have received great reviews and 6 Hours to Christmas will no doubt receive another standing ovation.
As arts writer, Pa John Dadson, puts it “6 Hours to Christmas may yet reach the iconic heights. Shirley’s other movies such as a ‘Sting in a tale’ which dealt with many social and ethical issues, would make you laugh and take you on a ride that will surprise you. She has once again shown her resilience and moved away from the norm, trying another mould-breaking experiment which she again succeeds.”
The movie also stars Nii Odoi Mensah, Sena Tsikata (Things we do for Love), Marian Lempogo and Benny Ashun.
According to Shirley, this time round, she wanted to do ‘something different, a dark comedy’.
And yes, 6 Hours to Christmas is different and for movie lovers, Christmas came early — it’s Christmas in October. 6 Hours to Christmas premieres on October 29, 2010 at the National Theatre at 6.30 p.m.

Food safety is everyone's business

2010-10-20T08:35:00.000-07:00

Saturday, October 16, 2010 (The Mirror Pg 11)

By Rebecca Kwei
The world celebrates World Food Day today on the theme, “United Against Hunger”.
Food is very essential for the survival of the human race and the recent report from the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) indicating that there are more than one billion people around the world who suffer from hunger every day is worrying.
According to experts, despite the significance of agriculture as the major factor in the economies of many developing countries, that sector is often starved of investment. In particular, foreign aid to agriculture has displayed drastic declines over the past 20 years.
And who bears the brunt? Women and children. It is important to stress that when women are empowered to receive the same levels of education, experience and farm inputs that their male counterparts receive, their yields will increase and there will be plenty for all.
Without belittling the theme for this year’s celebration, however, my focus will be on food safety, since consuming unsafe foods results in high disease burden, poor nutritional status, low productivity, limited markets and weak economies.
Additionally, scarcity of food can force people to consume whatever food is available, even if it is unsafe or contaminated.
Just take a cursory look at the environment at most food joints, especially those just beside gutters. Doesn’t it give you the chills? Interestingly, those are the foods we enjoy most, but the consequences can be devastating.
As part of activities to mark World Food Day in Ghana, a forum on food safety was held in Accra.
Giving figures on Ghanaians suffering each year from serious food-borne diseases, the FAO Regional Representative in Africa, Ms Maria Helena Morias Semedo, said the total number of outpatient cases reported with food-borne diseases in Ghana was 420,000 per year, with an annual death rate estimated at 65,000 and total costs to the economy at $69 million.
She said other figures gave a total number of 84,000 deaths per year, with 25 per cent being children under five.
These figures are alarming and they could be more, taking into account those that are not reported. Improving food safety is an essential element for achieving food security which exists when people have adequate access to sufficient and safe food.
Women are mainly in charge of preparing food at home. Therefore, it is important that food safety education is provided continuously in order to have a positive impact.
Food safety requires correct handling, from production through consumption. Poor food-handling practices in the home kitchen are thought to cause a significant number of food- borne illnesses.
For most women, there are a lot of process they go through while handling food, oblivious of the fact that they may be modes of contaminating foods.
Let’s take a look at some of the do’s and don’ts of safe food handling by experts.
It is important that you wash your hands before and after handling food. Also, wash them after using the bathroom or changing diapers. Wash fresh fruits and vegetables by rinsing them well with running water. If possible, use two cutting boards — one for fresh produce and the other for raw meat, poultry and seafood. Otherwise, be sure to wash the cutting board with hot, soapy water between each use. You can also wash your knives and cutting boards in the dishwasher to disinfect them. Bag raw meat, poultry and fish separately from other food items.
Make sure the food items you buy are in good condition. Refrigerated food should be cold to the touch. Frozen foods should be solid. Canned goods should not be dented, cracked or bulging. Produce should appear fresh. Meat should have a good colour and be firm to the touch.
Food packaging labels provide information on when to use the food and how to store it. Reading food labels and following safety instructions will reduce your chances of becoming ill with food poisoning.
When in doubt, throw it out. If you are not sure whether a food is safe, don't eat it. Re-heating food that is contaminated will not make it safe. Don't taste suspicious food. It may smell and look fine but still may not be safe to eat.
Although it is women who handle food mostly, either at home or at the markets, food safety is everyone’s business — from government, farmers to husbands and children. As the Chief Executive Officer of the Food and Drugs Board, Dr Stephen K. Opuni, put it at the forum, “Political commitment is fundamental to addressing majority of the food safety challenges. From producers to policy makers to consumers, food safety is everybody’s responsibility.”
What is needed is a lot of education on food safety, since, on a daily basis, the public faces many dangers and hazards which are food related.
More important is the point made by the Minister of Food and Agriculture, Mr Kwesi Ahwoi, that “it is unfortunate that in our part of the world routine laboratory examinations are not done by individuals to enable them to know their health status and the extent to which food-borne diseases are affecting them, thereby resulting in low productivity. The economy thus suffers, as money would have to be invested in the treatment of such food-borne diseases and several hours lost while the victim recuperates.”

Tamara spearheads AIDS campaign

2010-10-14T05:54:00.000-07:00

Saturday, October 9, 2010 (The Mirror Pg 47)

By Rebecca Kwei
When Tamara Aku Dzormeku won the Miss Malaika crown in 2008, one of her task was to be a malaria youth ambassador working in collaboration with the National Malaria Control Programme.
Two years on, having successfully embarked on malaria education in various parts of the country, she has taken a giant leap to spearhead another campaign on HIV and AIDS.
Dubbed “Right to live”, it aimed at increasing awareness of the seriousness of the HIV and AIDS disease and also encourage behavioural change.
Studies have shown that although the knowledge of HIV and AIDS was high, behavioural change was low.
It is also to reduce stigmatisation and encourage society to accept people living with HIV and AIDS as an integral part of the society.
The campaign which is being put together by Knock Out Concept and Trak Mastas with sponsorship from the Ghana Business Coalition, Ghana AIDS Commission and the Graphic Communications Group Limited will be launched on November 3, 2010.
According to Tamara in recent times when the issue of HIV and AIDS came up many people seemed to be indifferent or seemed to have had enough of the messages on HIV and AIDS.
However, she noted that that should not be the case since the consequences of contracting the disease was devastating and therefore, the need for continuous education.
The 2009 HIV Sentinel Survey and National HIV and AIDS Prevalence Estimates for Ghana indicated that the 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 ante-natal clinics was 2.9 per cent, representing a 31 per cent increase of last year’s 2.2 per cent.
The showed that 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.
In furtherance to the “Right to live” campaign, various activities have been lined up to herald this year’s World AIDS Day on December 1.
The activities include a seminar in the Central Region for second cycle institutions.
Tamara said a seminar is being organised for students of second cycle institutions because of their vulnerability to peer pressure as they continue to wallow in their sexually active ages.
“The message needs to go down well with them so they know the consequences of their actions and inaction with regard to sex.”
Then there will be a float in the Western Region and this according to Tamara is because of the discovery of oil in that region which has opened the region up to many other opportunities and has brought about an influx of people from all walks of life across the world to that part of the country.
Another important activity is the VIP/Celebrity Endorsement where Very Important Personalities from all sectors of life including sports, music, radio and TV, politics, international organisations, reality shows, beauty pageants etc. would be asked to make an endorsement for the campaign by sending a short and brief message on HIV and AIDS to be rolled on radio and television as well as the print media.
Aside this the CEO/Senior Managers Testing Day will see CEOs and senior managers publicly test for HIV to encourage the public to do the same.
Tamara said all these activitieswould be done in a fun way and another fun way of climaxing the activities will be a music and comedy concert in Takoradi on December 11.
Asked why she was not continuing with her malaria project, Tamara who is in her fifth year at the University of Ghana Medical School said she had not abandoned malaria completely but saw the need to tackle HIV and AIDS as well, which was a serious health issue.
She appealed to other organisations and individuals to come on board and support in order for the campaign to have a positive impact on society.
Appealing also to other beauty queens not to abandon their projects after their reign, she said “once a beauty queen, always a beauty queen and you should be an answer to someone’s prayer”.

Adolescents need information on sexual health

2010-10-14T05:52:00.000-07:00

Saturday, October 9, 2010 (The Mirror Pg 13)

By Rebecca Kwei
A study on a health intervention on adolescents’ knowledge and sexual behaviour in rural Ghana has indicated that providing sexual and reproductive health information for adolescents is key to a healthy lifestyle.
The study also revealed that little education was not enough to help protect an adolescent, hence adolescents should be encouraged to stay in school up to at least the junior high school level.
Making a presentation at the 10th Annual General Meeting of the Indepth Network in Accra, a health research officer of the Navrongo Health Research Centre, Ms Matilda Aberese Ako, said majority of adolescents and young people lacked relevant knowledge on their sexual and reproductive health (SRH) and that unprotected sexual intercourse placed them at the risk of sexually transmitted diseases and unintended pregnancy.
The study, which was undertaken in the Kassena-Nankana District of Ghana, was a community randomised controlled trial with intervention and non-intervention communities and funded by the Rockefeller Foundation.
One arm of the community had health interventions such as peer education activities, school-based teaching of SRH, youth friendly health services and community mobilisation and sensitisation, while the non-intervention communities had only youth friendly health services introduced.
According to Ms Ako, after the study, it was realised that adolescents in communities where the health interventions were introduced had more knowledge on SRH which helped them to make healthy decisions, such as delaying sex and safe sex practices, than those in the non-intervention communities.
For instance, the baseline information on knowledge of signs and symptoms of STDs was 10.6 per cent among females and 6.4 per cent among males in the intervention community, while in the non-intervention communities it was 7.1 per cent for females and 5.1 per cent for males.
However, after the post intervention, knowledge of the signs and symptoms of STDs among females increased to 17.1 per cent and 11.4 per cent in males in the intervention communities, compared to 11.5 per cent in females and 6.2 per cent in males in the non-intervention communities.
She said the study also revealed that Adolescent Sexual Reproductive Health (ASRH) was beyond a health issue and that it encompassed social, cultural and religious dimensions, for which reason there was the need to combine various strategies to reach out to a large audience.
“Providing SRH information for adolescents is a priority area and needs a multi-dimensional approach. All stakeholders must be actively involved in order to give it the needed attention and investment,” Ms Ako added.

Invest in health of mothers and children

2010-10-14T05:51:00.000-07:00

Saturday, October 9, 2010 (The Mirror Pg 11)

By Rebecca Kwei
Recently at a forum dubbed “Stand Up and Take Action Against Maternal Deaths in Ghana”, Mrs Elizabeth Vaah, the Executive Director of Nyilale Vaah Junior Foundation, in a presentation on maternal health in Ghana provided the ‘faces behind the figures’ of people who had been victims of maternal mortality in Ghana.
The stories of how these mothers and or babies were lost and the pictures provided by the presenter brought home the seriousness of maternal health .
When we hear the figures that maternal mortality rate in Ghana is 451 deaths at 100,000 live births, it is like an abstract; very far from us but in reality it is very near. It could happen to anyone.
The forum was organised on the heels of the 2008 Ghana Millennium Development Goals Report which said that “Maternal mortality rate at 451 deaths at 100,000 live births is high and Ghana is unlikely to attain the target of reducing by three quarters, the maternal mortality ratio between 1990 and 2015, even though maternal health care has improved over the past 20 years.”
Statistics indicate that women in sub-Saharan Africa have a one in 22 chance of dying in childbirth, compared to only one in 4,800 for women in the United States.
The big question is why do women and children in Africa die? The causes are many and varied. Ranging from hypertensive disorders, obstructed labour, bleeding, infections, unsafe abortion, lack of access to skilled care, late arrival at health facilities and sub-standard care at health facilities.
Although there are many reasons for the high rate of maternal deaths, lack of access to good health facilities and sub-standard care at the facilities is an enormous bane in many developing countries. The lack of skilled health care workers, clinics and equipment means that many women and children do not have access to basic health services.
According to statistics if women had access to basic maternal health services, 80 per cent of maternal deaths could be prevented.
However, the picture of Ghana’s maternal mortality rate is not all that gloomy as a report dubbed ‘Tracking Health MDGs: Beneficiary Perspectives- Ghana Civil Society MDGs Campaign indicated that more women were participating in ante-natal care, while the fact that women recognised the importance of formal facilities in the event of obstetric emergencies was also encouraging.
Also, there have been improvements in the maternal mortality rate in some regions and districts of the country.
Of more importance is the need for intensive education on key danger signs in pregnancy and also to counter constraining beliefs shrouding the experience of pregnancy.
“Considering that most women who had lost infants and other young children did not know the medical causes, proactive counselling services are recommended as a way of removing obstructive beliefs and promoting better hygiene and health in poor communities. Without such services, women are left to believe that the causes are purely spiritual.
Investing in the health of mothers and children would have a lasting positive impact on Ghana’s maternal mortality rate.
As Dr Rose Mensah-Kutin, the Regional Programme Manager of Abantu for Development put “it is unacceptable for a woman to be pregnant for nine months and then lose the baby or her life. Zero tolerance for maternal deaths should be our target”.

Push for research findings to be utilised — Sory

2010-10-06T08:17:00.000-07:00

Saturday, October 2, 2010 (The Mirror Pg 27)

By Rebecca Kwei
THE Director General of the Ghana Health Service, Dr Elias Sory, has called on researchers to channel their findings to the appropriate quarters for them to be utilised.
He said it was not enough for researchers to generate information but they needed to go a step further to push and convince policy makers to make good use of their research results.
Dr Sory made the call at the 10th Annual General Meeting of the Indepth Network in Accra.
The four day meeting which is on the theme “Indepth: Lessons for future direction in demographic and health research in developing countries” is being attended by 268 researchers and scientists from various countries.
The Indepth Network is a global network of members who conduct health and demographic evaluations of populations in low and middle income countries to enable them set health priorities and policies based on evidence.
The network currently has 42 Health and Demographic Surveillance Systems (HDSS) in 19 countries in Africa, Asia and Oceania.
During the AGM members will hold scientific forum and presentations to share their research based on HDSS.
Dr Sory noted that research was a very powerful tool and that “without research we would not have been where we are now”.
He said the service recognised the importance of research hence a new division had been created to bring research activities to the fore.
Additionally, he said the service had also allocated five per cent of its budget to support research activities.
He said fighting diseases of poverty was a complex issue and appealed to other ministries and sectors to also set aside money for research since it will go a long way to help the health delivery system in the country.
Corroborating the importance of research to national development, the Vice President, Mr John Mahama, in a speech read on his behalf by the Minister of Environment, Science and Technology, Ms Sherry Ayittey, also said health research had become a cornerstone of international development policy.
He, therefore, gave the assurance that government will collaborate with all health research centres and allied institutions to ensure that health delivery is brought to the door step of every Ghanaian.
The Vice President was pleased to note that three of Indepth’s member centres in Ghana namely the Navrongo, Kintampo and Dodowa Health Centres were institutions of the Ghana Health Service which were at the forefront of conducting first class health and demographic research aimed at informing health policy in the country.
He particularly made mention of research conducted at these centres that have now been adopted as national policy such as the Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS), Insecticide Treated Nets (ITNs) and Vitamin A supplementation.
For his part, the board chair of the Indepth Network, Dr Seth Owusu-Agyei, said the research on public health conducted by the network aimed at informing policy and decision makers of all interventions that would influence the health needs of Ghanaians.
He said research activities of member sites stool tall globally and “an indication that collectively scientists of the global south can and indeed are making significant contributions to the development of scientific and demographic research world-wide”.
The Executive Director of Indepth Network, Dr Osman Sankoh, stressed the need for local scientists to be strengthened and play lead roles in research activities.

Explain what free maternal care entails — Report

2010-09-27T09:41:00.000-07:00

Saturday, September 25, 2010 (The Mirror Pg 27)

By Rebecca Kwei
A REPORT on tracking the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) on health has called for a clearer definition of the ‘free maternal care’ scheme.
This according to the report was to minimise conflicting interpretations of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) policy and its associated exemptions.
The report said the free maternal care was interpreted differently by practitioners at different locations.
For instance, it indicated that without an NHIS subscription, a mother may be required to pay for various delivery services while in some cases, mothers were required to provide a string of items. Nurses were also reported to have insisted on particular product brands or rejected used sheets and old cloths intended as nappies all of which limited poor women’s access to skilled deliveries at such facilities.
The report dubbed ‘Tracking Health MDGs: Beneficiary Perspectives- Ghana Civil Society MDGs Campaign was launched at a forum “Stand Up and Take Action Against Maternal Deaths in Ghana”, organised by the Alliance for Reproductive Health Rights (ARHR) in collaboration with the Health Platform in Accra.
The content of the report is divided into eight main parts namely child health, care-seeking behaviour, sanitation, immunisation and maternal prophylaxis, treated bed nets, maternal health, HIV/AIDs and tuberculosis and malaria. The report also addresses the identified goals, targets and indicators of the official MDG list as well as priorities indicated in the Ghana Health Service’s current Programme of Work.
The forum comes on the heels of of the 2008 Ghana Millennium Development Goals Report which said that “Maternal mortality rate at 451 deaths at 100,000 live births is high and Ghana is unlikely to attain the target of reducing by three quarters, the maternal mortality ratio between 1990 and 2015, even though maternal health care has improved over the past 20 years.”
Giving a review of the document, the Director of the Local Government Institute, Dr Esther Ofei-Aboagye, said the report focused on five selected districts – Agona East, Bongo, Builsa, Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abrem (KEEA) and Kwahu North.
She said the current report also expanded on the previous effort which involved three districts — Bongo, KEEA and Kwahu-North.
Dr Ofei-Aboagye said the low knowledge on the danger signs in pregnancy as shown in the report was a problem on which action must be stepped up.
However, she said the report indicated that more women were participating in ante-natal care was rewarding, while the fact that women recognised the importance of formal facilities in the event of obstetric emergencies was also encouraging.
She said, non-medical factors such as transport challenges to facility-based healthcare institutions in rural areas, attitude of care givers, differential interpretation of the policy on free maternal care and what the National Health Insurance Scheme paid for and what it did were still barriers to maternal health and should not be ignored in discussions aimed at improving maternal health.
The report also recommended a lot of education to counter constraining beliefs shrouding the experience of pregnancy.
At the launch of the report, the Regional Programme Manager of Abantu for Development, Dr Rose Mensah-Kutin, said it was unacceptable for a woman to be pregnant for nine months and then lose the baby or her life and called for concerted efforts to address the situation adding that ‘zero tolerance for maternal deaths should be our target”.
Mrs Elizabeth Vaah, who is also a victim of maternal death, called on policy makers to stop paying lip service to maternal mortality and embark on urgent measures to address the issues.
For her part, the Executive Director of ARHR, Ms Vicky Okine said the apparent sluggish progress in achieving the health-related goals required a new strategy and renewed commitment from both the government and civil society.

Dzigbordi — The alluring marketing woman of the year

2010-09-23T10:54:00.000-07:00

Saturday, September 18, 2010 (The Mirror Pg 3)

By Rebecca Kwei
THERE has not been a turning back for Mrs Dzigbordi K. Dosoo since she set up Allure salon with only two people in a living room in Osu, a suburb of Accra in 1998.
Twelve years down the line, Allure has transitioned into Allure Africa of which Dzigbordi is the founder and CEO, an award-winning premier spa group in Accra with an office in Washington DC, USA.
Allure Africa seeks to develop and grow premium spa companies throughout Africa, with emphasis on forging international strategic partnerships.
For having consistently marketed the Allure brand successfully in Ghana and beyond, Dzigbordi was last weekend adjudged the Marketing Woman of the Year by the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIMG).
Part of the citation read “Your visibility has been strong in the areas of marketing research, education and advocacy. You have raised the standards in spa, health and wellness and beauty industry in Ghana.”
The Managing Director of the Graphic Communications Group Limited, Mr Ibrahim M. Awal, received the Marketing Man of the Year Award.
“I feel privileged. It’s a great honour and I believe this shows that the efforts that we put in our day-to-day activities does not go unrecognised” she said of her award in an interview with The Mirror.
Dzigbordi said back in 1998, she realised that the concept of spa was non-existent and “I chose to start from the bottom within the salon industry, grow within it, educate and advocate until we were ready for the spa concept,” she explained.
Within four months, the ‘two-man’ salon had become a sole proprietorship in a shop which led to the opening of another shop in Labone where the new branch’s name, Allure, meaning ‘attraction’ started.
In order to have a one-stop beauty salon, the Allure Beauty Palace was opened in 2002 which became a limited liability company in 2003.
Aside ‘alluring’ people to her beauty palace, Dzigbordi had also run another company, Business Linkages International, a financial services consultancy, which transitioned into the Eagle Group in 2004.
The Eagle Group which employed about 80 people then was the holding company of Allure Ghana Limited, a beauty services company (which encompasses Allure Beauty Palace, Allure Sales Distribution Centre and Allure Spa in the City), Eagle Consulting International, an investment, trade, business and project consultancy with offices in the US and Accra and G’CINDKS Services Limited, a catering and hospitality service company which provides banqueting, event management and rental services and also runs a restaurant, Nudufe, at Osu, in Accra.
However, the year 2007 marked a turning point for Allure. The business model was restructured to provide technical leadership in wellness grooming and beauty and thus all the other business lines were discontinued. The Eagle Group became Allure Africa which focused on services, product distribution, education and consulting within the spa industry.
Another important milestone for Allure Africa was in 2009 when Iyaba was organised. Iyaba is an innovative concept of Africa’s premier spa and beauty trade exhibition and conference.
Iyaba, which has become an annual event, brings together key international manufacturers and African buyers in the spa and beauty industry under one roof to network, build capacity and make sales.
Recently, Allure Africa has also introduced a new authentically African natural aromatherapy product line, Kanshi.
Described as one of the new breed of young female entrepreneurs shaking up corporate Ghana, Dzigbordi concedes that she has not taken her eyes off the vision of her company being known and acknowledged as the premier service company.
“I can say three things about myself: I’m a consultant by career choice; a wellness and skincare expert by passion and an entrepreneur by experience” she said.
That’s true! Throughout her schooling days, she had studied business courses. After her secondary education at Accra Girls’ Secondary School, she left Ghana for the United States where she studied at Virginia State University and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in finance and accounting.
Later, at Syracuse, New York, she did her post-graduate course in banking and finance and this she combined with working at Onbank & Trust, a bank in the US.
Dzigbordi also had a stint with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) in Washington DC before relocating to Ghana in 1998.
Wondering why she has spread her ‘entrepreneurial wings’ this far? Dzigbordi said she was inspired when she was very young by her late grandmother, Madam Emelia Annan, who was able to become wealthy by venturing into small businesses.
Her father, the late Tennyson Emmanuel Kwaku was also an inspiration. She said her father aside being a lawyer also had other businesses and recalled that at the tender age of 12, she was working on her father’s accounts for his businesses.
“Growing up, I wanted to be a lawyer because of my father but by age 12, my entrepreneurial edge had fledged. Watching my father and grandmother made me realise you can do more than one business and be successful” she said.
Dzigbordi says running a business has its day-to-day operational challenges but at the end, it is about how one is able to serve his or her clients; ensuring that one is well-equipped and being able to deliver that counts.
She admitted that working in Ghana has not been easy but having networked with the right people has been worthwhile.
She believes that challenges come to give lessons and the lessons learnt everyday helps to transform people.
“My own life has been transformed, the evolution to get to this stage has been wonderful. What is about to come in the future is what drives me to put in my best. For Allure Africa, the future has just began.”
“In the next five years, I see Allure Africa without any limits; having achieved the vision it set out for itself; expand the vision to other territories by God’s help”.
A very affable, person, Dzigbordi is determined to inspire young ladies to be all they can be. She has taken young ladies with potential and mentoring them in her own way.
“I don’t make the mentoring formal. I believe people come across your path for a reason and that is destiny”.
Aside her stripes as a business consultant, ‘beauty enthusiast’ and an entrepreneur, Dzigbordi is a very spiritual person and says she loves her family and work, as well as spending lots of time at home with her daughter, Fafali and husband, Lionel Vanlare Dosoo, a former Deputy Governor of the Bank of Ghana.
A director of Zonta International Club of Accra II, and a member of the Governing Council of United Way Ghana, she also finds time to play lawn tennis.
Dzigbordi advised young ladies that in whatever they venture into, they should seek God first; then develop their education and careers “then all the other things will follow”.
Sounding philosophical, she said “If you build it, they will come. Once you establish yourself people will gravitate towards you”.

First consignment of AMFm drugs arrive

2010-09-13T07:33:00.000-07:00

Saturday, September 11, 2010 (The Mirror Pg 13)

By Rebecca Kwei
THE first consignment of CO-pay drugs under the Affordable Medicines Facility-Malaria (AMFm) has arrived in the country and will soon be rolled out.
The AMFm is an initiative to ensure that people suffering from malaria have access to inexpensive, effective anti-malaria treatment in the form of Artemisinin-based Combination Therapy (ACT).
The Programme Manager of the National Malaria Control Programme (NMCP), Dr Constance Bart-Plange, made this known when members of the African Media and Malaria Research Network (AMMREN), a group of journalists and scientists working to fight malaria paid a visit to the offices of the programme in Accra.
She explained that the roll of the first consignment of three million treatment doses have not yet been rolled out since that of the medicines for the public sector has not been received yet.
Dr Bart-Plange noted that ACTs were not affordable to many people but under the AMFm it will be very cheap at a price as little as GH¢1.10p and expressed the hope that it will stop people from using chloroquine and other monotherapies which were no longer effective treatment for malaria.
She explained that under the AMFm which is been hosted by the Global Fund with the support of UNITAID and members of the Roll Back Malaria Partnership there was a financing mechanism for drug manufacturers to reduce the price of ACTs to ensure that the poor and vulnerable in society get access to the medicines.
She said there was also the need to educate the public not to equate the low cost of the ACTs under the AMFm facility to low quality since the medicines were of good quality and have been approved by the World Health Organisation.
Dr Bart-Plange expressed concern about the over diagnosing of malaria and said it was important that any fever presented at the hospital should be confirmed through microscopy or the rapid diagnostic test (RDT) to be malaria.
“The era where every fever was malaria is over” she stressed.
To this end, she said the NMCP has distributed a lot of RDT kits to health facilities and pharmacies to ensure that people are confirmed to be having malaria before are given an anti-malarial.
Dr Bart-Plange noted that the frequent use of malarial drugs when one does not have malaria leads to abuse of the drug.
On the use of Insecticide Treated Nets (ITNs), she said a survey showed that almost every household in Ghana had an ITN but it was the “sleeping in the ITN” that was the problem.
However, she said even if adults do not sleep under the ITNs it was important that children and pregnant women who were most vulnerable to malaria slept under them.
She said the programme also piloted an Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS) project in the north and Obuasi and it will soon be rolled out nation-wide to cover 45 districts where it was feasible.
Dr Bart-Plange urged the media to continue the education that the anopheles mosquito which transmits the parasite causing malaria does not breed in filth but rather in relatively clean stagnant waters.
She commended AMMREN for its efforts in the fight against malaria and gave the assurance that the NMCP will continue to collaborate with the group.
The Ghana Country Co-ordinator of AMMREN, Mrs Clare Banoeng-Yakubo thanked the NMCP for its support over the years and expressed the hope that the deliberations will go a long way to improve the lives of people through malaria control.

Nikki finds her rhythm on screen

2010-09-08T11:30:00.000-07:00

Saturday, September 4, 2010 (The Mirror Pg 3)

By Rebecca Kwei
Nikoletta Samonas (popularly called Nikki) ‘accidentally’ landed in the movie industry, and she seems to be loving every bit of her new found passion.
So far she has featured in more than 10 movies having had her break in Pretty Queen in 2008, which featured Jackie Appiah and Majid Mitchel.
“I would say the movies found me because I had gone to see a friend whose house was been used to shoot a movie and I was recruited to be part of that film ” she recalled in an interview with The Mirror.
Although that movie “Don Caritas” did not make waves it did serve as a spring board for Nikki to get noticed in the movie industry.
She later got roles in Beyonce 1 & 2, War of Roses, Desperate Measure, Red Label, Love and Bullets, Wrong Line, DNA Test.
Her latest flick, Deadly Obsession featuring Yvonne Nelson and Jim Iyke is set to be released next month in which she plays a psychopath.
Although being an actress was not on the cards for Nikki initially, her entry into the make believe world also sprung from her involvement in modelling and television advertisements.
According to Nikki she met one Ekow Daniel who heard her sing in church who took her to OM Studios for her to feature in a music video clip of Tinny’s song “Mamle” featuring Adane Best in 2004.
That video clip propelled her to get an advertising contract with Tigo, a Telecommunications company for two years from 2007 to 2008. She was Face of Tigo in 2007.
Nikki also appeared in the Septrin Soap, Éclat Gel and Wisdom toothbrush and mouthwash advertisements on television and was also a freelance model.
Presently, she has just secured a contract with Charterhouse to present Rhythmz, a music video show on TV with Chris Attoh.
Although acting is not a full time profession for Nikki, she says “I love it. It’s fun. You get to express yourself in so many ways that is not the natural you,” she said with a broad smile.
The free spirited Nikki who is in her early 20s is the only child of her dad Stephanus Samonas, a Greek (deceased) and Felicia Adjei.
Born in Tema, she attended Deks Preparatory School also in Tema for her basic education and then continued at Holy Child Senior High School in Cape Coast where she offered Graphic Design because she loved arts — drawing and painting and completed in 2003.
No wonder she received the best Graphic Designer awards in 2002 and 2003 and outstanding award for combining sports effectively with academic work in the same years at Holy Child School.
She was a member of the Entertainment Committee and the Sports Prefect of the school.
After Holy Child, Nikki continued at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) graduating with a BA in Communication Design in 2009.
In the near future Nikki hopes to open her own company that will engage in showbiz productions, continue modelling as well as groom aspiring models.
Nikki is in a relationship with a lovely man whose name she would not mention. When not acting, modelling or presenting Rhythmz she loves to swim, play basketball, watch movies, which she says is an inspiration to her to offer her best in the movies in which she acts.
Do you love salsa? Then you have something in common with Nikki. She is a salsa dancing freak!

Journalists attend course in IT

2010-09-08T11:27:00.000-07:00

Saturday, August 28, 2010 (The Mirror Pg 27)

By Rebecca Kwei
FIFTEEN female journalists have undergone a three-day course in Information Technology to build their capacity in modern ways of communicating and processing news.
The course organised by Women, Media and Change (WOMEC), an NGO with sponsorship from the Global Fund for Women, was on the theme: “ICT and the Media”.
WOMEC which was founded in 1994 aims at bringing about change in women’s lack of awareness of the power of the media in shaping and pursuing their goals.
Information technology officers of the Centre for IT Professional Development (CIPD) of the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) took the participants who were drawn from both the print and electronic media through programmes such as Microsoft Word, Excel, Power Point, Access and Blogging.
A media consultant, Mrs Charity Binka, said the course was a new approach to empower female journalists not only as ICT users, but also to be creative researchers with technology.
She said the course was also to aid the participants in their search and dissemination of information.
“The workshop is to nurture female journalists in the effective use of the computer with skills to access, browse the Internet to expand their knowledge base in a competitive world” Mrs Binka emphasised.
She said information technology had become the life blood of every business and since the world was adapting more towards an information-based society, it was important for women to acquire such skills so that they were not left behind.
An IT Officer of CIPD, Mr Albert Quaicoe, encouraged the participants to build on the skills they have acquired since Information Technology changes everyday.

'Stop embellishing news items'

2010-09-08T11:22:00.001-07:00

Saturday, August 14, 2010 (The Mirror Pg 34)

By Rebecca Kwei
A LINGUIST and broadcaster, Nana Anima Wiafe-Akenten, has called on local language newsreaders to avoid embellishing and exaggerating news items since it has the tendency to create conflict or incite a group against the other.
She noted that some of the proverbs, idiomatic expressions and other literally devices used by the newsreaders most of the time distorts the core message, leads to misreporting and misinformation, subjects the news to different interpretation, and tends to attack or abuse the newsmaker.
“Some of the translators although may mean well, cast innuendoes and use invectives and end up attacking the personality behind the issue or newsmakers. It is culturally unacceptable to speak ill of an elderly person,” she said.
Mrs Wiafe-Akenten made the call when she made a presentation on “Language, Culture and the Media”, at a workshop organised by the Cultural Initiative Support Programme in Akosombo.
Giving the example of the Rwandan conflict, she said it was just a statement made on radio which led to the war in that country and there was the need for local language news readers, especially, in Akan to be cautious of how they presented the news.
She said the liberalisation of the airwaves had led to the emergence of many radio and television stations which was a welcome idea but there was the need to draw attention to certain developments which if not checked, may adversely affect the essence of news presentation and pose serious challenges to cultural values and the art of speaking.
Mrs Wiafe-Akenten said when newsreaders embellish or exaggerate the news items, some people saw it as the creativity of the presenters or their proficiency in the language but noted that from the communication point of view, that was inappropriate and could be said to lack professionalism.
Additionally, she said, the audience tend to focus on the embellishment by trying to understand the proverbs, idioms and other devices being used, rather than focusing on the news and what was supposed to be a serious issue became a form of entertainment.
She said there were culturally relevant and acceptable ways to use a language by paying attention to the norms and rules that governed the use of the language.
“In the Akan language, certain concepts are considered literally unmentionable, that is, verbal taboos. For instance, if one has to mention the male and female reproductive organs in a given context, he/she has to use a euphemism” she explained.
She said in the Akan cultural context, unapologetic use of those words made the speaker’s audience see him/her as uncouth or uncultured.
She observed that over the years, finding a fair balance between what was culturally acceptable and journalistically correct have been compromised all in the name of “scoop — being the first to break the news”.
In an effort to make the Ghanaian media one that is linguistically, journalistically and culturally sound, Mrs Wiafe-Akenten said a group known as Language Watchers made up of linguist, language experts and media practitioners will soon come out to monitor and help curb the use of insulting, inflammatory and harsh words in the media by social commentators, phone in callers, presenters and politicians.

We Know Politics II launched

2010-09-08T11:17:00.000-07:00

Saturday, August 7, 2010 (The Mirror Pg 26)

By Rebecca Kwei
A project to improve the low level of women's participating in policy-making and government representation has been launched in Accra.
Dubbed 'We know Politics II' is aimed at creating an environment where women are able to effectively participate in politics.
Currently, women account for only 19 (8.3 per cent) out of the 230 positions in parliament and only 6.5 per cent of district chief executives within local government structures and 11 out of the 170 Metropolitan/Municipal/District Chief Executives.
The project is being implemented by WiLDAF, Gender Studies and Human Rights Documentation Centre, the Hunger Project and the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA Ghana) and sponsored by the European Union represented by the European Commission in Ghana, UK Aid, Ghana, Womankind, World-wide and UK Aid, London.
In 2008, the 'We Know Politics I' project was initiated which ensured that concerns of women remained an integral part of the political campaign that year.
Giving an overview of the second phase of the 'We Know Politics' project, the National Programme Co-ordinator of Women in Law and Development in Africa (WiLDAF), Ms Bernice Sam said the three-year project had targeted 24 districts in the 10 regions of the county.
The beneficiary districts are Jomoro, Shama, Evalue Gwira, Tarkwa Nsuem, Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abirem, Breman Asikuma, Assin South, Ho East, Keta, Kpandu, Ga South and Dangme West.
The rest are Lambusi, Sisala East, Jaman South, Jaman North, Asante Akim South, Obuasi, New Juabeng, Lower West Akyem, Savelugu Nantong, Nalerigu, Navrongo and Bolgatanga.
Ms Sam said the criteria for selecting the districts were that they had female Members of Parliament (MP); female Metropolitan or District Chief Executives; had dynamic women with potential to contest elections and or were at difficult areas where women had challenges engaging in politics.
Some of the activities that will be undertaken are the training of 600 community people in governance, sensitisation workshops, production of a documentary featuring 12 key women in leadership positions, 2nd Women's Dialogue with presidential candidates in 2012, meeting with the NDC government and four political parties to assess the progress of women in Ghana since 2008 and networking with journalists, editors and women's organisations.
Ms Sam said it was expected that the “We Know Politics II” project will among others increase the effectiveness of women’s participation in politics to address women’s issues at the local and national levels by 2013 and help the government and main political parties produce affirmative action policies to ensure at least 40 per cent women’s representation in party positions and elections.
The Minister of Women and Children's Affairs, Mrs Juliana Azumah-Mensah, who launched the project, said the low number of women in policy-making limits women's contribution to development, poverty reduction and to the achievement of gender equality.
She said although women in government had been talking about the low representation of women in public office, a lot of pressure from outside would also help to address the situation.
She, therefore, congratulated WiLDAF and its partners and sponsors for the initiative.
Mrs Azumah-Mensah announced that her ministry and the Ministry of Local Government would embark on a programme which would identify 20 women who would be supported to take part in the forthcoming district assembly elections in October, this year.

Document to promote rational use of medicines

2010-09-08T11:16:00.000-07:00

Saturday, August 7, 2010 (The Mirror Pg 27)

By Rebecca Kwei
The sixth edition of the Standard Treatment Guidelines (STGs) and Essential Medicines List (EML) to promote the rational use of medicines has been launched in Accra.
The STGs are scientifically developed documents that assist prescribers in deciding on appropriate treatments for specific clinical conditions, while the EML is an accompanying document that contains the list of medicines to be procured by the Ministry of Health (MoH) and reimbursable by the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA).
The Chairman of the STG Review Committee, Dr Francis Ofei, said the STGs were valuable tools which would, among others, help in the sustainability of the NHIA, ensure that patients received medications appropriate to their clinical needs at the lowest cost to them and improve the quality of health received by patients.
He said since 1993, the MoH, through the Ghana National Drugs Programme, had been involved with the regular development and promotion of comprehensive therapeutic guidelines for use by all its agencies.
He said the document was the sixth edition of the ministry's officially approved prescribers' and dispensers' guide for all levels of health care.
Dr Ofei said care had also been taken to align the health insurance benefits package to that edition, adding that it had incorporated additional information on blood disorders such myeloma, leukaemia and lymphoma and specific cancers such as cervix and breast.
Topics on eye diseases such as glaucoma, conjunctivitis, trachoma and cataract and attention deficit hyperactivity (ADHD) for psychiatry have also been included.
Adding to the advantages of the STGs, the Minister of Health, Dr Benjamin Kunbuor, whose speech was read on his behalf, said apart from the document giving guidance for selecting the most appropriate drugs for use and enriching doctors’ prescribing pattern, it would enable health insurance institutions to enter into partnership with the ministry to ensure that patients were cared for at the least affordable cost.
"The treatment guidelines will enable healthcare providers to programme effectively for health logistics, thereby using funds more effectively. The information base for forecasting and ordering drugs will be easily strengthened, thereby making restocking a much more scientific process," he added.
Dr Kunbuor appealed to chief executives of teaching hospitals, regional directors and other stakeholders in health to ensure that the new guidelines were well disseminated among prescribers.
For his part, the Chief Executive of the NHIA, Mr Sylvester A. Mensah, said one of the biggest issues the insurance scheme was facing was irrational prescribing, with its cost implications which posed a threat to the sustainability of the scheme.
"Clinical audits and a claims verification exercise have shown that many of the problems facing the NHIS are to do with prescriptions not in line with the MoH’s laid down policies on treatments. Many prescribers also prescribe medicines above the levels agreed by the experts at the MoH," he explained.
Mr Mensah expressed the hope that the use of the STGs would help minimise treatment variations and also promote the appropriate use of the most cost-effective treatments, provide guidance for health professionals on the diagnosis and treatment of specific clinical conditions and serve as a reference point by which to judge the quality of prescribing medicines.

'We know Politics II' project in the offing

2010-08-06T05:36:00.001-07:00

Saturday, July 31, 2010 (The Mirror Pg 19)

By Rebecca Kwei
In 2008, the Women in Law and Development in Africa (WiLDAF) and three other NGOs implemented the “We Know Politics: Hearing women’s voices in the 2008 elections” project a bid to increase the participation of women in policy-making.
The project made gains in ensuring that the concerns of women remained an integral part of the political campaign in 2008.
According to the National Programme Co-ordinator of WiLDAF, Ms Bernice Sam, the project’s outcomes demonstrated a dearth of understanding of government and governance.
She said more districts and particularly more women need information, capacity and skills to engage with government at the district and national levels.
“NGOs do not have to wait until an election year before providing support for individuals and communities,” she added.
Consequently, Ms Sam said WiLDAF Ghana and its partners are continuing to engage with citizens of districts for the next three years by implementing the phase two of the “We Know Politics” project.
The project is titled “Good governance through increasing women’s participation in Ghana’s Political Processes (We Know Politics II) and it will be launched on August 4, 2010.
The other partners are Gender Studies and Human Rights Documentation Centre, the Hunger Project and the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA Ghana) and sponsored by the European Union represented by the European Commission in Ghana, UK Aid, Ghana, Womankind World-wide UK/UK Aid, London.
Ms Sam said the project will target 24 districts in the 10 regions of Ghana and it will aim at creating an environment where women are able to effectively participate in politics and public life.
It is expected that the “We Know Politics II” project will among others increase effectiveness of women’s participation in politics to address women’s issues at the local and national levels by 2013 and the government and main political parties produce affirmative action policies to ensure at least 40 per cent women’s representation in party positions and elections.

National screening programme for cervical cancer necessary

2010-08-06T05:34:00.000-07:00

Saturday, July 31, 2010 (The Mirror Pg 17)

By Rebecca Kwei
Cervical cancer is one of the commonest cancers in women in sub-Saharan Africa, including Ghana.
According to experts, every two minutes a woman somewhere in the world dies from cervical cancer.
Cervical cancer is cancer that forms in tissues of the cervix (the organ connecting the uterus and the vagina). It is usually a slow-growing cancer and may not have symptoms in the early stages but can be found with a pap test. It is almost always caused by a virus called human papillomavirus (HPV). You can get HPV by having sexual contact with someone who has it.
Early symptoms of cervical cancer may include bleeding from the vagina that is not normal, a change in your menstrual cycle that you cannot explain, pain during sex and vaginal discharge tinged with blood.
The statistics available on cervical cancer are quite staggering. In 2008, cervical cancer accounted for 275,000 deaths world-wide, with 88 per cent occurring in less developed countries.
By 2030, it is predicted that cervical cancer mortality will increase by 77 per cent in less developed countries and by 57 per cent world-wide, bringing the global burden to 433,000 deaths.
Other statistics estimate that 79,000 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer in Africa every year and 61,000 (78 per cent) of women die of the disease in Africa.
However, the many deaths from cervical cancer can be avoided.
In developed countries, cervical cancer is a rarity, not because women are not exposed to the risk factors but the incidence has reduced considerably because of well-structured national screening programmes to detect pre-cancerous lesions and early stages of the cancers.
Sadly, well-structured national screening programmes for cervical cancer and breast cancer are not available in most African countries, which is further worsening the burden of the disease.
At the 4th Stop Cervical Cancer in Africa Conference held in Accra, the first ladies of Ghana, Mrs Ernestina Naadu Mills; South Africa, Madam Tobeka Madiba-Zuma; Niger, Mrs T. Salou, and Swaziland, Queen Nomsa LaMatsebula, minced no words in calling for an effective national screening programme for both cervical and breast cancer in African countries.
They noted that most cervical cases could be prevented and for those who developed the disease, if it was detected early through screening tests, it could be cured.
For Mrs Mills, cervical and breast cancer screening could be integrated into women’s health programmes so that when and where available, any woman who went for breast cancer screening could also be screened for cervical cancer at the same time, and vice versa.
“In a few countries where screening tests are available, this approach is practised so that any woman who attends a clinic for ante-natal and post-natal care and family planning, for example, or any other encounter with the health service is offered the opportunity to get screened,” she said.
Mrs Mills also called for more awareness of cervical cancer and also the need to come up with culturally sensitive messages that would lead to behavioural change, since there were a lot of misconceptions about the disease in Africa.
Currently, primary prevention of cervical cancer can be achieved through vaccination and Mrs Mills further called for support to mobilise resources for the establishment of a functional cervical cancer vaccination programme across the continent.
“Problems of cervical cancer are major tragedies. We must all help to save the lives of our women,” she added.

Juliet — Acting today, singing tomorrow

2010-08-06T05:32:00.000-07:00

Saturday, July 31, 2010 (The Mirror Pg 3)

By Rebecca Kwei
Of late, pretty actress Juliet Ibrahim Safo is struggling to keep the smile off her face. And the reason? She just won the Movie Personality Award organised by City People Magazine held in Lagos, Nigeria, on July 18.
The award is given to the movie star who dominated discussions in the entertainment industry in the last year for many reasons.
Having been nominated alongside top actresses Jackie Appiah, Yvonne Nelson and Lydia Forson, Juliet says, “I’m extremely grateful and excited about this award. It is really going to spur me on to give my all in my acting career.”
Prior to the award, the same magazine had, in May this year, awarded Juliet for her Outstanding Performance in the Movie Industry at a ceremony held in Accra.
Another feather in her cap which keeps Juliet smiling is the fact that she got married to her sweetheart, Kwadwo Safo, a pilot and son of the Head of the Kristo Asafo Church, Apostle Kwadwo Safo, some time this year.
At the prime age of 24, Juliet has achieved a lot for herself. Aside from starring in about 50 movies to date, she is also very business-minded and runs a beauty salon, Envoque Beauty Parlour, at Osu; a modelling agency, Dolfins Agency, and a production house, Jewels Productions. She plans to open a unisex boutique soon.
Juliet’s fans should watch out because she has another talent which she is yet to showcase. She loves to sing and, according to her, she already has three songs she is working on and will come out with an album very soon.
Taking The Mirror down memory lane on how she got into acting, Juliet said when she was growing up, she had always wanted to be in the spotlight.
So, as little girl then living in Cote d’Ivoire, she performed playlets and talent shows in school.
When she returned to Ghana in 2000, she realised that the movie industry was picking up and so she decided to give it a try.
Consequently, she was introduced to an actor and movie producer, Jake Aernan, who was producing a series on the life of refugees. She starred in them, but there was a setback and the series never saw the light of day.
She again participated in another series which also did not materialise.
Juliet, however, did not lose hope and so while furthering her education at the Ghana Institute of Languages, she participated in the institute’s beauty pageant, which she won in 2005.
“Winning the pageant opened a lot of doors for me. I started modelling for GTP, Woodin, Joyce Ababio and other designers, as well as Soft Sheen Carson, and appeared in some commercials,” she said.
She again participated in another pageant, Miss Francophonie, in 2006 and although a winner could not be declared because of a setback, a judge who noticed her potential later hinted her of an auditioning by Venus Films and that was where her journey to stardom started.
So what was intended to be a try out for a movie role turned out to be the unearthing of Juliet’s acting talent. She got to play her first movie role as Naomi, the girlfriend of a notorious armed robber, in the flick, Crime to Christ, alongside Majid Mitchel.
Juliet’s talent and passion got noticed by industry players and the movie roles started flooding in for her. So far, she has more than 50 films to her credit — Ghanaian and Ghana-Nigeria collaborations — the notable among them being Midnight Call, Marriage of Sorrows, In the Eyes of my Husband, Queen’s Pride, Naked Weapon, Yankee Boys, Honour my will, Royal Storm, Hidden, Blood Fight and Dead End.
In all of these, she has proved her versatility and the fact that she is a force to reckon with in the movie industry.
Her latest movies, 4Play, DNA Test and Enemy of my Soul, have received great reviews, while Millions will be premiered on August 6.
According to Juliet, her husband is not worried about her career and that he is very supportive.
“We watch my movies together, read the scripts and he is my biggest critic,” she said.
Asked if her husband was not worried about her playing romantic roles, she said she and her husband had an agreement on how to shoot certain roles and so he was not worried.
Juliet has big dreams and hopes to become one of the best writers, producers, directors and actresses in the not-too- distant future.
Already, she is working on her first movie which will come out this year.
Juliet is the eldest daughter of Hussein Ibrahim, a Lebanese, and Elizabeth Ibrahim, a half Liberian, half Ghanaian. Born in Accra, she left for Lebanon and then Cote d’Ivoire. Her three other siblings are Sonia, Nabil and Nadia.
She returned to Ghana in the latter part of 2000 and later attended the Ghana Institute of Languages, graduating with a diploma in Spanish and English in 2006.
She also obtained a diploma in Advertising and Marketing from the Ghana Institute of Journalism in 2009 and is presently offering an online course in acting.
She has plans of furthering her education at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA).

Sickle cell disease still seeking solutions

2010-07-27T05:24:00.000-07:00

Saturday, July 24, 2010 (The Mirror Pg 13)

By Rebecca Kwei
This year, 2010, marks 100 years since the medical world was made aware of sickle cell disease through the first publication in the scientific literature and yet it remains a major health problem still seeking solutions that will benefit people with the disease.
Sickle cell disease is an inherited blood disorder that affects red blood cells. One person cannot get it from another one.
The disease is inherited from both parents and not just from the mother. Most people with AS or AC blood are not aware of it and do not know they can have children with sickle cell disease.
It is estimated that more than 350,000 babies are born with sickle cell disease in Africa every year. Less that two per cent of babies born in rural Africa with the most severe form of the disease survive beyond five years and sickle accounts for more than six per cent of all mortality in young children in Africa.
In Ghana, it is estimated that 12,000 babies are born with sickle cell annually.
Clearly with such statistics of people suffering from sickle cell, especially children, the First Lady, Mrs Naadu Mills, hit the nail on the head when she called on scientists and governments at the first global congress on sickle cell disease taking place in Accra to do a lot more about the disease than they had done in the past.
"Being very much concerned over the plight of families affected by the disease, it is my personal hope that the results of the congress will lead to reduced death, pain and suffering of our children and adults with sickle cell disease and that strategies will be adopted to increase health education, screening, and counselling in order to reduce the public health burden of the disease," she said.
Mrs Mills mentioned that examples in several countries show that with early diagnosis of the disease through new-born screening, family health education, antibiotic prophylaxis and organised comprehensive medical care, children need not die early or suffer painful and debilitated lives.
The Minister of Health, Dr Benjamin Kunbour, who acknowledged that modern medical services had not paid much attention to non-communicable, genetic diseases such as sickle cell, however, gave the assurance that his ministry was committed to developing policies to bring about the establishment of sickle cell disease as one of the public health priorities.
"The Ghana Health Service, with support from the World Health Organisation, has recently developed a document titled "Strategic framework for the management, prevention and control of sickle cell disease in Ghana". It is the desire of government to adopt this framework to develop educational, screening, and clinical programmes throughout the country," he assured.
As a first step, Dr Kunbour said government has committed itself to the scale up of the pilot New-born Screening Project carried out in Kumasi and Tikrom into a National Programme of New-born Screening for Sickle Cell Disease.
The pilot screening programme initiated by Prof. Kwaku Ohene-Frempong of the Children's Hospital in Philadelphia, with funding from the US National Institutes of Health and led in Ghana by Prof. Francis Nkrumah of the Noguchi Memorial Institute of Medical Research, has proven the feasibility of this life-saving programme in Africa.
Dr Kunbour said as of December 2009, the new-born screening project in Kumasi and Tikrom had screened more than 300,000 new-borns, found more than 5,000 babies with sickle cell disease and had enrolled close to 4,000 of them at the Sickle Cell Clinic at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi for regular and comprehensive management.
The Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Sicke Cell Foundation of Ghana, Dr Kwame D. Fordwor, said the foundation in the past five years has worked in collaboration with other organisations to initiate the national new-born screening programme with assistance from the government of Brazil which resulted in the signing of the Brazil-Ghana Technical Co-operation Agreement in Sickle Cell Disease in October last year, among others.

Lydia Forson — In love with acting

2010-07-19T05:34:00.000-07:00

Saturday, July 17, 2010 (The Mirror Pg 31)

By Rebecca Kwei
SHE kicked into high gear as an actress only a few years ago and though some may put her fast rise as one of the nation’s well-loved on-screen personalities down to mere good luck, bubbly actress Lydia Forson ascribes her current prominent showing on the movie radar to a wholehearted pursuit of something she truly loves.
The award-winning actress, who has recently risen to the status of endorsing high-end consumer products, describes her life as one big movie which has already travelled on some memorable scenes and is set to unravel even more thrilling ones.
Movie lovers and television viewers know her from Run Baby Run, Different Shades of Blue, Scorned, The Perfect Picture and A Sting In A Tale, but she was bitten by the acting bug before those productions came along.
Though she was the Entertainment Prefect during her days at St Louis Secondary School, she didn’t fancy acting till she got to the University of Ghana, Legon, and had the opportunity to play a cameo role in the Hotel St James television series.
“I was very nervous at the beginning but settled later and totally enjoyed myself on the set. Though I was to be in only one episode, the director liked what I did and later wrote more scenes with me in mind. I ended up with more substantial screen time than I had envisaged,” she recalled.
After her stint in Hotel St James, she played a supporting role in the award-winning movie, Run Baby Run in 2006. The flick won four African Movie Academy awards and was also adjudged the Best Narrative Film at the 17th Pan African Film Festival.
Becoming more active in the movie industry, Lydia had the chance to again star in another television series, Different Shades of Blue.
It was not until she participated in the Next Movie Star reality show in Lagos, Nigeria, where she placed fourth, that she decided acting was what she wanted to do.
“I learnt a lot during the period and I firmly decided that acting was going to be my life. I was confident and did not care what anyone else thought of me. I was determined to push on.”
Lydia, who sounded very religious throughout the interview, said God has a plan for everyone and “if you put your trust and have faith in Him, you will succeed in all your endeavours.”
Her first major break was in 2008 when she played the lead role as Dea in Shirley Frimpong-Manso’s Scorned movie. Lydia said to date, Scorned remains one of her favourite movies because she loved the story line and the role she played.
“I played different characters as Dea and it was something I had always wanted to do so people could see my versatility.”
Scorned definitely brought her into the limelight and this led to her first African Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) nomination as the Best Upcoming Female Actress and Joy FM’s Night with the Stars Best Actress for 2009 award.
Lydia has had offers flooding in for her to play roles in various productions. She, however, maintains that she is very particular about good quality scripts that challenge the actor and not willing to compromise on standards so did not accept most of those offers. There has been some backlash for that but she has stood her ground and will not feature in anything she is not comfortable with.
The next critically acclaimed film in which Lydia proved her versatility and validated her status as a serious actress was in the 2009 movie, The Perfect Picture. Critics have praised the film and Lydia’s dynamic performance solidified her presence in the Ghanaian movie industry.
Together with Jackie Appiah and Naa Ashorkor, she received the AMAA Best Actress in Lead Role award recently for their roles in Perfect Picture.
She played the lead role in yet another film from Shirley, A Sting In A Tale last year which was also nominated as the Best Narrative Film at the Pan African Film Festival.
It has not only been movies for Lydia. She recently took part in a play titled Vagina Monologue which she said made her fall in love with stage acting and would be doing more of that in the future.
According to Lydia, this year has been very busy for her as she is working on a lot of projects. She indicated that most of the things she is working on will be in fruition by the latter part of year adding that “Ghanaians should expect something mind blowing.”
There has been a lot of collaboration between Ghanaians and their Nigerian counterparts in the movie business and Lydia sees this as a good move.
“We are always talking about African unity. One way of achieving this is through movie collaboration. I hope in the years to come, more African countries will collaborate to make films,” she said.
She noted that the movie industry has come a long way and to revive and sustain it, there was the need for government, corporate bodies and individuals to invest in it.
Lydia is working on establishing the Free2bme Foundation — a mentorship programme to encourage unconventional and innovative thinking among the youth and inculcate in them the will to be anything but ordinary.
Born to Rev. Dr Mathias Forson of the Methodist Church and Janet Banfro, Lydia went to the United States at the age of six when her father pursued his doctoral degree. While there, she attended Wilmore Elementary School in Kentucky. The family later moved back to Ghana and she continued at the Akosombo International School through to St Louis Secondary School in Kumasi. She obtained a Bachelor’s degree in English Language and Information Studies at the University of Ghana, Legon.
Lydia lights up when she talks about her family. She says her mom is her best friend and loves her brothers, Sam and Emmanuel, to bits.
She also loves dogs but unfortunately her three dogs: Tyson, Angel and Lucky died through poisoning.
She lives by Tupac Shakur’s assertion that “when my heart can beat no more, I hope that I die for a principle or a belief that I had lived for.”

'Re-evaluate H1N1 vaccination'

2010-07-19T05:32:00.000-07:00

Saturday, July 17, 2010 (The Mirror Pg 13)

By Rebecca Kwei
The Director of the World Health Organisation Collaborating Centre for Advocacy and Training in Pharmacovigilance, Dr Alex Dodoo, has called for a re-evaluation of the large-scale rollout of the HINI vaccine nationwide.
He said any such large-scale deployment of vaccines should be informed by proper assessment of the risk and a good and rigorous determination of those most vulnerable and hence requiring vaccination.
“There are several people who would benefit from H1N1 vaccination but there are millions more for whom vaccination would present very little benefits” he said in an interview with The Mirror.
Dr Dodoo said the rollout should have been accompanied by very intensive and active monitoring for the occurrence of side effects to ensure that the known benefits of vaccination far outweigh the risks posed by the vaccine itself.
“The fact that several people have complained of unacceptable side effects shows how important safety is to the public.Those likely to suffer severe consequences from H1N1 infection include pregnant women, people with serious pre-existing conditions like asthma and certain heart and lung conditions, as well as those with reduced immunity for instance cancer patients, HIV patients” he said.
Dr Dodoo explained that the benefits of vaccination to such people were expected to be higher than any side effects the vaccines might give.
However, for most normal adults, the H1N1 infection is likely to lead to mild symptoms. Hence, any severe side effects from the vaccine is not likely to be acceptable.
Since the nationwide H1N1 vaccination started, many people who have been vaccinated have complained of side effects such as dizziness, general weakness, reactions at the site of the injection such as hardening, swelling, pain and redness, fatigue and fever.
However, the Ghana Health Service (GHS) in a press statement, vouched for the safety of the H1NI vaccine, indicating that it was to provide beneficiaries with protection against the disease.
It said although those adverse reactions, even after any drug administration were not unusual, the health authorities would deal with the reports with all the seriousness they deserved.
Dr Dodoo said the rollout of H1N1 vaccination to travellers to the World Cup and also to at-risk groups and vulnerable people was a good idea except that the very close monitoring that should have accompanied the rollout appeared to have been absent.
In addition, there has not been published evaluation of those events reported and what the implications of those are to the continuation of the mass immunisation.
Some people also claim they were not given any information on what to expect and what side effects may occur.
“The reported side effects and associated media coverage of them following the large-scale rollout of the H1N1 vaccine to the public, however, raises serious concerns which call for an immediate re-evaluation of the decision to vaccinate everyone.
Apart from the identified vulnerable populations, what are the expected benefits and how much risk is there of contracting H1N1 given that the pandemic appears to have abated and several countries have stayed away from mass immunisation?” he queried.
”If we don’t rollout public health initiatives with good education and appropriate safety monitoring, we risk alienating the public and compromising these laudable initiatives.
“Vaccination is good but only when targeted at the right people and carried out with good education and information provision accompanied with robust safety monitoring and communication systems” Dr Dodoo added.
He said the public needed to be continuously assured of the safety of vaccines and the small risk of adverse reactions that a minority of patients may suffer.
Dr Dodoo also called for a robust risk management plan to accompany the large-scale immunisation of the Ghanaian public with the H1N1 vaccine and regular publication of the adverse events associated with the vaccine as is currently being done in many countries.
In another development, there have been public concerns by several global experts who have questioned the whole management of the pandemic by the WHO, citing possible conflicts of interest and profiteering by the pharmaceutical industry.
In an editorial and investigative piece by the British Medical Journal on June 3, this year, the authors mentioned the example of Poland which refused to be involved in stockpiling vaccines and anti-retrovirals, a decision which now appears very prudent since countries such as France and England which stockpiled these medicines are now finding ways to sell them to other countries.
Other serious issues were raised by the editorial which the WHO had since responded to officially.

Ghana to benefit from cleft lip, palate management project

2010-07-13T04:47:00.000-07:00

Saturday, July 10, 2010 (The Mirror Pg 13)

By Rebecca Kwei
TRANSFORMING Faces Worldwide (TFW), a Canadian charity which helps cleft lip and palate management projects in developing countries, has extended its operations in Ghana for the next three years.
At a press briefing on the operations of the Cleft Lip and Palate Management Project (CLPMP), Ghana, the non-governmental organisation which had been working in the country since 2002 revealed that it has so far supported about 500 patients through surgery and a larger number of patients have received multi-disciplinary services.
The project which is located at the Reconstructive Plastic Surgery and Burns Centre (RPSBC) at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital draws various health experts from both public and private health institutions to form a multi-disciplinary team.
Cleft lip and palate is a congenital anomaly or defect which causes a split of the lip and/or the roof of the mouth; a defect which allows someone to look into the mouth of a patient without the patient opening the mouth. Parents who want a ‘perfect baby’ are usually shocked when they are presented with such babies.
Problems associated with the defect are related to appearance, social stigma, failure to name the child, child not sent for immunisations, child not being sent to school, some not being allowed to live and also being abandoned by parents, mostly their fathers.
Medical problems linked with cleft lip are feeding problems, repeated ear infections, speech problems, hearing problems, learning difficulties, as well as other congenital problems such as heart, skeletal and genital problems.
According to Mr James Hottor, a representative of TFW, the NGO supports cleft lip and palate management projects in developing countries by providing funds for medical supplies, treatment and training of local cleft specialists among others.
He said TFW has projects in Bulgaria, Peru, Argentina, India, Nepal, Ethiopia, China and Thailand.
He said the goal of CLPMP, Ghana, was to evolve and sustain a comprehensive cleft lip and palate management in Ghana, pursue partnerships for the sustenance of the project and also provide assistance to poor persons with cleft lip and palate management.
The Executive Director of TFW, Mr Esteban Lasso, said close to 90,000 interventions have been performed for more than 6,000 patients.
These included reconstructive surgery, speech therapy, hearing tests and aids, breastfeeding counselling, dentistry/orthodontics, nutritional support, psychological counselling, ear, nose and throat (ENT) services.
He said a child was born with a cleft lip and palate every 11 minutes and that in many developing countries, access to multidisciplinary treatment was limited or lacking in quality.
Other challenges, he said, had to do with the ‘brain drain’ of local medical specialists which undermined the development of cleft centres and the fact that cleft lip and palate was a low priority for the overburdened health systems as well as limited funds.
He said there was, therefore, the need for long-term partnerships to build multidisciplinary teams and emphasis placed on building local capacity and training.
Dr Albert Paintsil, a member of the CLPMP, Ghana, said the cleft lip and palate defect occurred during the development of the face of the foetus in the first three months of pregnancy.
He noted that most mothers may not be aware of the pregnancy during that time and may engage in activities such as intake of alcohol and certain drugs, smoking, anticonvulsants, retinoic acid, steroids, lack of folic acid and vitamins and some herbal concoctions which may increase the risk factors of the baby developing the defect.
He said defects in the genetic material passed on to the child from the parents was also a factor.
Dr Paintsil emphasised that cleft lip and palate was not the result of witchcraft, unfaithfulness on the part of the woman, curse or the effect of a ‘bad look’ during pregnancy.

Are beauty queens getting 'ugly'

2010-07-06T08:38:00.000-07:00

Saturday, July 3, 2010 (The Mirror Pg 27)

By Rebecca Kwei
As Ghanaians bask in the exploits of the Black Stars at the ongoing World Cup, one lady who may not be having fun right now is TV3’s Ghana’s Most Beautiful, Nasara Mariam Abdul Rauf.
Nasara has been stripped of her title by the organisers of the pageant, TV3, for allegedly stealing a mobile phone belonging to Miss UK when they camped in the Philippines in preparation for the Miss Earth 2009.
Nasara, however, insists she did not steal any phone but only ‘borrowed’ the phone to make calls.
“As far as I know, I am still Ghana’s Most Beautiful. I don’t have any problem with TV3, everything that is being said about me is false rumour and I leave it all to God” she told the Graphic Showbiz.
TV3 also says it arrived at the decision to strip Nasara of her title after series of investigations, internal discussions and evidence it had. The lady whose phone has caused the controversy is Miss UK, Kirsty Nichol who works as a model and lives in London. She is also a trained singer under the Royal Associated Board and the Academy Of Contemporary Music. She was crowned Miss Earth England 2009 at the Royal Leamington Spa in Warwickshire, England.
The evidence TV3 had was an e-mail from Miss UK which was an itemised phone bill with lots of calls to Ghana at a time that the chip had disappeared. Efforts to get her comments on the unfolding drama were not successful.
In another development, Laura Anness, a teacher who was crowned Miss Cornwall and was set to participate in the Miss England final in Birmingham, has lost her crown after the organisers of the pageant discovered she had deceived them.
Her entry forms for 2010 said she was 22. So, too, were her entry forms for the competition in 2006, 2007 and 2008. Laura is, in fact, 27. Entrants have to be aged between 17 and 24. To make matters worse, the new Miss Cornwall actually lived in Plymouth — in Devon.
She was found out when Miss Cornwall organiser, Becky Chapman, spotted the age inconsistencies on the entry forms and then went to visit her Devon home.
Laura apologised and handed back her sash, crown, her 12-month modelling contract and £2,000 worth of prizes.
Another beauty queen, Venus Raj, who won the Pilipinas Universe title in the Philippines on March 6, 2010, was also stripped of her crown when the organisers discovered inconsistencies contained in her birth records, in contrast to her personal account of her birth.
In 2008, there was the case of a Mexican beauty queen, Laura Zuniga, who was detained on suspicion of drug and weapons violation was stripped of her crown in the Hispanoamerican queen pageant.
Laura was detained on December 22, 2008 along with seven men, some of them suspected to be drug traffickers. Authorities found a large stash of weapons, ammunition and $53,300 with them inside a vehicle.

Commit more resources to cervical cancer screening

2010-07-06T08:34:00.000-07:00

Saturday, June 26, 2010 (The Mirror Pg 34)

By Rebecca Kwei
A CANCER CONTROL FOCAL PERSON of the Ghana Health Service, Dr Kofi Nyarko, has called on the government to commit more resources to the effective screening of cervical cancer in the country.
He said cervical cancer was the most common cancer affecting women in Ghana and the lack of an effective and systematic national testing or treatment as compared to other developed countries was increasing the cases of the disease.
Cervical cancer affects tissues of the cervix (the organ connecting the uterus and vagina). It is usually a slow-growing cancer that may not have symptoms but can be found with regular Pap tests (a procedure in which cells are scraped from the cervix and looked at under a microscope). Cervical cancer is almost always caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) infection.
Dr Nyarko made this known during a press conference in Accra ahead of the 4th Stop Cervical Cancer in Africa to be held in Accra between July 25 and July 27 this year.
It will be on the theme: “Africa unite in action, mobilising political and financial support to strengthen cervical cancer prevention”.
The three-day international conference is in collaboration with Princess Nikky Breast and Cervical Cancer Foundation, a Nigerian based non-governmental organisation (NGO) at the forefront of breast and cervical cancer prevention and control in Africa.
Giving the cervical cancer statistics, Dr Nyarko said 274,000 deaths were recorded annually, out of which 61,000 (78 per cent) of those deaths were from Africa. About 79,000 women are diagnosed of cervical cancer in Africa each year.
He said women in developing world had the highest risk of developing cervical cancer because few are effectively screened.
He said although there had been interventions in Ghana such as the cervicare project to prevent and treat cervical cancer, there was the need for a systematic national campaign to increase awareness of the disease.
For his part, the Minister of Health, Dr Benjamin Kunbuor, quoting from a World Health Organisation (WHO) studies, said that 18 per cent of all cancer deaths in Ghana was due to cervical cancer.
He noted that unfortunately, most of the cancers seen at the country’s health facilities were advanced cases which could have been cured if they had been detected early and that management of those advanced cases was very expensive.
“Prevention, early detection and treatment of early stages of cervical cancer is very cost effective and has good outcome,” he said.
Dr Kunbuor expressed the hope that conference would accelerate Ghana’s efforts at advocacy and awareness creation, as well as enhance the country’s efforts to implement a comprehensive cervical cancer prevention programme.
The Executive Director of Princess Nikky Breast Cancer Foundation, Princess Nikky Onyeri, said the conference was expected to advocate increased awareness of cervical cancer in Africa; to reduce stigmatisation of people suffering and living with cervical cancer.
She said the conference also had the objective to mobilise the needed resources for the development of policies, strategies and action to fight cervical cancer at national, regional and international levels.

Rally round the flag

2010-06-15T08:20:00.001-07:00

Saturday, June 12, 2010 (The Mirror Pg 3)

By Rebecca Kwei
STILL having the notion that football is an exclusive men’s sport? Wrong.
In the past few years, the world’s most widely-followed sport has expanded its fan base as ladies have also been hit by the football bug as much as the men.
At various tournaments around the world, women have suddenly assumed the role of cheerleaders, beautifying the stands in their chic, colourful, national colours to cheer their teams to victory. Not just that, they seem to also understand the rules of the game.
As the 19th historic World Cup kicked off in South Africa yesterday with 32 teams, thousands of beautiful ladies lent their support to their teams.
It may not be official, but Miss Malaika 2009, Gezelle Maame Konadu Addai, sees herself as a chief cheerleader for the Black Stars and is optimistic that the Stars will shine during this tournament and particularly, when they play Serbia in their opening Group D game tomorrow.
“I can feel it in my heart. I’ve watched them play and I think they play very well and with a lot of determination” she said with a lot of passion in an interview with The Mirror.
The Black Stars have received a lot of flak about their performance and preparation towards the world cup, especially, after the Ghana and The Netherlands friendly match which Ghana lost 4-1.
But Gezelle said it was important that all Ghanaians supported the Black Stars through thick and thin.
Gezelle, who rode on US President Barrack Obama’s audacious phrase “Yes, we can” to win the Malaika crown, said that phrase is still as relevant as when it first spoken.
“It is sad that we only have confidence in the team when they win, but we have to support them whether good or bad. We have to cheer them on and also remember them in our prayers.
“ They had proven when hopes were down that yes they could, and I want to remain optmistic that they can do very well at this World Cup. Yes, they can!”
Gezelle who leaves Ghana for South Africa today to cheer the Black Stars said she was hopeful the Black Stars will thrash their Serbian counterparts by at least three goals to nil.
She said Dominic Adiyiah, Asamoah Gyan, Kwadwo Asamoah, Matthew Amoah and Prince Kelvin Boateng, whom she described as the new kid on the bloc, were her favourite Black Stars players.
She encouraged the Black Stars to play as a team , listen to the coach’s instructions and stay focused adding “ I believe in my heart they will make Ghana proud and make the nation stand out on the international map. Go Black Stars, Go!”
Eighteen-year-old Gezelle entered the Miss Malaika Ghana competition with an ambition. Then a graduate of Holy Child Senior High school, she described herself as confident and ambitious — traits that proved useful which won her the crown as Miss Malaika 2009 over 16 other contestants.
Months down the line after winning the coveted crown, Gezelle, who aspires to be an International Journalist and a model, has been on the war path against malaria in Ghana — a responsibility that comes with winning the crown.
Winning Miss Malaika has opened a lot of doors to greater heights for the ambitious young lady and she has not taken the responsibility lightly.
She began not long after her crowning by hosting a Christmas party for the pupils of the Dzorwulu Special School and immediately followed it up with painting the Princess Marie Louis Hospital (Children’s Hospital), donated artworks to the wards, painted the walls of the wards in cartoon characters to encourage them to heal quickly.
It is interesting to note that, all this effort was before she took on full responsibility as the Malaria Youth Ambassador attached to the National Malaria Control Programme.
Gezelle also participated in the MTN 21 days of Yello’ Care for community enhancement project.
This community- based programme included distribution of mosquito nets, painting of selected hospitals, indoor residual spraying, tree-planting exercises and a malaria awareness talk in all the 10 regions.
Aside supporting the Black Stars,she took on other responsibilities such as the Malaria Youth Ambassador and a role as a Charity Icon for MTN. One will find a very active young woman who is constantly on the move to make her community a better place.

Maternal mortality rate still high

2010-06-15T07:09:00.000-07:00

Saturday, June 5, 2010 (The Mirror Pg 13)

By Rebecca Kwei
Ghana has one of the highest maternal mortality rate in the world. The Ghana 2007 Maternal Health Survey revealed that about 451 women per 100,000 live births died in the country due to pregnancy, unsafe abortion or complications of labour (GSS 2007).
According to the 2008 Ghana Demographic Health Survey, the total fertility rate (TFR) in Ghana is as high as 4.0, but the modern contraception usage rate is quite low at 17 per cent among married women.
The use of modern methods slightly declined from 19 per cent in 2003 to 17 per cent in 2008. The modern method distribution among married women is as follows: Tubal ligation - 1.6 per cent; Pill - 4.7 per cent; Intrauterine Device (IUD) - 0.2 per cent; Injectables - 6.2 per cent; Implants - 0.9 per cent; male condom - 2.4 per cent and female condom - 0.1 per cent
Although the government of Ghana has made some gains in the area of reproductive health services, the low levels of family planning practices and in particular, underutilisation of long-acting and permanent methods continue to indicate a lack of information about reproductive health as well as lack of access to these methods.
To support government’s response towards achieving the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) 5 of eliminating maternal deaths due to unsafe abortion in Ghana, a consortium of five agencies initiated a programme dubbed; Reducing Maternal Mortality and Morbidity (R3M) in September 2006.
The five agencies are EngenderHealth, Ipas, Marie Stopes International, Population Council and the Willows Foundation, all international non- governmental organisations that work to improve women’s reproductive health.
The R3M programme provide financial and technical resources that enable the government to significantly expand women’s access to modern family planning and comprehensive abortion care (CAC), reduce unwanted fertility and severe complications and deaths caused by unsafe abortion.
Additionally, it is working to help achieve the government’s contraceptive prevalence goal of 39 per cent by 2015; make family planning services, especially, long acting and permanent methods and comprehensive abortion care routinely available and utilised at all levels of the Ghana health system.
Furthermore, it aims at reducing mortality and morbidity due to unsafe abortion by 2015, by eliminating the majority of the severe complications and make abortion services available to the extent permitted by the Ghanaian Law of 1985, and to educate providers and communities on the law.
The initial three-year phase of the R3M programme ended in December 2009 and was implemented in three regions namely; Greater Accra, Eastern and Ashanti regions.
According to Mr Placide Tapsoba, Country Director of the Population Council, the organisation that co-ordinates the activities of the R3M, the consortium members have met their original objectives of training, promoting community behavioural change, and the use of long acting or permanent family planning methods and providing comprehensive abortion care in both private and public health facilities.
Mr Tapsoba indicated that, the second phase of the programme will run from January 2010 to December 2011.

Civil society train on CEAL guide

2010-06-01T05:19:00.000-07:00

Saturday, May 29, 2010 (The Mirror Pg 34)

By Rebecca Kwei
A workshop to train representatives of civil society organisations (CSOs) on the Citizens' Education Action Learning (CEAL) Guide has been held in Accra.
The CEAL guide, which was inspired by the Commonwealth Foundation's Citizens and Governance programme, provides practical ways of bringing about the greater participation of people in the governance of the things that affect their lives.
About 25 participants from countries in West Africa and Cameroon took part in the five-day workshop, which was hosted by Women in Law and Development in Africa (WiLDAF) and sponsored by the Commonwealth Foundation.
The facilitator was the Executive Director of Dignity International, Jerald Joseph.
According to Mr Frank Bodza of WiLDAF Ghana, the Commonwealth Foundation was formed to strengthen CSOs across the Commonwealth as the CSOs promoted democracy, advanced sustainable development and fostered inter-cultural understanding.
The CEAL Guide, he said, would enable members of CSOs to better engage with citizens and their beneficiary audience for development.
He said the training was at the same time being held in East Africa, Asia and the Caribbean.
Mr Bodza said the training workshop would enable CSOs to develop knowledge and skills and involve citizens as active participants in the governance process.
He noted that if people participated in governance, better decision-making processes would be formulated and that would ultimately lead to more effective development and a better society.
He said the CEAL Guide was primarily written for facilitators, trainers or community leaders in the field of citizenship and governance education.
However, it could be used as a resource material for anyone who might be interested in citizenship and governance, he added.

Efya — Musician with new identity, new direction

2010-05-26T05:09:00.000-07:00

Saturday, May 22, 2010 (The Mirror Pg 46)

By Rebecca Kwei
She is simply Efya now. In the recent past she was Jane Awindor which then metamorphosed into Jane (as part of the duo, Irene and Jane) and later became Miss Jane.
To the young bubbly singer making ample waves on the scene now, the name change signifies maturity in vocal ability and lyrical content as well as a new identity and new direction in her music.
“The little Jane grew up to become Miss Jane and later to become Efya. I needed to be Jane, Miss Jane in order to grow to be Efya. I found myself. That’s my name — Efya because I was born on a Friday,” she told The Mirror
Note the peculiar way she spells her name — Efya (rather than Afia, Efua) and she explains that there are a lot of “Afias” but her unique spelling is to make her stand out so that “when you mention Efya, everyone would know who you are talking about.”
Efya who just completed the University of Ghana, Legon, majoring in Theatre Arts Directing is working on her first solo album.
Although she could not give a specific time (saying between June and August this year) when the album will be released, she said she was working hard on coming out with “something that will round up everything I want to say and a very good album.”
She describes her genre as Afro neo-soul which she said is a potpourri of Afro-beat, soul music and a little pop.
“Although it’s slow, you’ll want to groove with it” she says of her genre adding: “I find my genre a very good way to express myself and also it’s because of the kinds of songs I listened to while growing up — a lot of soul. I enjoy Erika Badu, Usher, Aretha Franklin.”
Already her hit singles, Blow Your Mind, Nothing and A Moment’s Notice are receiving great airplay.
Nothing and A Moment’s Notice were some of the sound tracks on Shirley Frimpong-Manso’s movie, Perfect Picture.
Interestingly, Efya writes most of her songs and she says she loves to write songs and sing but finds writing more challenging.
"You are writing for a lot of people and you’ll need to express yourself in such a way that someone else listening to you understands what you mean and make the right impression you want,” she said.
Her inspiration comes from everything around her, nature, friends and experiences.
For instance, her song Nothing is based on her and three friends — four friends who love, how much they love and how much they will do for the people they love.
Most musicians started at a very tender age and it was the same for Efya (real name Jane Fara Fauzziea Awindor) who started singing at six in church and by the age of nine was leading the Missionette Choir of the Assemblies of God Church as its director.
“I was brought up in the church. I come from a family of singers and my dad also plays the guitar. At a young age, I knew I wanted to be a singer. It was fun singing at church and I looked forward to going to church always,” she told The Mirror.
While in secondary school at Yaa Asantewaa in Kumasi, Efya continued to develop her singing abilities by being in the choir, and performing at entertainment shows.
She says she was also active in sports in secondary school and participated in the 100m, 200m and 400m relay disciplines.
Nana Adwoa Awindor (Efya’s mom), host of the TV programme Greetings From Abroad (the show that linked Ghanaians abroad with those at home) had an influence on her daughter who was always with her on location to try her hands at editing and production at her mom’s firm, Premier Productions.
“After secondary school, I learnt how to edit, enabling me to edit my mom’s programme for about two years before I started university,” she said.
Although she was singing in church, she didn’t take it so serious till she auditioned for Stars of the Future, a music talent hunt organised by Charterhouse.
Although Irene Logan won the competition and Jane placed third, the two decided to come together under the stage name Irene and Jane.
The duo’s album titled Irene and Jane Unveiled featured Wutah, Amandzeba and Blu 3, a trio from Uganda.
Within a short period, the duo were one of the ‘hottest’ musicians in the country and they performed at various platforms in Ghana and other countries.
The duo split in 2008. According to Efya, the Stars of the Future prize was a three-year contract deal as ‘Irene and Jane’, and after three years they decided to go their separate ways because that was what they had agreed on before coming together.
She said they do different genres of music and they wanted to explore themselves and so were better off going solo.
Efya insists she and Irene are still very good friends and there was no bad blood between them as was being speculated.
Recently, there has been talk about lyrics on women which mostly portray them as sex objects. Efya shares the concern and observed that it was just a strategy for people to market their stuff adding: “This is not nice. I don’t like girls being portrayed as sex objects.”
She says she concentrates on positive lyrics and those that will empower young women.
In the next five years, the 23-year-old Efya envisions her name being “all over the place” and would have won more than 10 Ghana Music Awards in various categories.

Constance — 10 Years of making metals talk

2010-05-26T05:05:00.000-07:00

Saturday, May 22, 2010 (The Mirror Pg 3)

By Rebecca Kwei
Oscar Wilde, the Irish writer and poet, said, “A work of art is the unique result of a unique temperament”, and for Accents and Arts, a company that deals in furnishing and decor, it’s been 10 years of unique and creative exploration.
While most companies in the furnishing and decor business use mainly wood, Accents and Art, very early in its business, realised the need to break away from that and use the finest quality iron.
Using metal and blending it with the language of art, vision and imagination, Accents and Art manufactures chairs, gates, balustrade (a railing at the side of a staircase or balcony to prevent people from falling), sculpture, chaise lounges, bar stools, desk chairs, tables, consoles, chandeliers, curtain rods, light, lamps, mirrors and other products with a touch of class.
According to Ms Constance Swaniker, the Managing Director and Founder of Accents and Art, the company was established to rediscover the striking and artistic nature of wrought iron.
She said over the years, the company had gone on to skilfully blend wood with glass and various materials to bring out the splendour of metal art.
Having gone through the showroom on the factory premises located at Bubiashie, a suburb of Accra, I realised that products from Accents and Art have a unique look; the pleasant designs draw one to them — a mixture of traditional and contemporary designs, the twists, folds, scrolls not normally associated with metal and high-end finishes which are missing in most items produced in Ghana.
“Every design, every product is very well thought of before it comes out. The artistic element makes it different from what you see of others in the same business. We focus on how the iron details of flowers and leaves make ordinary products like fences, gates and chandeliers extraordinary,” Ms Swaniker emphasised.
From humble beginnings of three workers using very basic hand tools, the company now boasts 38 workers using sophisticated industrial machines.
Her clients include hotels and lodges, restaurants/bars, corporate institutions, churches, boutiques, malls, shops and private individuals.
The company was registered in May 2000 as a sole proprietorship but became a limited liability company from November last year.
Most Ghanaians do not take the arts and sculpture seriously and it is also a venture not taken seriously.
However, Ms Swaniker notes that “over the years, the growing middle-class in Ghana are beginning to appreciate fine art and are very particular about their homes. Some have also travelled extensively and they know the value of quality art pieces so the demand is high”.
Additionally, she said the real estate business was very vibrant, making the demand for functional art high.
On why she chose to use metal, she said getting access to wood was becoming difficult and there was, therefore, the need to explore other areas other than the traditional wood. Additionally, she said metal tended to be cheap and lasted longer.
Over the last 10 years, Accents and Art has carved a niche for itself and developed a brand that adds an artistic touch, such that Ms Swaniker says, “Someone sees an art piece somewhere and immediately knows it’s from Accents and Art.”
However, like every venture, it has not been entirely smooth sailing. Ms Swaniker says there have been challenges.
A main challenge, she said, was finance and that several banks did not find small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) attractive enough to do business with.
The high interest rates on loans, according to her, also did not help businesses grow.
She pulled out and showed me an article titled, “Interest rates ‘killing’ economy” published in the African Business magazine.
The article indicated that interest rates charged by Ghana’s commercial banks were the highest in Africa and second highest in the world.
She called on Ghanaian banks to lower interest rates so that small businesses could access loans to grow. She also urged the government to identify key businesses which had potential and create a special fund for them to meet their specific needs.
But over the years, doing good jobs has opened a lot of doors for Accents and Art.
The company also got a grant from the World Bank, through the Ministry of Trade and Industry, and that led to a team of consultants helping to put modern systems and structures in place for the company to operate till now.
She noted that when businesses were helped to grow, the ripple effect it had on society, such as creating employment for the many unemployed youth, was enormous.
“We need to encourage SMEs that it is possible to grow small businesses to this level, using my company as an example,” she said.
Having established Accents and Art at the young age of 26, Ms Swaniker also believes that young people ought to be given a chance to prove themselves.
Being a woman operating in a male-dominated field, she said she was actively involved in every process of manufacturing the products.
She also doubles as the Creative Director.
Ms Swaniker is an artist and sculptor by profession. She holds a degree in Fine Art (Sculpture option) from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology.
As the company celebrates its 10th anniversary, Ms Swaniker is working hard to consolidate the gains made as a medium-scale business. She is also anxious to move the company on to a bigger scale, while continuing to delight her clients with exceptional quality furnishing and decor.
As part of activities to mark 10 years of achievements, there will be a special exhibition of works from Accents and Art on its premises at Bubiashie at 10 a.m. on Thursday, May 27.

Malaria deserves more attention

2010-05-18T02:44:00.000-07:00

Saturday, May 15, 2010 (The Mirror Pg 13)

By Rebecca Kwei
Malaria received a lot of attention and visibility recently when the world celebrated World Malaria Day on April 25.
Series of activities such as workshops, radio and TV programmes, donation of Insecticide Treated Nets (ITNs) by various organisations among others heralded the celebration.
While the day afforded us the opportunity to ponder anew on strategies to eliminate this disease which according the World Health Organisation (WHO) kills more than a million people annually, of much concern to most people is that issues of malaria will not be relegated to the background after the celebrations.
Despite the fact that malaria is preventable and treatable, the WHO estimates that more that 80 per cent of deaths due to malaria occurs in Sub-Saharan Africa, mostly among children under five years and pregnant women.
Malaria also impacts on all the eight goals of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) so the MDGs cannot be attained if malaria is not eliminated.
Although there are many interventions including control, preventive and research activities to contain the disease, last year in Ghana, 3,600,000 cases of malaria were recorded at the Out Patients Department while 3,900 deaths due to malaria were also recorded within the same period.
But the optimistic Programme Manager of the National Malaria Control Programme, Dr Constance Bart-Plange, sees a silver lining in the clouds.
"The story is not so gloomy since the country was making progress in the fight against malaria. There have been a drastic reduction in deaths due to malaria in the country and the World Health Organisation had estimated that between 2003 to 2009, 20,000 lives of children under five years would be saved" she told a group of journalists at a day's workshop organised by African Media and Malaria Research Network (AMMREN) in Accra.
Of much concern to Dr Bart-Plange was for all fevers to be properly diagnosed to ascertain whether it was malaria or not and for malaria to be properly treated with artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) and also for every Ghanaian to sleep under ITNs.
Other interventions to control malaria are indoor residual spraying, environmental management, Sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) to prevent malaria in pregnant women and targeted larviciding.
Another breakthrough is the development of the vaccines such as the RTS,S which is currently the most clinically advanced malaria vaccine candidate in the world.
Additionally, the INDEPTH Effectiveness and Safety Studies (INESS) will examine in real life the safety and effectiveness of anti-malarials in many districts in four African countries including Ghana.
Furthermore, initiative known as the Affordable Medicines Facility - Malaria (AMFm) is being introduced to ensure that people suffering from malaria have access to inexpensive, effective anti-malarial treatment in the form of ACTs.
Clearly, there are a lot of interventions to prevent and control malaria but for the fight against malaria to be won, a lot also depends on the amount of resources African leaders commit to it and as the Executive Secretary of AMMREN, Mrs Charity Binka notes, the commitment of African leaders in the fight against malaria is very key.
At a summit in Abuja, Nigeria, on April 25, 2000, African heads of state and governments among others committed to halve the malaria mortality for Africans by 2010, through implementing the strategies and actions for Roll Back Malaria, agreed at the summit.
For Mrs Binka, it was important for people to impress upon leadership to show commitment to the Abuja declaration so that the resolutions of that summit does not remain on paper.
"The big question is can we by the end of this year be able to proudly say that the targets to reduce malaria morbidity by half and malaria mortality by half have been achieved? asked Mrs Binka.
"Yes, we can with commitment on the part of leaders. African governments must stand up and be counted as we enter the next phase to kick out malaria from the continent. They must not fail us", she adds.

Move to make malarial drugs inexpensive

2010-05-13T04:41:00.000-07:00

Saturday, May 1, 2010 (The Mirror Pg 13)

By Rebecca Kwei
The world celebrated World Malaria Day on Sunday, April 25, on the theme “Counting Malaria Out”.
Malaria remains a killer disease, with nearly one million people losing their lives every year.
In Ghana, malaria continues to be the leading cause of death in children under five and pregnant women.
There have been many interventions since the ‘Roll Back Malaria” initiative in1999 ,which is a combination of prevention and curative methods to reduce the malaria burden.
Among these are Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS), Insecticide Treated Nets (ITNs) and the use of Artemisinin-based Combination Therapy (ACT) which is recommended by the WHO as the first line treatment for uncomplicated malaria.
However, most ACTs are very expensive and most Ghanaians are not able to afford it, making them resort to all kinds of medications and therapies in the treatment of malaria.
Fortunately, an initiative known as the Affordable Medicines Facility - Malaria (AMFm) is being introduced to ensure that people suffering from malaria have access to inexpensive, effective anti-malarial treatment in the form of ACTs.
The pilot project for the AMFm will begin in August this year throughout the country and last for two years.
Other countries on board the AMFm initiative are Cambodia, Kenya, Madagascar, Niger, Nigeria, Tanzania and Uganda.
The AMFm is hosted by the Global Fund with support by UNITAID and members of the Roll Back Malaria Partnership.
This was made known at a day’s media briefing as part of activities marking this year’s World Malaria Day. It was organised by the National Malaria Control Programme (NMCP) in collaboration with the John Hopkins University Centre for Communication Programs — Voices for a Malaria-free Future Project in Accra.
According to Mr Sylvester Segbaya of the NMCP, although there were effective ACTs for the treatment of malaria, it was not affordable and the AMFm was a financing mechanism to ensure that the poor and vulnerable in the society get access to affordable medicines.
He explained that AMFm will negotiate with drug manufacturers to reduce the price of ACTs with the condition that sales prices must be the same for both public and private sector first-line buyers.
Once the manufacturer’s sales price has been reduced, the AMFm will then pay a proportion of this reduced price (buyer co-payment) directly to manufacturers to further lower the cost to eligible first-line buyers of ACTs purchased from manufacturers. This means that first-line buyers only pay the remainder of the sales price for the ACTs.
In addition, first-line buyers will be expected to pass the highest possible proportion of this price benefit so that patients are able to buy ACTs across the public, private and NGO sectors at a price competitive with that of less anti-malaria drugs.
Mr Segbaya said after 24 months, the AMFm pilot will be evaluated to determine whether there is the need for a global roll out.
He was optimistic that AMFm initiative will reduce deaths due to malaria and also knock off artemisinin monotherapies which are no longer effective for the treatment of malaria.

Malaria deaths reduce

2010-05-13T04:40:00.000-07:00

Saturday, May 1, 2010 (The Mirror Pg 21)

By Rebecca Kwei
THREE million six hundred thousand cases of malaria were recorded at the Out Patients Department in the country last year.
Out of these 3,900 deaths due to malaria were also recorded during the same period.
The Programme Manager of the National Malaria Control Programme, Dr Constance Bart-Plange, who gave the figures, however, noted that the story was not so gloomy since the country was making progress in the fight against malaria.
For instance she said there had been a drastic reduction in deaths due to malaria in the country and the World Health Organisation had estimated that between 2003 to 2009, 20,000 lives of children under five years would be saved.
Dr Bart-Plange was making a presentation on the topic “Malaria Control in Ghana — Where are we?” at a workshop organised by the African Media and Malaria Research Network (AMMREN) as part of activities marking this year’s World Malaria Day which fell on April 25.
This year’s world theme was “Counting Malaria Out” while AMMREN chose the sub-theme “Counting Malaria Out in Partnership with the media”.
Dr Bart-Plange said many sicknesses present the same symptoms as malaria and it was important any fever presented at the health facility was properly confirmed through microscopy or rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) to be malaria.
She said the current malaria preventive strategies were indoor residual spraying, Insecticide Treated Nets (ITNs) , Sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) to prevent malaria in pregnant women, environmental management and targeted larviciding.
She expressed concern that some health personnel were still prescribing monotherapies and emphasised that the first line drug for the treatment of uncomplicated malaria was artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) such as artesunate-amodiaquine or artemether-lumefantrine.
“No more chloroquine, no more camoquine alone, no more artesunate alone for the treatment of malaria” she added.
Speaking on the topic “Linking Science to Journalism”, the General Secretary of the Ghana Medical Association, Dr Sodzi Sodzi Tettey, called on media personnel to interpret information to suit the target audience so that it would be able to bring about behavioural change and effective policies.
“Science can no longer be comfortable publishing the results of papers in ivory towers and journalism can no longer be comfortable with neutral reporting on events. We must both go beyond our comfort zones, beyond the call of duty into advocacy mode,” he added.
The President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana and Head, Centre for Clinical Pharmacology, University of Ghana Medical School, Dr Alex Dodoo, said the INDEPTH Network Effectiveness and Safety Studies (INESS) will provide a platform to examine the real life safety and effectiveness of anti-malarials in several districts in four African countries.
The countries are Ghana, Tanzania, Burkina Faso and Mozambique.
In Ghana the project took off last year in research sites in Dodowa, Kintampo and Navrongo.
The Executive Secretary of AMMREN, Mrs Charity Binka, said this year’s celebration of the Malaria Day gave another opportunity to re-strategise on kicking malaria out of Africa and the world.

Khareema — A desire to glitter

2010-05-13T04:37:00.000-07:00

Saturday, May 1, 2010 (Pg 3)

By Rebecca Kwei
If you have seen Shirley Frimpong-Manso’s newest movie, Checkmate, then you have an idea of how vilely some people can guide their pals but actress Khareema Aguiar would not have been there playing the part of the ignoble friend to Nadia Buari if she had not ‘accidentally’ landed in the All That Glitters series on television five years ago.
She accompanied a friend to audition for a role in the series. Little did she know she would be persuaded by the producers to audition as well and eventually land the lead part in the project.
Khareema gained some attention when she played Angela in the All That Glitters lead role series on TV 3 in 2005. It was also shown in Jamaica, the United Kingdom and Nigeria.
“I was not keen on acting. I only accompanied a friend to try her luck for a role but one thing led to another and I had to audition as well. I guess I impressed the panel and eventually got the role,” she recalled in an interview with The Mirror.
According to Khareema, she tremendously enjoyed herself during the production of All That Glitters as the cast and crew were very well taken care of. That being her first acting role, she says she was really ‘spoiled’ on the set.
After that pampering on All That Glitters, Khareema said she was offered a few other movie roles but did not fancy them because she felt she wouldn’t get the same pleasant treatment she had while filming All That Glitters. But then, she made up her mind at some point to get back into acting and Checkmate came along with the role of Jessica for her.
In both All That Glitters and Checkmate, Khareema played a malevolent character very well but says she is not like that in real life.
“I’m just a normal young lady who wants things to happen for her. I’m friendly and the homely type,” she said as she fidgeted with her i-phone during the interview.
Sporting a knee-length flowered dress, the big-framed Khareema said since being in Checkmate, she has also shot two more movies — Love Game which starred Jim Iyke, a Nigerian actor and Yvonne Nelson and Wrong Line which had Ini Edo, also from Nigeria.
The two movies, which were produced by David Owusu of Media 5, will be released later this year.
Khareema who is in her twenties, attended St Theresa’s School at North Kaneshie in Accra and then to St Mary’s Secondary School, also in Accra, where she offered Home Economics because she loved to cook.
She continued her education at the Central University College up to Level 300 but deferred her course to take care of her sick mother and also give birth to a baby boy, Zini, who is about two years old. She plans on going back to complete her university education.
Although, she never planned to go into acting, Khareema said her interest in showbiz sprung out of her involvement with journalism and radio presenting. Right after completing St Mary’s, she landed a job at Happy FM in Accra where she read the news with Gideon Aryeequaye.
She then moved to Hitz FM where she read the entertainment news on The Scoop and also presented Shout the Hits with Michael Quayson on Saturdays where people called in to request songs.
Aside acting, Khareema is also business-minded. While at the university, she started an events organising company, Divarheema, which introduced the first ‘Akwaaba Night’ on campus.
She also owns a cold store, High Scales Butchery and Foods in Osu, Accra, and has plans to open a boutique soon.
Khareema says one of the challenges she faces now is how to effectively juggle between acting and being a mother.
Asked if she is not ‘harrassed’ by fans of the opposite sex, she said “these things are bound to happen but you will have to be matured about it and know how to deal with it.”
Khareema says she is very grateful to her family, especially George Wayne and Gibril Aguiar who have been very supportive.
She takes inspiration from Oprah Winfrey, the popular US talk show hostess whom she describes as ‘the voice of the voiceless.’
When not acting or taking care of her businesses, Khareema loves to spend time with her son, Zini.
Though initially not too keen on acting, Khareema is now all out for it and strongly believes she is the next big star to glitter on our screens.

Support African tobacco farmers

2010-04-26T05:19:00.000-07:00

Saturday, April 24, 2010 (The Mirror Pg 34)

By Rebecca Kwei
The Minister of Health, Dr Benjamin Kunbuor, has called for support for tobacco farmers in African countries to enable them to venture into other alternative livelihoods.
In a speech on his behalf, the Health Minister said emerging studies showed that there were a range of alternatives to tobacco growing that were more economically viable and less harmful to farmers’ health and the environment.
Dr Kunbuor made the call at the opening session of the second meeting of the working group on economically sustainable alternatives to tobacco growing in relation to Articles 17 and 18 of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) in Accra.
The WHO FCTC on tobacco control was developed in response to the globalisation of the tobacco epidemic.
It is the first treaty negotiated under the auspices of the WHO that reaffirms the right of all people to the highest standard of health.
About 30 participants from 18 WHO-member countries are attending the three-day meeting to provide practical guidelines on how to achieve the goals of Articles 17 and 18 which deal with economically sustainable alternatives to tobacco growing and protection of the environment.
Dr Kunbuor noted that many tobacco farmers would like to switch to alternatives, but they often faced challenges such as access to credits, markets, technical assistance, inputs and skills.
He, therefore, expressed the hope that the deliberations at the meeting “will work towards diminishing these barriers, and if protected from interference by the tobacco industry, will assist farmers and other tobacco workers in securing long-term sustainable livelihoods”.
He said the world was waiting for proposals of the working group, since its efforts would impact on the lives of some of the poorest people not only in Africa but around the world.
He said the tobacco industry had for a long time used farmers to slow down ratification and implementation of the WHO FCTC even though the farmers did not really benefit from their hard work and the big profits of the tobacco industry.
The Deputy Director-General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr Amofah, who chaired the meeting, said the issue of tobacco growing and its products were complex and challenging and there was the need to design effective strategies to overcome them.
He appealed to the participants to devise ways of monitoring the implementation of key decisions in order to be able to measure progress.
The Head of the Convention Secretariat, WHO Framework on Tobacco Control, Dr Haik Nilogosian, said this was the first time a working group meeting was being held in Africa and pledged the secretariat’s support for the success of the meeting.

Raquel — The budding music talent

2010-04-26T05:18:00.000-07:00

Saturday, April 24, 2010 (The Mirror Pg 3)

By Rebecca Kwei
WITH a smooth voice, impressive versatility and an elegant pose, Raquel Ammah, a budding music talent believes she has what it takes to bring a new revolution to the Ghanaian music industry.
Raquel presents an exotic style, yet in some of her tracks, she still succeeds in lacing her music with good local vibes.
“My music is evolving, expressive, full of sweet melodies and also talks about real life issues,” she remarked.
The young songbird grew up listening to all kinds of music from highlife, reggae to R&B; her versatility and taste for different music genres comes along with their own challenges. Interestingly, she finds it difficult to describe her genre of music, although admittedly, a soulful singer and writer.
“It is a mixture of everything. It’s hard to say which genre because I can venture into all kinds of genres,” she explained.
Get Wild, is the title of Raquel’s first record, produced in early 2009 and it featured local rap stars, Guru and Sarkodie. Although it was not officially released, a few DJs laid their hands on it and it received a fair amount of air play.
“I could not believe what was happening after the first record. It was really good and getting the right people to hear it opened many other doors for me,” she reminisced.
She is currently working on her single hit titled Odo and the music video which would be released in June. However, she has other hit songs such as Be in love featuring S Konti, This is Me, Minsumobo with JB and Pressure featuring Guru.
Asked how she got into music, Raquel with a smile said, “probably when you ask my mom, she will say I started when I came out of her womb”.
From an early age, Raquel, who says she is very shy, hid her musical talent but would rather write poems, songs and short stories, until one day she performed by singing at her grandparents home.
She wowed with her singing ability and her family, seeing her talent encouraged her which propelled her to perform at talent shows.
At the age of eight, Raquel formed a duo with her sister, Matilda, who was then 10 years.
“We were like a little Mel and Kim of the mid 80s with the hit record “Showing Out (Get fresh at the weekend) performing at various functions” she recalled.
Later on in life, her sister went into acting, while Raquel concentrated on her music.
Raquel, who is in her early twenties, was born to Mark and Dinah Asabea Ammah in London but said she came back home almost every other year for vacation.
She attended West Thames College where she obtained a diploma in Performing Arts and the first person to be awarded a triple distinction in the 2004/2005 academic year.
While in college, she won a talent show twice which was hosted by Richard Blackwood, a popular presenter and DJ of Choice FM in London.
Her first major gig in London was when she opened the 2005 Miss Ghana UK beauty pageant.
She took a little break from music to concentrate on her education when she gained admission to the University of Surrey, Roehampton to study Drama,Theatre and Performing Arts, graduating in 2008.
It was after her university education that she came back for vacation in Ghana again and then one thing led to another — she being invited to perform at shows and recording in the studios such that she decided to stay and concentrate on her music career.
She also competed in ‘Grab the Mic’ a show which sought to hunt for Star’s Brand Ambassador last year where she was the first runner up.
Raquel’s hit release ‘This is Me’ featured in Shirley Frimpong-Manso’s movie — A Sting in a Tale. She also featured on Obrafour’s current album with a track called Tell Me.
Since recording in Ghana, the songstress has been actively featured by a host of talented artist in the Ghana music industry. Raquel has worked with the likes of Quota, Trigmatic, DBlack, EL.., Guru, Saccade, JAB, Rakimilist, Squint (Anansedemz), Edem, Jazzy, Obibini, Jah Seed, BlackSheperd and many more.
Raquel, who is managed by Black Star SR Entertainment, is multi talented — a composer, choreographer, actress, script writer and a drawing artist.
Aside working on her hit single Odo, Raquel is also involved in two theatrical productions. She is a supporting actress in When the Music Stops, which is produced by Playhouse and will roll at the National Theatre on May 7 and 8, 2010.
She is also playing the lead role as Maria in Rogers and Hammerstein’s Sound of Music produced by Bana Rackor Consult, which will also be showing at the National Theatre later in the year.
Raquel is also a good dancer and says she can perform all kinds of dance from street dance to ballet and it is her desire to impact her knowledge of dance to young children in Ghana at a later stage through her own upcoming foundation.
“I wish to teach children the importance of art. There is more meaning to body movements, usage of voice, space, among other things when it comes to art. Every movement in dance is an expression. Every element of art leads to some kind of feeling, expression and emotion” she said.
Consequently, for her social responsibility, Raquel hopes to work with children in the areas of education, health, among others.
She gave a candle light inspirational performance at the Alliance Francaise in support of World AIDS Day 2009 concert.
She conceded that being a female in the music industry was not easy adding, “you have to be humble but firm, loyal and honest about your work. I will not trade my music for anything. Failure is an opportunity in disguise”.
Raquel, a very confident lady with a strong presence on stage in the next five years, is looking at having released at least two albums which will be making waves not only in Ghana but across the globe. She also hopes to travel and put Ghana music on the international scene.

Meet Yvonne — New GhIS President

2010-04-26T05:10:00.000-07:00

Saturday, April 24, 2010 (The Mirror Pg 3)

By Rebecca Kwei
In times past when the surveying profession was mentioned, it was certainly associated with men.
But that is changing now, as more women are taking to what is a largely a male-dominated field.
One of such women is Surveyor Yvonne Odoley Sowah, who has risen through the ranks of the Ghana Institution of Surveyors (GhIS) to become the second female President in the 41-year history of the institute.
She was co-opted into the Divisional Committee of the institution in 1990, then elected on to the Valuation and Estate Surveying Divisional Committee and became the Honorary Secretary of the institution for two terms from 1993 to 1995 and subsequently the Chairperson of the Valuation and Estate Surveying Division for an unprecedented four- term period (2003-2007).
After all that, Ms Sowah became the Vice-President of the GhIS (2008-2009), the Senior Vice-President for 2009-2010 and now the President for the 2010-2011 session.
She sees her election as a humbling experience and of mixed emotions, saying, “Although I expected it to happen, when it happened it was surreal and I had mixed feelings.”
The first woman to head the institution was Surveyor Dr Mrs Matilda Fiadzigbey, a former Administrator at the Office of the Administration of Stool Lands.
Ms Sowah, who was sworn in on February 27, 2010, will serve as President for a one-year term. She took over from Surveyor Kwadwo Osei-Asante
“I originally wanted to read Law but with a quirk of fate I ended up at the University of Science and Technology (now the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) to read Land Economy and I have not regretted,” she told The Mirror in an interview.
She said during her time in the university, there were only two females reading Land Economy, noting that the situation was changing, and although she could not give figures, she said many more women were majoring in that field.
Having been elected as President of the institution, Ms Sowah, who is a Valuation Surveyor and Managing Director of Alpha Property Services Limited, has a tall order which she hopes will make the institution be seen and heard.
“For a long time surveyors in general have been ‘after thoughts’ in the development planning agenda of the country and it is about time that changed because surveyors are very relevant — anything to do with land, sea or air,” she emphasised.
To do that, Ms Sowah said the first thing was to strengthen the secretariat to help deliver quality service to members of the institution so that decisions of the Governing Council were disseminated to all promptly.
Also, it is her desire to ensure that members appreciate the benefits of the institution so that together they can help the institution grow in stature for members’ views to be sought in all matters of national development.
Research is designed to solve a particular existing problem and it is also vital to our everyday decision-making.
So for her, an effective research unit for the institution to help in the provision of effective indices and data for all the services provided by the three divisions of the institution, namely, Quantity Surveying, Land Surveying and Valuation and Estate.
For instance, she said she expected the Valuation and Estate Division to ensure that the valuation format was utilised for the development of a database of information relevant for the mortgage banks, banks in general, the Statistical Service and the Bank of Ghana for establishing housing indices.
“The Quantity Surveying Division is to develop a cost data on construction cost to help the government ascertain whether housing developments are really affordable or not and come up with ways of reducing construction costs,” she explained.
Ms Sowah is also worried about the infiltration of people into the profession.
“Anybody gets up and says ‘I’m a surveyor’ and starts practising. We need to regulate the surveying practice and also set up a place where people can go for redress,” she said.
In pursuance of this, she said the promulgation of the Survey Council and the Real Estate Agency bills which would help sanitise the surveying practice and had taken nearly a decade to be passed would be followed up.
Ms Sowah is the eldest daughter of the late Mr Justice E. N. P. Sowah, a former Chief Justice and Chancellor of the Anglican Archdiocese of Accra, and Mrs Elsie Sowah.
She had her pre-school and primary education at the Ghana International School (GIS) and Achimota Primary.
She gained her GCE ‘O’ and ‘A’ levels from Achimota School, Accra High School and OLA Secondary School, Ho, between 1965 and 1974. She graduated with a BSc (Hons) in Land Economy from KNUST in 1978.
After her university education, Ms Sowah had her national service at the Estate Department of the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) from 1978 to 1979.
She left for Nigeria after her national service and worked with a chartered surveying firm — Epega & Co — as a valuer for six years.
She returned to her motherland in the latter part of 1986 and for two and a half years worked with Property Investments Consultants.
In 1989, together with Edward Dwomoh Appiah as senior partner, she set up Alpha Property Services, of which she was a managing partner till 2007 when it became a limited liability company. Now Alpha Property Services is a wholly female owned company. Her other partner is Mrs Ellen Arthur.
According to Ms Sowah, it had not been easy operating in a male-dominated field, adding, “Being female, you have to go the extra mile so that your male colleagues do not find any fault with your work. But over the years, I have carved a niche in the estate agency field and that has helped me.”
Ms Sowah is blessed with three boys — Paa Kow, who is working in Canada; Desmond, a student at KNUST, and David, who is in 11th Grade.

Becca, Ohemaa stand tall at GMA

2010-04-20T04:48:00.000-07:00

Saturday, April 17, 2010 (The Mirror Pg 3)

By Rebecca Kwei
Beautiful Becca and ‘spirit-filled’ Ohemaa Mercy were the only women who stood tall at last weekend’s MTN Ghana Music Awards (GMA) held at the Dome of the Accra International Conference Centre.
Becca won the Record of the Year for her song Daa ke Daa and the Best Female Vocal Performance while Ohemaa Mercy took the coveted Gospel Artiste of the Year.
Their performances on the night were also thrilling. Becca’s rendition of her song Daa Ke Daa, which she interlaced with Kojo Antwi’s Mmereka, went down well with the audience.
She was speechless when she received her award but managed to thank all those who have helped her reach this far.
“I’m really excited. I was not expecting it. This shows people are happy with what I’ve been doing. I thank God for everything; my family, friends, fans and my management, EKB Entertainment, for their support” she told The Mirror in a telephone interview.
For Ohemaa Mercy, dressing as ‘Christian soldier’ did the trick for her. She was on ‘fire’ and got the audience to sing Wo Be Ye Kese with her.
It has been a long journey for the two singers and reaching this height has not been easy.
Becca (real name Rebecca Acheampong) has within a short time become a force to reckon with on the music scene. Her poise, confidence, powerful voice and stagecraft put her in a different league.
Becca, who is a Level 200 student studying Projects and Operations Management at Greenhill College in Accra, says it is her passion for music that makes her give her all, whether recording or performing.
Additionally, she notes that she has a great team supporting her — EKB Entertainment Manager, Kiki Banson, who also doubles as the band director and other supporting staff.
Becca’s debut album, Sugar was a hit. She won Record of the Year at the 2008 GMA. Another hit, You Lied to Me featuring Kwabena Kwabena, earned her four other nominations.
Becca featured Hugh Masekela, a renowned musician from South Africa, on her track I Love you. She has also collaborated with Keisha White, a UK R&B star.
In 2008, Becca was nominated in the Kora Awards and Channel O Music Video Awards. She said she was currently working on a new album which would come out soon.
Playing a musical instrument is a plus for any singer and that is why Becca is learning how to play the guitar and keyboards.
Recently, Becca gave a whole new meaning to social responsibility when she successfully raised $100,000 in cash and pledges at her first “Becca Children’s Ball” to enable her register 10,000 children under the National Health Insurance Scheme.
An old student of Wesley Girls High School in Cape Coast, Becca also holds a certificate in Child Care and Education from the Croydon College in London.
Ohemaa Mercy was nominated in four categories for this year’s awards ceremony but managed to win in one. What made her stand out at last Saturday’s awards ceremony was her smart turn-out in military uniform for her performance. Many sometimes see her as a shy woman but she put whatever notions people have about her aside and wowed the crowd with a solid show.
Since 2005 when Ohemaa Mercy released her debut album Adamfo Pa, she has matured on the gospel music scene and has become a household name.
She released Edin Jesus in 2007 and was nominated in eight categories at the 2008 GMA where she managed to grab the Gospel Artiste of the Year, Gospel Album of the Year and Album of the Year awards.
Her latest album Wobeye Kese is making waves across the country.
Ohemaa Mercy, a professional teacher, feels blessed because she can compose and sing as well. “God has given me a talent and I see no other way to use it than to serve in His kingdom to inspire and bring souls into His kingdom, ” she says.
Ohemaa grew up in Koforidua, attended Ghana Secondary School, Koforidua, before enrolling at the S.D.A. Teacher Training College at Asokore. She went to teach at the Koforidua St Peter’s Anglican School but got steeped into gospel music.
She quit teaching when she started getting inundated with requests from across the country for performances. She has, however, set up the Ohemaa Foundation which helps brilliant children through school.

Prof Binka wins award

2010-04-13T07:57:00.000-07:00

Saturday, April 10, 2010 (The Mirror Pg 25)

By Rebecca Kwei
The Dean of the School of Public Health of the University of Ghana, Professor Fred Newton Binka, has been awarded the Ronald Ross Medal for his contribution to research on a wide range of diseases in the tropics.
This is the first time someone from a developing country has received the award. Prof Binka was awarded the medal together with Prof Geoffrey Targett.
The Ronald Ross Medal was instituted in 1997 by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. The medal was set up to commemorate the centenary of Ross’ discovery of the transmission of malaria by the mosquito.
On August 20, 1897, Sir Ronald Ross made the momentous discovery of the malaria parasite in the female anopheline mosquito thus demonstrating that the mosquito was the carrier of malaria. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1902.
“I feel honoured and excited by this award, especially because it is Ronald Ross and my work over the years has been in malaria epidemiology” Prof Binka said at a lunch organised by INDEPTH Network in his honour.
The citation accompanying the award said at a relatively young age, Prof Binka established himself as one of the leading health research scientists in Africa and he has an extraordinary distinguished record of research and service to public health.
According to the citation Prof Binka gained international prominence when he was recruited to be the Epidemiologist and head of field work fo a major trial in northern Ghana to assess the impact that regular supplementation with vitamin A would have on child mortality.
“The results of the trial were striking and of global significance, showing vitamin A supplementation produced a 20 per cent reduction in the all-cause child death rate,” the citation said.
It continued “the results of the trial were highly influential in determining recommendations on vitamin A supplementation globally. Secondly, the excellence of the conduct of this large and complicated trial in a relatively remote location in Ghana, established Fred’s reputation as a field trial investigator.
Thirdly it led to the study site, situated around a small town in northern Ghana, Navrongo, becoming a centre of excellence for demographic surveillance and Fred became the first director of the newly established centre in 1992.
Fourthly, the experience of demographic surveillance in Navrongo was highly influential in the setting up of the INDEPTH Network — a network of around 30 demographic surveillance sites in developing countries of which Fred was the founding Executive Director — a position he occupied for the first decade of its existence.”
According to the citation, Prof Binka’s first activity upon assuming the leadership of the Navrongo Health Research Centre was to conduct one of the key trials showing that insecticide-impregnated bednets reduced all-cause mortality by 20 per cent.
This together with a small number of similar trials conducted elsewhere, has been key to the incorporation of bednet distribution as a major malaria control strategy in Accra.
Prof Binka was a founding member of Mapping Malaria Risk in Africa (MARA Network) and also played a key role in discussions and negotiations that led to the setting up of the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP).
Both of these ventures (MARA and EDCTP) have been important initiatives in addressing major health problems in sub-Saharan Africa.
Prof Binka spent 1998 to 2000 working in Geneva with the then newly created Roll Back Malaria Programme and was a member of the core team that developed the vision for the programme.
Despite requests to stay on with the Programme in Geneva, he saw his major contribution as a scientist based in Africa and returned to Ghana in 2000.
Recognising the lack of clinical trial capacity in Africa, Prof Binka was the main force behind the setting up of the Malaria Clinical Trials Alliance (MCTA) of which he is currently the Executive Director.
The MCTA is funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and it is strengthening the capacity of centres in Africa to conduct trials of malaria treatment and vaccines.
More recently, Prof Binka has championed the setting up of the INDEPTH Effectiveness and Safety Studies (INESS) to assess the effectiveness and safety of new anti-malarials as they are introduced into African countries.
Prof Binka also received the British Medical Journal Research Paper of the Year Award for 2010.
Various speakers at the reception including the Director of the Ghana Health Service, Dr Elias Sory, the Programme Manager of National Malaria Control Programme, Dr Constance Bart-Plange described Prof Binka as an inspirational leader, goal getter, kind and one who is able to groom and nurture people to take up responsible positions.
The Executive Director of INDEPTH Network, Dr Osman Sankoh in congratuting Prof Binka said his achievement has again put the INDEPTH Network on the map.

Mimi — Diva with a star approach

2010-04-06T01:44:00.000-07:00

Thursday, April 1, 2010 (The Mirror Pg 3)

By Rebecca Kwei
When she entered the Big Brother Africa contest in 2008, Mimi Divalish (real name Wilhelmina Abu-Andani) had one motive — to use the fame she would get out of her participation to launch her music career.
So in less than three weeks after she was evicted from the house, she released her hit single: “Leave Me Alone” featuring 4 x 4.
“I had always wanted to be in showbiz. Music and acting were my options. But looking at the struggle people have to go through before releasing an album, I realised I needed a platform to launch me onto the music scene and that was Big Brother”, she told The Mirror in an interview.
Mimi said she auditioned for Big Brother Africa because she was a big fan of reality shows and wanted to have a feel of it.
Like a fairy tale, although she did not win the ultimate Big Brother prize and received some flak back home about her performance in the house, her musical ambition is paying off and she is one of the fastest growing female secular musicians.
And she has a tattoo (five stars) on the left side of her chest which she says signifies that she is going to be a “huge star”.
Why the name “Mimi Divalish”? Mimi explained that while in the Big Brother house, her fellow housemates referred to her as “Mimilicious Divalicious” because they claimed she acted like a diva.
“I chose Mimi Divalish as my stage name because I felt the Mimilicious Divalicious was too cocky”, she added.
After releasing “Leave Me Alone” which was written by Chase, Mimi followed it with “Tattoo” written by Castro the Destroyer and “DJ” also penned by Chase in 2009 and her album titled “Music In Me” has six tracks.
The music videos for her first three songs have been described by many as “very good” and Mimi agrees: “My videos are the best. We had very good production from Phamous People. “DJ” was shot in Berlin, Germany. Everyone says all three videos are good.”
Mimi, who is in her mid-20s, says she has written her own songs which will be released soon. Her inspiration comes from everything around her and her desire to be very successful in her chosen field.
Although she is versatile and does different genres of music, Mimi says she classifies her music under hiplife. She looks up to Beyonce, Alicia Keys and Lhiza James of Mozambique.
“Their success stories fascinate me. I’ve been listening to them since I was a kid and their rise to fame and continuous success inspires me”, she said.
Mimi was born and bred in Kumasi but hails from Tamale in the Northern Region. After completing Holy Spirit Junior Secondary School, she continued at Aburi Girls where she offered Science and passed out in 1999.
“My parents thought I was smart hence they wanted me to study Science and become a medical doctor but that was not my interest”, she said.
To please her parents, she continued at the University of Cape Coast to study Biological Science, majoring in Chemistry. She graduated in 2006 and had her national service at the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR).
Her love for languages led her to Spain and France to study languages for two years. She speaks Spanish and understands Italian and a little bit of Portuguese. She also speaks Dagbani, Dagaare, Twi, Fante and Hausa.
When she returned to Ghana after her languages course, she worked as the personal assistant to the CEO of an engineering firm for about four months before entering the Big Brother Africa competition.
In the next few years, Mimi says she sees herself taking Africa and the world by storm.
“I want to be the biggest female musician in Africa and the world as a whole. But first I need to work hard to be recognised on the African scene which will ultimately propel me onto the world music stage”, she said with a lot of confidence in her voice.
How does she hope to achieve these? Mimi summarised it in these words “Hard work, perseverance and prayers”.
She said “the future looks bright — better things, better life, hard work and giving back to society”.
According to Mimi she is still in touch with some of her Big Brother housemates — Sheila from Kenya; Uti, Nigeria; Ricco, Angola, and Lucille from Namibia. Sheila and Uti featured in her “Leave Me Alone” music video.
Mimi is the eldest daughter of Jane Abu and Richard Abu-Andani and has two other sisters and a brother. She loves singing, watching reality shows and dancing, and for the guys, she says “I’m single and mingling”.

Creche for Databank staff

2010-03-29T05:28:00.001-07:00

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”.

Meet Nuclear Engineer — Ekua Mensimah

2010-03-29T05:24:00.000-07:00

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.

Campaign on use of treated nets

2010-03-23T10:55:00.000-07:00

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.

HIV prevalence increases

2010-03-23T10:51:00.000-07:00

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.

Aisha — Emerging Designer of the Year

2010-03-16T09:09:00.000-07:00

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”.

First Lady launches polio campaign

2010-03-16T09:06:00.000-07:00

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.

Ghana to host WHO confab on tobacco

2010-03-16T09:03:00.000-07:00

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”.

Ministry considers Chiropractic health care

2009-11-09T10:07:00.000-08:00

Saturday, November 7, 2009 (The Mirror Pg 25)

By Rebecca Kwei
Chiropractic practice is being considered for the mainstream of health delivery in the country.
This is under the Ministry of Health’s quality assurance policy on training and practice of complementary health practitioners.
This was made known by the Minister of Health designate, Dr Ben Kumbour, at the launch of the Chiropractic and Wellness Centre’s corporate wellness programme in Accra.
Chiropractic is an alternative medical system which takes a different approach from standard medicine in treating health problems. Its basic concept is that the body has a powerful self-healing ability and the chiropractic professionals use a type of hands-on therapy called spinal manipulation or adjustment.
According to the minister, in line with the programme, the chiropractic doctor was to be seen as a primary contact practitioner, who is a collaborator and sees to the optimum function of the body.
Additionally, he said, guidelines for regulatory control of all wellness spas and complementary alternative medicine practices by the ministry were being rolled out for implementation.
He said the board of the Regulatory Council would soon be inaugurated to enable the registry for complementary medicine to become fully operational.
Dr Kumbour said the launch of the corporate wellness programme had come at a time when Ghana was experiencing an increase in lifestyle-related diseases.
“Much of the work of the middle and upper classes falls under the category which is described as sedentary, and this, coupled with opportunities for over-indulgence while doing less manual work, puts these classes of the population at serious risk of cardio-vascular and other lifestyle diseases,” he observed.
He noted that a key component of every successful nation was a healthy and vibrant workforce and that the workplace was, therefore, the perfect place to start a health and wellness revolution.
“Diseases need hospitals to be treated, and the public health service needs the community to support each other in disease prevention but wellness depends on the choices an individual makes on personal discipline, moral behaviour, lifestyle and early health preventive interventions,” Dr Kumbour added.
He expressed the hope that insurance companies would begin to pay for chiropractic services to enable more people to access the service.
The CEO of the Chiropractic and Wellness Centres, Dr Marcus Manns, said in Ghana and globally, employees and employers were grappling with the challenge of maintaining a healthy balance between being productive at work while maintaining a quality life at home.
He said the centre thus felt it was necessary to introduce a programme that specifically targeted the workplace.
The corporate wellness programme was designed such that the centre would introduce and maintain a wellness culture in an organisation that creates happier, healthier, more focused and productive employees.
“The health choices your employees make today create a healthy or sick bottom line for your company tomorrow,” Dr Manns added.
He noted that preventable diseases made up 70 per cent of the entire burden of illness and associated costs to corporations.
The features of the corporate wellness programme include quarterly corporate wellness workshops, advanced strategies to adapt to stress, workstation exercises, ergonomics for life, on-site massages and corporate wellness consultancy.

Set up national cancer control programme

2009-10-29T04:45:00.000-07:00

Saturday, October 24, 2009 (The Mirror Pg 25)

By Rebecca Kwei
The Director of the National Centre for Radiotherapy and Nuclear Medicine, Dr Joel Yarney, has called for the establishment of a National Cancer Control Programme in the country.
This he said he would help increase cancer awareness and reduce its burden in the country.
“Just as we have the National Malaria Control Programme and for Tuberculosis, we need one for cancer so that cancers in all forms can be taken seriously because it is a major public health problem. Cancer awareness will permeate to the district level and there will be more public education” he told The Mirror in an interview.
Additionally, he said there was also a need for a National Cancer Registry to enable the country collect accurate cancer data that can be used for cancer control and research purposes.
The centre which is located at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital handles all kinds of cancers such as breast, cervix, prostrate, head and neck, bowel, and gynaecological cancers except cancers of the blood.
In 2008, the centre handled 950 new cases of cancers as compared to about 850 in 2007. As of now (October) the cancer cases seen at the centre is 910 and Dr Yarney was sure the figure may get to a 1000 by the end of the year.
He said breast cancer was the leading case that was brought to the centre. In 2008, there were 266 new cases representing 28 per cent of the total number of cancers reported there.
Dr Yarney said a cancer control programme and a cancer registry in the case of breast cancer would also help in institutionalising a screening programme for women who are 40 years and above.
He attributed the increasing number of cancer cases reported at the centre to increase in awareness adding that “a cancer registry will give you an accurate picture of the cancer cases in the whole country. The figures are for this centre only and not a reflection of what is happening in the whole country. Nigeria has a cancer registry and so has Zimbabwe”.
October is breast cancer month and touching on that Dr Yarney said about 65 per cent of patients who reported at the centre with breast cancer cases reported very late when the cancer had reached an advanced stage.
“Most women fear that their breast will be cut and they will die but it is not automatic. Being diagnosed of breast cancer is not a death sentence” he stressed.
Dr Yarney said as soon as a woman feels a lump in her breast, it was important to see a doctor and not attribute it to the work of witches.
He said when breast cancer was detected early it can be cured adding that breast cancer in its early stage presents no symptoms “that is why every woman must make a conscious effort to self examine her breast regularly and if there is anything unusual see a doctor.”
Some risk factors of breast cancer, Dr Yarney said was that if one had a relative who had breast cancer before age 40 or family history of breast cancer, then one has a high risk of developing breast cancer; high fatty food, sedentary lifestyle, early menstruation, late menopause, hormone replacement therapy and oral contraceptive which he said was debatable.
He explained that one or several risk factors does not necessarily mean one will develop cancer since some women with breast cancer have no known risk factors other than being a woman.
He said the centre runs a breast cancer screening programme every Tuesday and said any woman can walk in for screening since there was no need for a referral.
The centre also has all modalities such as surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy for the treatment of cancers.
According to Dr Yarney, the cost of treatment for cancers at the centre was manageable adding that breast cancer was on the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) and some of the medication for treatment.

Increase women's participation in governance

2009-10-12T09:35:00.000-07:00

Saturday, October 10, 2009 (The Mirror Pg 36)

By Rebecca Kwei
A Governance Programme Officer of the Women in Law and Development in Africa (WiLDAF), Ghana, Mr Frank Wilson Bodza, has called on the government to come out with an affirmative action policy for the country to ensure increased women’s participation in political decision-making.
He said analysis of countries that had adopted affirmative action showed increased participation of women in governance in those countries.
Mr Bodza explained that affirmative action was an action by an institution to improve the lot of poorly represented people, adding that it was a temporary measure to address a structural or systemic problem over time.
He made the call at a media seminar on affirmative action policy organised by Wildaf, Ghana, in Accra.
Giving examples of countries that have affirmative action policy , Mr Bodza said Rwanda which practices constitutional quota had 24 seats reserved for women.
He said Rwanda had an 80-member parliament and now had 45 women parliamentarians.
Another country, Sweden, has a 50 per cent quota for women in all the parties and there are 164 women in the 349-member parliament.
The 150-member parliament of The Netherlands has 62 women while in South Africa there are 132 women in the 400-member parliament.
The number of women in Ghana’s 200-member parliament in 1992 was 16 and increased to 18 in 1996 and then to 19 in 2000.
In 2004, the 230-member parliament had 25 women. This number, however, decreased to 20 in 2008. The number has further been reduced to 19 following the death of the MP for Chereponi, Doris Asibi Seidu. The by-election was won by Mr Samuel Abdulai Jabanyite of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
He said Ghana made bold steps towards affirmative action in the 1960s where 10 women were elected unopposed to represent their regions in 1960 and the number of women parliamentarians increased to 19 in 1965 where 10 went through the special law and nine contested and won on merit.
Mr Bodza said Wildaf was not satisfied with the number of women appointed to political positions, and appealed to government to be committed to its promise of reviewing the 1998 Affirmative Action Policy Guideline.
He said, for instance, the 10-member Government Economic Advisory Council had no woman on the council and queried whether “there was no woman economist in Ghana?”
The 25-member Council of State has only three women while the 10 regional ministers had only one woman.
“There is a need for affirmative action not in all sectors but for political decision making because of the low number of women representation. Both men and women need to represent equally,” he emphasised.
The National Programmes Coordinator of Wildaf, Bernice Sam said Ghana had ratified many international instruments which advocate affirmative action to ensure equal gender participation and representation in political decision making.
For instance, she said the Beijing Platform for Action of 1995 calls on governments to meet a 30 per cent representation of women in political positions.
Ms Sam said Rwanda, Mozambique, South Africa and Uganda had achieved the United Nations threshold of 30 per cent and beyond.
She said women parliamentarians represented 8.7 per cent (20 out of 230) in Ghana which places the country at the 108th position of world classification of women’s representation in parliament.

Community involvement in HIV, AIDS key

2009-10-12T09:33:00.000-07:00

Saturday, October 3, 2009 (The Mirror Pg 25)

By Rebecca Kwei
THE President of Afro Global Alliance, Chief Austin Arinze Obiefuna, has called for more community involvement in the fight against HIV and AIDS pandemic.
He said the community’s involvement in the care and support of people infected and affected by HIV and AIDS will complement efforts of governments and civil society to reduce the burden of the disease.
Chief Abiefuna made the call at the opening of a four-day special meeting of the International Advisory Board of the International AIDS Candlelight Memorial in Accra.
The Memorial, a programme of the Global Health Council, is one of the largest grass roots mobilisation campaigns for HIV/AIDS awareness in the world.
He said the 2006 UNAIDS report indicated that sub-Saharan Africa had the largest burden of the AIDS epidemic and it was estimated that about 2.1 million Africans died of AIDS in 2006.
He said HIV/AIDS and other related diseases like tuberculosis were no longer a health matter, but “a government, development and collective issue requiring the attention of all of us.”
The Country Co-ordinator of UNAIDS, Dr Leo Zekeng, also emphasised the need to broaden and strengthen engagements with communities in the fight against HIV and AIDS.
Dr Zekeng cautioned Ghana not to be complacent about the drop in the HIV prevalence but rather double up to make sure the prevalence was further reduced.
The national adult HIV prevalence is 1.7 per cent, which is a decline from the 2007 prevalence of 1.9 per cent.
The International Outreach Co-ordinator of the Global Health Council, Todd Lawrence, said the Candlelight Memorial started in 1983 and took place on the third Sunday of May every year and led by a coalition of 1,200 community organisations in 115 countries.
He said the coalition hosted local memorials that honoured the lost and raise social consciousness about the disease.
Additionally, he said the memorial provided opportunities for leadership development, policy advocacy, partnerships and improvement of community mobilisation skills.
In a speech read on her behalf, the acting Director-General of the Ghana AIDS Commission, Dr Angela El-Adas, said with the almost 33 million people living with HIV and AIDS, the programme continued to offer global solidarity and hope to generations.

Civil society health forum held in Accra

2009-09-30T08:03:00.000-07:00

Saturday, September 26, 2009 (The Mirror Pg 18)
By Rebecca Kwei
The Director of the Institute of Local Government Studies, Dr Esther Offei Aboagye, has called on the public sector to recognise the important role civil society organisations (CSOs) play in the health sector.
Dr Aboagye said the CSOs are important stakeholders in health delivery and the public service has no choice but to rely on their initiatives to help reach the unreached in society.
Dr Aboagye made the call at a two-day civil society health forum in Accra which was organised by the Ghana Coalition of NGOs in Health. It was on the theme “Reaching the Unreached: The role of civil society”.
She also called on the public sector to enhance its capacity to be able to accept the ability of civil society to deliver.
“There is an unfortunate tendency on either side to lump all together, public health practitioners seeing all CSOs as charlatans and CSOs seeing public health practitioners as all unfeeling and uncaring”, she noted.
She described the unreached as those who do not have access to acceptable, basic standards of health care.
She commended NGOs and CSOs for their support in health delivery in remote areas despite the numerous challenges that they face.
However, she said for CSOs to play its role effectively, they must be integrated into the sustainable institutions of the state which has the mandate and responsibility to ensure effective, equitable and quality life for all.
The Director of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr Elias Sory, said the contribution of NGOs and CSOs to health delivery in the country was key and they cannot be left out if the health sector was to succeed.
He urged them to organise regular training to build their capacity and efficiency.
Dr Sory said although a good number of NGOs and CSOs were doing well, there were others who had ulterior motives and suggested that they review each other.
He also suggested that the organisations should find innovative ways of reaching the unreachable; not only in the rural areas but in the cities as well.
The Country Representative of the World Health Organisation (WHO), Dr Daniel Kerpesz, commended NGOs and CSOs for their role in the health sector and other areas and said their commitment had pushed issues of the vulnerable on the world agenda.
A representative of the Royal Netherlands, Mr Theophilus Ayugane, called on NGOs and CSOs to be more transparent and accountable to the constituencies they represent, improve research capacity and institute measures to expose fraudulent organisations.

GJA launches HIV/AIDS project

2009-09-24T13:00:00.000-07:00

Saturday, September 19, 2009 (The Mirror Pg 34)
By Rebecca Kwei
The Acting Director-General of the Ghana AIDS Commission, Dr Angela El-Adas, has called on the media to use its agenda setting role to educate the public on the need to lead healthy lifestyles so as to prevent the spread of the HIV infection.
She said the media was an important partner and had a vital role to play in the campaign to reduce HIV related stigma and discrimination in the society.
Dr El-Adas made the call at the launch of a Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) project dubbed “Using the Media to Create Public Awareness on HIV and AIDS” in Accra. The one-year project is being sponsored by the Ghana AIDS Commission.
The Acting Director-General said the commission recognised the need to engage the media in order to deepen knowledge on HIV and AIDS, enhance accurate reporting of HIV issues and keep HIV in the spotlight.
She said this year, the commission had supported more than 24 radio stations and other media houses across the country to intensify programmes aimed at behaviour modification and dispel misinformation/misconception surrounding the disease among others.
On the HIV epidemic, she said from 1986 to 2006, 121,050 AIDS cases were reported by the Ministry of Health and in 2006, about 297,000 Ghanaians were estimated to be living with HIV. Currently, about 240,000 Ghanaians are believed to be living with the virus.
She said the national adult HIV prevalence was 1.7 per cent which was a decline from the 2007 prevalence of 1.9 per cent.
She said the HIV epidemic in Ghana was described as a general one, with pockets of high prevalence among certain sub-populations and geographic areas.
However, she noted that these pockets of high prevalence had the capacity to increase the HIV and AIDS cases in the country and said it was important to use effective interventions to reduce the infection in those areas.
Dr El-Adas said over the next five years the commission would invest in evidence-based prevention interventions to avert new infections, while scaling up treatment and care efforts for those already infected and affected.
The President of the GJA, Mr Ransford Tetteh, said for an area such as HIV and AIDS, which is both technical and scientific, one must get the issues right before attempting to inform and educate the public.
Therefore, he said “we are pleased that through this project, we are going to educate ourselves more of HIV and AIDS, so that we can give this dangerous disease that still has no cure the deserved attention, so that we can employ the necessary mass communication strategies against it to be able to expose its dangers persistently and consistently to our people.”
Mr Tetteh said the project would organise training programmes for journalists specialising in health reporting.
Additionally, there will be an award scheme, where journalists who write exclusive stories on HIV and AIDS and related health issues will be rewarded. The writer of any story that is carried in the media and meets the criteria set will receive GH¢100. There will also be a special award at the 2010 GJA awards night.
The Programme Manager of the National AIDS Control Programme, Dr Akwei Addo, who chaired the launch, said although knowledge of HIV and AIDS was high, only a few of the population adhered to preventive methods.
He also appealed to the media to educate the public on the need to protect themselves from HIV, patronise Voluntary Counselling and Testing and not to stigmatise those who are infected and affected.

Chief Psychiatrist calls for mental health law

2009-09-17T11:50:00.000-07:00

Saturday, September 12, 2009 (The Mirror Pg 34)

By Rebecca Kwei
The Chief Psychiatrist, Dr Akwasi Osei, says there is an urgent need for the Mental Health Bill to be passed into law since it will protect the rights of people.
He noted that mental health borders mainly on human rights and the law will prevent people from being abused.
“Every day that the bill is delayed, somebody’s right is being abused and the country loses resources,” he said.
Dr Osei was speaking at a day’s workshop for reporters on the Mental Health Bill in Ghana. The workshop was organised by BasicNeeds, an NGO that seeks to bring change in the lives of people with mental illness or epilepsy and their families.
According to Dr Osei, the bill, which has been revised many times and currently with the Attorney General, has nine sections, including a Mental Health Board to oversee the implementation of the law.
There is also a Mental Health Service, which will be separate from the Ghana Health Service, making it autonomous, but will collaborate with the general health system.
Other sections are the Mental Health Review Tribunal to rule on abuse of rights of patients; Visiting Committees to ensure that the right things are being done; Voluntary and Involuntary treatment; Rights of persons with mental disorder and Protection of Vulnerable groups.
Dr Osei said the Mental Health Bill would de-emphasise institutional care and emphasise community care, making mental care cheaper.
He said the bill had gone through a lot of consultation and the World Health Organisation would likely use it as a template for Gambia.
A Psychiatrist Consultant, Dr J. B. Asare, who presented a paper on “A justification for a separate Mental Health Service with an authority”, said the bill sought to improve the care of the mentally ill in the country.
Additionally, it would address the decentralisation of mental health care at community and in spiritual and traditional settings.
Dr Asare said mental health would be much visible and better funded, if it was established as an authority.
On why the bill, which was drafted in 2004, was still in the offing, he said among others that there was lack of interest in mental health by policy makers and very little consideration was given to mental health during health sector reforms.
For his part, a Health Management Consultant, Dr Kofi Ahmed, said an independent Mental Health Law was needed because mentally ill persons, in most cases, could not control themselves and so were regarded as people who needed special attention.
Giving a historical perspective of the Bill, he said in 1888, the colonial government passed the first legislative instrument, the Lunatic Asylum Ordinance, Cap 79.
The Ordinance remained in force with little amendment until 1972, when the Mental Health Decree, NRCD 30, now Mental Health Act, 1972, was introduced.
A representative of the Human Rights Advocacy Centre (HRAC), Ms Maria Amanor-Akrofi, said people with mental disabilities experienced some of the harshest conditions of living that existed in any society.
Most of the hardships, she noted, were caused by discrimination and the absence of legal protection against improper and abusive treatment.
The Director, Legal Services of the Attorney General’s Department, Mrs Estella Appiah, who chaired the function, said everyone had a role to play in the passage of the bill and appealed to journalists not to stigmatise by using words such as ‘mad’ or ‘lunatics’ for mentally ill persons.
Mr Humphrey Kofie of BasicNeeds also appealed to media practitioners to continue advocating the passage of the mental health bill into law since the country stood to gain a lot from it.

Programme to fight against malaria launched

2009-09-08T06:45:00.000-07:00

Saturday, September 5, 2009 (The Mirror Pg 32)

By Rebecca Kwei
The Minister of Health, Dr George Sipa-Adjah Yankey has called for the commitment and support of all in the fight against malaria.
Dr Yankey was speaking at the launch of Team Ghana-United Against Malaria (UAM) in Accra.
The UAM is a campaign involving football teams and heroes, celebrities, health and advocacy organisations, governments and corporate organisations to unite through sports to support the global fight against malaria.
It is also directed at strengthening political and public will in donor countries to increase malaria programming and funding.
The health minister said malaria was a bane to development and pledged the Government’s commitment to do everything possible including vector control and clinical treatment to help eliminate the disease.
Dr Yankey reminded personalities and organisations that “as we sign up to Team Ghana-United Against Malaria, we are making a decision to make a difference. It is a decision to change the course of the disease, change the course of our country and, therefore, the course of the sub Saharan Africa where malaria kills nearly one million children and adults every year and $12 billion of GDP is lost due to its impact.”
He said, “when the mosquito comes to bite you, it does not ask if you are NPP or NDC, ” adding “As long as God gives me breath, mosquito will have no peace.”
Explaining the UAM, Mr Emmanuel Fiagbey of Voices for Malaria-Free Future of the Johns Hopkins University, said the strategy sought to select groups of partners committed to ending malaria and willing to offer their good name and support in conjunction with the heightened activity around the FIFA 2010 World Cup to dramatically reduce deaths from malaria by 2015.
He said football provided a platform to draw everybody on board and the 2010 World Cup which would take place in South Africa would give malaria unparalleled visibility.
Already, the Irish National Team and the Eagles of Mali have signed up to UAM.
At the forum, the President of the Ghana Football Association(GFA), Mr Kwesi Nyantakyi pledged the support of the Ghana Black Stars to the UAM campaign.
Coincidentally, the Minister of Sports Mr Rashid Pelpuo could not attend the programme because he was down with malaria and was represented by the acting CEO of the National Sports Council, Mr Worlanyo Agrah.
Mr Worlanyo said the formation of Team Ghana-United Against Malaria was a laudable effort through which “we can all employ our popular sport — football to motivate our young people, sportsmen and women to adopt the right malaria prevention and treatment practices.”
The UAM is supported by the Ghana Malaria Voices, National Malaria Control Programme, Roll Back Malaria, United Nations Foundation, MTN, among others.

Kofi Akordor — Journalist of the Year

2009-09-01T03:12:00.000-07:00

Saturday, August 29, 2009 (The Mirror Pg 11)

By Rebecca Kwei
At the 14th Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) awards ceremony, one man stood tall — Mr Stephen Kofi Akordor of the Graphic Communications Group Limited. He was adjudged the GJA Journalist of the Year 2008.
He was also named the GJA Columnist of the Year at the ceremony.
Mr Akordor joined the Editorial staff of the Daily Graphic in February, 1982 as Staff Reporter.
That same year, he was adjudged the Best Reporter on the News Desk by the company.
In 1983, he was posted to Ho as the Volta Regional Correspondent until 1992, when he returned to Accra to work on the Sub-Desk of the Daily Graphic.
Again in 1995, Mr Akordor was transferred to The Mirror, a weekly paper of the Graphic Communications Group and while there, wrote a column; The International Front, which won him The Best GJA Columnist Award in 2003.
During another change in 2003, he was re-posted to the Daily Graphic as Chief Sub-Editor.
In 2005, Mr Akordor won the GJA Best Feature Writer Award and it was in the same year that he started a new column; ‘From my Rooftop’ which touched on mostly social and national development issues in the Daily Graphic.
Yet another feather in his cap, Mr Akordor in 2006 won the GJA Columnist of the Year Award.
On how he feels about winning all these awards, Mr Akordor said, “I feel honoured and also appreciate the fact that my employers and readers acknowledge my contribution to the development of journalism in the country.”
Mr Akordor said he was inspired to write because he wants to “see my country move from this miserable state to a developed country. The media can be used as a development agent to sensitise and inspire people to bring about change.”
Mr Akordor has performed various assignments on the Political, Features and the Sub desks of the Daily Graphic.
However, he continued writing his column “From my Rooftop” ,which he never missed even when he is on leave.
“The only time this column was not featured was a week in June, 2005 when I was involved in a motor accident,” he recalled.
Mr Akordor advised media practitioners to focus on the national development agenda and not their parochial interest, adding that “at the end of the day a better Ghana means a better life for all of us.”
For emerging the best journalist of the year 2008, Mr Akordor will attend a four-week journalism programme at the Thomson Foundation in Cardiff University in the United Kingdom (UK), a four-week familiarisation tour of some media facilities in the UK and a visit to Unilever Headquarters in UK. He also received a certificate, a plaque and a laptop.
He attended Mawuli School for his secondary education; then continued at the Ghana Institute of Journalism and later at the School of Communication Studies of the University of Ghana, Legon.
He is married with six children.

Kris Stars: New kids on the block

2009-09-01T03:11:00.000-07:00

Saturday, August 22, 2009 (The Mirror Pg 14)

By Rebecca Kwei
“So you think you can dance” is an American dance reality show and competition that airs on Fox in the United States of America.
But if you were to pose this question “So you think you can dance? to Kris Stars, the current Malta Guinness Street Dance champions the answer will be a resounding “Yes”!
Kris Stars comprises six young guys between the ages of 20 and 26 from Teshie, a suburb of Accra.
They are Henry Afotey Odai (Spirit) who is the leader of the group, Anselm Afotey Otu (Wonder), Enoch Oko (Young Saint), Solomon Afotey Odai (Wise King), Joseph Okai (Volume) and Manesseh Tawiah Nartey (Madmax).
According to group, four of them namely Henry, Anselm, Enoch and Solomon having been dancing together with the 2001 National Dance Champ, Paa T for the past eight years.
But when Malta Guinness introduced the Street Dance competitions, they recruited Joseph and Manesseh who were also top street dancers in their neighbourhood to join them.
“Winning the competition really makes us feel good” said Henry but for Joseph, it was more of surprise.
“We presented the best choreography, we had energy and were creative,” Anselm chipped in.
The group believes when it comes to dance moves of flipping, cramping, popping, locking and tricks, nobody can beat them.
Henry said the group took part in last year’s competition and although did not win, they did not rest on their laurels but strategised and participated again adding that “champions never quit.”
All the members of Kris Stars are Junior High School graduates but “because of financial problems, we could not further our education,” Anselm explained.
Dancing now is their career and they are loving every bit of it.
For emerging winners the group has qualified to represent Ghana at the Malta Guinness Street Dance International to be held in Nairobi, Kenya on September 12, 2009. They also received GH¢5,000 and a year supply of Malta Guinness products.
Henry said the group is preparing feverishly for the competition in Kenya and are hopeful to win the ultimate prize. They will face the very best crews from Africa, Asia, Europe and North America, with teams coming from Nigeria, Kenya, Tanzania, Cameroon, the Philippines, Holland, France and the USA.
Last year’s winners 2Puff who represented Ghana went on to win the international award and Kris Stars said “we are aware of the task before us and we dare not fail Ghana. With God all things are possible.”
The group appealed to the government and other stakeholders in the arts and entertainment industry to take an interest in dance because a lot of talents abound in that sector.
“It should not always be about football, there are a lot of people who can dance and if their talents can developed it will go a long way in helping the country,” Enoch said.
The group said it was grateful to Malta Guinness and appealed to all Ghanaians to support them to enable them win the ultimate prize in Kenya.
Perhaps the words of the Managing Director of Guinness Ghana Breweries Limited (GGBL), Mr Ekwunife Okoli, at the finals held on August 14, at the National Theatre “judging by the high level of energy, vitality and goodness displayed by the winners, Kris Stars have the potential to make Ghana and GGBL proud in Kenya next month by becoming the World Champions in the International Malta Guinness Street Dance competition,” will come true.

Fake drugs threaten public health

2009-08-11T07:22:00.000-07:00

Saturday, August 8, 2009 (The Mirror Pg 15)

By Rebecca Kwei
The Director of the United States Pharmacopoeia Drug Quality and Information Programme, Dr Patrick Lukulay, has stressed the need for more public education on the effects of substandard and counterfeit medicines to public health.
He said people should be made to understand that medicine quality was not a luxury but rather a matter of life and death.
Dr Lukulay said this at a plenary session of the 10th Commonwealth Pharmacists Association Conference and the 74th Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana Annual Conference, which is taking place in Accra.
Pharmacists from across the globe are taking part in the meeting, which is on the theme, “Managing threats and crisis: The vital role of pharmacy in an unstable world”.
Dr Lukulay said counterfeit and substandard medicines were a threat to public health and economic development and a burden on national health care.
He noted that every counterfeit or substandard medicine one takes undermines investments in healthcare systems, erodes patient trust in conventional medicines and people go untreated leading to prolonged illness or death.
Additionally, he said the wrong chemical in a medicine could lead to death while sub-potent treatment causes resistance and treatment failure.
Dr Lukulay further called for robust legislation and regulation and proactive citizens who would serve as community watch or whistleblowers in the fight against counterfeit or substandard medicines.
Speaking on the topic, “Are we safe? The threats confronting global health”, the Executive Director of the Justice and Human Rights Institute, Dr Kenneth Attafuah, said the safety and well-being of humanity was endangered by factors that were more social and political than biological and medical.
He said the health of people particularly in growing democracies was threatened every day by nefarious activities of people such as crooked politicians, corrupt public officials and common criminals than by viruses, germs and pathogens.
Dr Attafuah said the bulk of human suffering and misery derived not from disease but from ill-treatment of mankind by mankind.
“Around the world and throughout history, wars, coups d’etat, civil unrest, post-election violence and abuse of power and authority have had debilitating effects on individuals and communities,” he said.
He noted that the continued existence of many forms of diseases such as malaria, kwashiorkor and guinea worm was a direct reflection of political and economic choices made by world leaders.
To better ensure the health and well-being people, Dr Attafuah said it was imperative that “we improve the living conditions of people; reduce health inequities through action on the social determinants and health; and combat all the 17 forms of discrimination prohibited by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948 and related conventions and protocols”.
Additionally, he said, it was important to tackle the inequitable distribution of power, money and resources.
The President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana, Dr Alex Dodoo, said the meeting would afford pharmacists the opportunity to discuss how they could provide solutions to deal with threats and crisis confronting the modern world.

Bern is the best

2009-07-23T10:06:00.000-07:00

Saturday, July 18, 2009 (The Mirror Pg 46)

By Rebecca Kwei
It is a new beginning for 28-year-old, Bern Mensah with the clothing line Jenesus (Genesis - the beginning) who was adjudged the best up-and-coming designer in Ghana.
The competition for amateur designers was held as part of this year’s Fashion Weekend to unearth young creative talents in the fashion.
During the auditioning, the best eight young designers, namely, Klekleli Dzidienyo, Elimens, Quami Wear, Rowena Adjivon, Salimi, Bern Mensah, Doreen Lartey and Miriam Yentumi were selected.
However, Miriam Yentumi dropped out and she was replaced by Rita.
On July 1, which was the first day of the Fashion Weekend, the eight amateur designers showcased their designs which received high marks from the audience at the Accra International Conference Centre.
The number was pruned down to four — Bern, Salimi, Klekleli and Doreen.
The French Embassy which sponsored the competition also selected two young designers namely Atsu and Tei to bring the number of finalists to six.
At the final competition which was held at the residence of the French Ambassador to Ghana, Francis Huatut, on July 14, which also happened to be France National Day, the six designers justified why they were in the finals.
Diva Bibie Brew opened the show when she sang the national anthems of both Ghana and France.
The finalists then showcased a design each which was the product of a one-week workshop held for them under the tutelage of Cameroonian designer, Angi-Haif.
Angi-Haif won a competition for up-and-coming designers two years ago in Niger.
To prove to the judges that they had what it took to be crowned as the best up-and-coming designer,the finalists again exhibited three different outfits of their own.
In the end, it was a ‘close call’ between Bern and Salimi but the judges, Sima Ibrahim, CEO of Exopa Model Agency, organisers of the event, Angi-Haif and Valerie Lesbros of the French Embassy settled on Bern.
“I was elated when I was declared the winner but then it occurred to me that this is where the actual work begins” said Bern in an interview.
For his prize, Bern will be sponsored by the French Embassy to France for two weeks to study under one of the top designers there.
Bern who has a degree in Communication Design from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) said when he goes to France, he would not only be an observer but would try and make contacts which would help him in the fashion industry.
He said fashion was not only about the arts but it had a business aspect and he was hopeful the trip would expose him to that side as well.
Aside making clothes, Bern also does accessories such as bags and footwear.
He said he did a minor in fashion design and product design while studying for his degree at KNUST and he decided to go into fashion after school after one of his lecturers who had seen some stuff he had created encouraged him.
Bern said he would work hard to make his designs not only well known in Ghana but across the globe.
According to Sima Ibrahim, he was happy that his agency had played a part in unearthing new talents in the fashion industry.
He was hopeful that this would encourage many up-and-coming designers to participate in the competition when it comes up again next year.
For next year, Sima said the competition would also be open to amateur designers from other African countries.
He indicated that Exopa Model Agency was in the process of getting a database for designers and appealed to interested designers to contact the agency.
He said there are a lot of designers in the country but they do not know who to contact neither to they get the platform to showcase their designs and that the database will help the agency to have a variety of designers to showcase their talent whenever there was a fashion show.

The obamas are here

2009-07-15T04:30:00.000-07:00

Saturday, July 11, 2009 (The Mirror Pg 3)

Compiled by: Rebecca Kwei
US President, Barack Obama, his wife, Michelle, and two children, Malia Ann and Natasha Obama touched down at the Kotoka International Airport last night and they were met on arrival by President John Evans Atta Mills and other government officials.
Presidents Obama and Mills are expected to hold a breakfast meeting this morning. According to news reports former Presidents Jerry John Rawlings and John Agyekum will also be at the breakfast meeting.
After the breakfast meeting, President Obama and Michelle will then head to the La township where they will visit the La General Hospital.
Today seems a busy day for President Obama as he will be at the Accra International Conference Centre where he is expected to make a major policy statement on Africa.
The US first family will then depart for Cape Coast where he will be received by the Oguaa Omanhen, Osabarima Kwesi Atta II at his palace. The Oguaa chiefs will honour Mrs Obama with the title of queen after which they will tour the Cape Coast Castle.
After Cape Coast, the Obamas will return to Accra today and Presidents Obama and Mills will address a conference at the Kotoka International Airport before saying goodbye to Ghana.
President Obama is the third US President to visit Ghana. The first was Bill Clinton with his wife, Hillary, in 1998 and George Bush and wife, Laura in 2008.
“This historic visit is a testimony to the very warm and friendly relations between our two countries. It is rare that a developing country like ours has had the privilege of receiving three sitting American presidents under two different administrations in Ghana,” the Minister of Foreign Affair, Alhaji Mohammed Mummuni said in Parliament.
In an interview with All Africa on why he (President Obama) picked Ghana as the first place to visit in sub-Saharan Africa , he said “Well, part of the reason is because Ghana has now undergone a couple of successful elections in which power was transferred peacefully; even in a very close election. I think that the new President, President Mills, has shown himself committed to the rule of law; to the kind of democratic commitment that ensure stability in a country. And I think that there is a direct correlation between government and prosperity. Countries that are governed well, that are stable, where the leadership recognises that they are accountable to the people and that institutions are stronger than any one person, have a track record of producing results for the people. And we want to highlight that.”
President Obama’s visit to Ghana has been described by many as historic and about 507 media men both international and local have applied to cover the event and reports also say hotels in Accra and Cape Coast are fully booked.

Soul Food stars spice up fashion weekend

2009-07-15T04:28:00.000-07:00

Saturday, July 4, 2009 (The Mirror Pg 39)

By Rebecca Kwei
It was no sham — Boris Kodjoe, the German-Ghanaian actor and designer, and his wife, Nicole Ari Parker, were indeed in Accra to participate in this year’s Ghana Fashion Weekend 2009.
Boris, well known for his role as Damon Carter and Nicole as Terri Joseph in show time drama ‘Soul Food’ added a special touch to the event with their presence.
At the opening fashion show on Wednesday, July 1 in the evening, eight up and coming designers showcased their talent.
The eight namely, Elimens, Quami Wear, Rowena Adjivon, Salimi, Bern Mensah Doreen Lartey and Rita made casual and formal outfits for both men and women .
The budding designers incorporated new trends of puff sleeves, balloon/parachute skirts and maxi summer dresses in the outfits they made using local fabrics.
As the Exopa models hit the runway with the designs of the amateur designers there were loud cheers of appreciation.
According to Sima Ibrahim, the CEO of Exopa Model Agency, organisers of the event, the fashion show for the amateurs was the preliminary stage and another contest will be held on July 14 at the residence of the French Ambassador to Ghana to select the best up-coming fashion designer who will be sponsored by the French Embassy to France to develop his or her talent.
The surprise of the night was when after Exopa models wearing hot pants and had showcased specially designed muscle t-shirts of Barack Obama by London-based Jojo Castilo, Sima Ibrahim together with Boris who wore a -shirt with the inscription “Welcome home” also hit the runway briefly.
Later in a speech, Boris said he was excited to be home and grateful to the organisers of the event.
Mr Ibrahim said organising the event had not been easy but he never gave up and thanked sponsors for their support.
Ace designers, Kofi Ansah of Ghana, Pepita D of Benin and Modella of Nigeria also exhibited their designs.
The Exopa kid models were also a delight to watch in the new range of Da Viva fabrics.
Ghana’s fastest rapper, Sarkodie and Kwaw Kesse entertained the audience.
Ghana Fashion Weekend ends today with a mega fashion show at 7 p.m. at the International Conference Centre.
There will also be a football gala in which Boris would feature at the FC Nania Park, Legon at 12 noon.

Fashion Weekend takes off July 1

2009-07-15T04:26:00.000-07:00

Saturday, June 27, 2009 (The Mirror Pg 46)

By Rebecca Kwei
All is set for this year’s Ghana Fashion Weekend which will take place at the Accra International Conference Centre from July 1-4, 2009.
The event is a blend of modelling shows and fashion exhibition and it is aimed at promoting and attracting investments to the African fashion industry.
It is on the theme “Harnessing Creative Talents within Africa” is the theme for the event.
“We are ready and looking forward to a successful fashion programme. It promises to be the biggest fashion in Ghana. An event full of colour, style, glamour and splendour,” said Sima Ibrahim, the CEO of Exopa Model Agency, organisers of the event.
Being one of the biggest fashion shows to be held in Ghana, Mr Sima said 100 local and foreign Exopa models including Miss Venezuela as well as 30 kid models will hit the runway to showcase outfits of eight local and 13 foreign designers.
The designers are Kofi Ansah, Allan David, House of Eccentric, Nallem, Kiki Clothing, Kennedy (winner of Sew Project) all from Ghana, Alphadi from Niger and Modela from Nigeria.
The rest are Osman D and Alain Niava both from Cote d’Ivoire, Amaduo Diop, Senegal and Pepita D, Benin.
The main side attraction for the event is that Boris Kodjoe, the German-Ghanaian actor and designer, who owns the Ziami Clothing lines, will be in Ghana to grace the occasion. He will be accompanied by his wife, Nicole Ari Parker, who is also an actress.
Boris, well known for his role as Damon Carter in show time drama ‘Soul Food’, will showcase his designs.
Aside exhibiting his designs, Boris will also use the opportunity to learn more about the Africa fashion and film industries.
Boris and Nicole founded a non-profit organisation in honour of their daughter, Sophie Kodjoe who suffers from spina bifida, a common birth defect in the US, affecting the brain and/or spine and he (Boris) will give a talk on spina bifida while in Ghana.
On the programme outline, Mr Sima, said the exhibition of fashion products and accessories will be open in the morning of July 1 which will be followed by a press conference in the evening.
A fashion show by eight amateur fashion designers have been selected to feature in this year’s Ghana Fashion Weekend will then take place.
The best up-coming fashion designer will be sponsored by the French Embassy to France to develop his or her talent.
The rest of the days will feature exhibitions and fashion shows in the evening and the event will be climaxed with a mega fashion show on July 4.
Mr Sima was hopeful that the fashion weekend 2009 will put Africa’s fashion industry on the world map and appealed to corporate bodies to support the event.

HIV infection in low risk population high

2009-07-15T04:21:00.000-07:00

Saturday, June 27, 2009 (The Mirror Pg 34)

By Rebecca Kwei
A study on the distribution of new HIV infections in Ghana show that over a one-year period the highest proportion of infection occurred among the general, low risk population.
The general, low risk population accounted for 30.2 per cent of infection, while individuals involved in casual heterosexual sex with non-regular partners was 15.5 per cent.
The Programme Manager of the Non-communicable Diseases Unit of the Ghana Health Service, Dr William Bosu, presented the findings at a dissemination forum in Accra which was organised by the Ghana AIDS Commission (GAC) and UNAIDS.
Giving a background to the study, Dr Bosu said the UNAIDS Modes of Transmission model was applied to an epidemiology and response synthesis project in Ghana to estimate the distribution of new infections and also to identify those populations at highest risk of HIV infection.
He said when the inputs from the epidemiological synthesis report was used, the model generated 13,437 new HIV infections in Ghana in 2008.
According to the findings, clients of sex workers accounted for 6.5 per cent and sex workers 2.24 per cent, while female partners of clients accounted for one-fifth (22 per cent) of all new infections.
Dr Bosu said sex work thus accounted for 31 per cent of all new infections over a one-year period, adding that “over a longer time period, this figure would be considerably higher, since some of the HIV infections in men in the low-risk and casual heterosexual sex groups are likely to have been contracted from female sex workers (FSWs) by men who were previously clients of FSWs.
The study further revealed that 23 per cent of new infections occurred in high risk groups, namely, injecting drug users (IDUs), men who have sex with men (MSM) and FSW and their regular partners.
Dr Bosu noted that contrary to general perception that MSMs are an insignificant group, they contributed 7.2 per cent of all new infections.
However, he said the population sizes used for high-risk groups such as FSWs, IDUs and MSM were basically speculative and the results should be interpreted with caution.
Additionally, reliable national estimates of the percentage of men who buy sex in Ghana were also not available.
Medical injections and blood transfusions together accounted for about 0.4 per cent of all new infections.
On recommendations, Dr Bosu said there were several data gaps, including size of most-at-risk populations (MARPs) and there was an urgent need to address that.
Furthermore, the study recommended that there was the need for more socio-political openness about MSM activities in order to easily identify them and provide MSM-friendly preventive and clinical services.
In his presentation on a ‘Preliminary 2008 DHS Report — Ghana-HIV Component’, a Technical Director of the GAC, Dr Richard Amenyah, said although awareness of AIDS was universal, in-depth knowledge on how to prevent it needed to improve.
Furthermore, he said risky behaviour in terms of multiple partnerships and engaging in higher risk sex was on the increase and there appeared to be a disconnect between knowledge and practice.
Dr Amenyah said “the 69 per cent reduction for funding for prevention intervention of HIV and AIDS between 2005 and 2007 has to be reversed if we want to see positive behavioural change and aversion of new HIV infections”.
The acting Director-General of the GAC, Mr Maxwell Addo, said in view of the enormous challenges HIV and AIDS posed to the nation, there was the need for collaborative actions to promote national response in the fight against the pandemic.
A reproductive health consultant, Prof Fred T. Sai, who chaired the programme, said it was important for scientists and clinicians to help politicians to follow the right policies.

Miss Ghana starts in Wa

2009-06-23T06:21:00.000-07:00

Saturday, June 20, 2009 (The Mirror Pg 46)

By Rebecca Kwei
Wa, the capital of the Upper West Region will tonight host the first of the regional events of the Miss Ghana and National Dance Championship.
Media Whizzkids, the original franchise holders of the Miss Ghana pageant who has taken over the management and production of the popular event from Sparrow Productions at the end of a five-year deal, has promised a well repackaged event which it hopes will produce a Miss World from Ghana by the end of 2011.
The regional nation-wide public format of the event which made it one of the best entertainment shows in the country, was lost during the last five editions of the event and according to the Managing Director of Media Whizzkids, Mr Christopher Adama, the company was ready to go to all 10 regions of the country in search of a worthy beauty queen and a dance champ.
Mr Adama said further that the public will this time have some say in who represents them at the Miss Ghana final. Unlike previous editions where judges selected two beauties to represent each region, three contestants will now be selected and the public will vote to choose the one to go through to the final event in Accra.
“Our aim is to make the event more interactive by giving the public a chance to make an input,” Mr Adama said in a chat with The Mirror. “We think it would be exciting for everyone to participate in coming up with who wears the regional crown and eventually, the national crown.”
For the dance segment, individuals or groups can register to participate.
Musicians King Ayisoba, Kawa Stone and Sherifatu Gunu will perform at Wa.
This year, the winner of the beauty contest will drive away a fresh Tata Safari four-wheel drive as well as represent Ghana at the Miss World contest and sponsors’ products while the dance champ receives GH¢5,000 plus sponsors’ products.
The next regional event will be in Bolgatanga on Friday, June 26 while the Northern Region will take its turn on Saturday, June 27, in Tamale.
This year’s Miss Ghana and National Dance Championship is sponsored by PHC Motors, DDP, Bonaqua, Labadi Beach Hotel, ABL, Danny’s Decoration, GTV, Somovision, Soundcheck, Trendsetters and Graphic Showbiz.

12 Wannabe stars unveiled

2009-06-17T10:19:00.000-07:00

Saturday, June 13, 2009 (The Mirror Pg 46)

By Rebecca Kwei
For the next 13 weeks, 12 wannabe music stars will pit their talents against one another for the title of Star of the Future.
The 12, comprising seven ladies and five gentlemen, who were unveiled at the National Theatre on Tuesday, are Akosua Kyeremanten, Rachel Cochrane, Lillian Lanquaye-Tetteh, Pearl Farkye, Daniel Essel and Bright Korley Martey,
The rest are Christian Owusu, Rose Pomaney, Enoch Larbi, Nelson Narh, Bertha Bridget Kankam and Nyaneba Attuah.
Twenty contestants made it out of the over 700 who auditioned for the series and the number pruned to the final 12.
If their performances at the launch were anything to go by, then the judges face an uphill task because the contestants have real musical talents.
Although it was the first time many of the 12 contestants were performing live to a large audience, they managed to excite the audience with their joint performance.
The contestants were given pep-talks by some industry gurus such as Abraham Ohene Gyan, Amandzeba and Sammi Helwani on what to expect once they enter the competition and how to conduct themselves in order to survive in the music industry.
The next 13 weeks promise to be exciting in the search for the voice of a new generation, and to determine this the contestants will be put through different tests, with themes like Pop Night, Highlife Night, Gospel Night and Oldies Night. The number of contestants will be reduced till the final show which has been slated for August 22, 2009.
According to Ms Juno Turkson, the Public Relations Executive of Charterhouse, the National Theatre will be the home of the Stars of the Future as the weekly performances will be recorded to a live audience at 7 p.m. every Friday for the duration of the series.
She said the contestants would also be coached on stage performance, song writing, choreography and basic knowledge in copyright and artistes management.
The judges for this season are ace radio presenter, Doreen Andoh; producer extraordinaire, Zapp Mallet, and the CEO of EKB records, Kiki Banson.
The Music Director of the series is Mr Johny Fingers, while Master Mix Studios will provide sound, with music by the resident band, the Shabo Crew.
The series is currently airing on GTV, with the performance show airing at 3 p.m. every Sunday and the eviction show at 9.30 p.m. on Tuesdays.
Those who miss these shows can look forward to the Stars of the Future radio edition.
Stars of the Future series is a Charterhouse production, with sponsorship from MTN, Coca Cola, Castle Milk Stout and Somovision.
Fans of the various contestants are urged to vote for their favourites to stay in the competition by sending their names to MTN short code 1750. The public makes 70 per cent of the decision of who leaves the show and who stays on till the finals.

HIV prevalence rate drops

2009-06-10T06:03:00.000-07:00

Saturday, June 6, 2009 (The Mirror Pg 28)

By Rebecca Kwei
The national HIV prevalence rate dropped from 1.9 per cent in 2007 to 1.7 per cent in 2008.
The national median HIV prevalence also declined to 2.2 per cent in 2008.
This was made known at the dissemination of 2008 HIV Sentinel Survey Report and National HIV and AIDS Prevalence Estimates and Projections in Accra last Tuesday.
The HIV Sentinel Survey is a cross-sectional survey targeting pregnant women attending antenatal clinics in selected antenatal clinics in Ghana.
According to the Programme Manager of the National AIDS Control Programme, Dr Nii Akwei Addo, who presented the results, the consecutive decline of the HIV prevalence was also witnessed in 2004 and 2005.
He said the Eastern Region continued to be the region with the highest prevalence level of 4.2 per cent, while the Northern Region had the lowest prevalence of 1.1 per cent.
However, all the regions, with the exception of the Eastern Region, recorded a decrease in prevalence from 2007. Three regions, namely, the Greater Accra, Ashanti and Eastern, had prevalence rates of three per cent and above.
The Upper West Region recorded the highest decline from 3.3 per cent to 1.6 per cent, while three regions, Volta, Western and Upper East, had also witnessed consistent decline in prevalence since 2006.
According to the report, HIV prevalence in urban areas was higher than in rural areas. The mean HIV prevalence of urban communities is 2.6 per cent, compared to 2.3 per cent in rural areas.
For the age group, the highest prevalence of 3.0 per cent is recorded within the 25-29 year group, while the least of 1.2 per cent is recorded in the 15-19 year group.
The prevalence rate among the 15-24 year group, which is used as a marker for new infections, is 1.9 per cent.
The report indicated that 94.5 per cent of the HIV positive samples were HIV type I, while 3.8 per cent was HIV type II, with dual infection of HIV types I and II being 1.7 per cent.
For syphilis, the median prevalence for 2008 was 3.8 per cent, showing a decrease from 2007 which was 5.1 per cent.
The Central Region remained the region with the highest syphilis prevalence, with an increase in the rate from 18.6 per cent to 20.5 per cent.
The region with the lowest syphilis prevalence was Northern, following a decline in prevalence from 2.1 per cent to 1.7 per cent.
HIV prevalence among sexually transmitted infection (STI) clients almost doubled from 5.7 per cent to 10.5 per cent in 2008.
The Adabraka and Kumasi STI sites recorded a prevalence of 15 per cent and 6.5 per cent, respectively. The prevalence among females (11.8 per cent) is still higher than that of males (7.8 per cent) and high in the 35-39 year group (15.9 per cent).
On estimations and projections of the HIV prevalence, Dr Addo said an estimated 236,151 people, comprising 98,306 males and 137,845 females, live with HIV and AIDS in Ghana.
He said there were 22,541 new infections and 18,082 AIDS deaths, out of which 2,241 were children.
It was projected that while the number of AIDS deaths was expected to decline, the number of people living with HIV was expected to increase gradually with improved access to anti-retroviral therapy (ART), coupled with resulting new infections.
On the challenges, Dr Addo said there was the need to sustain prevention education targeted at the youth and other special groups.
He said the persistence of syphilis in some sites for the past years required further examination to explain its influence on the overall regional HIV prevalence, adding that STI services must be strengthened to ensure that all clients were tested for HIV.
The Minister of Health, Dr George Sipa-Adjah Yankey, said the country must not be complacent due to the decline of the HIV prevalence rate but maximise efforts to attain a further reduction in the HIV disease, adding that “a single case of HIV anywhere is HIV everywhere”.

Fashion trade fair for Sept

2009-06-02T06:45:00.000-07:00

Saturday, May 30, 2009 (The Mirror Pg 46)

By Rebecca Kwei
Come September this year, a trade fair that will help Ghanaian designers meet, network and trade directly with international buyers will take place at the Accra International Conference Centre.
Dubbed ‘Clothes Show Live! Ghana ’09 it will operate as a fashion road show brand (Clothes Show Live) which has been running in the UK for more than 20 years where local fashion designers sell their apparel on the spot to buyers from the large chain of retail shops.
Speaking at the press launch in Accra, the event organiser, Eric Manu of the London Designers Fashion Show Limited, explained that the event is not a fashion show but rather a trade fair which will run for two days.
Although, there will be a catwalk show, Mr Manu maintained that it is a trade fair where participants will set stalls and show their new collections to fashion consumers.
“During the day, there will be a 10-minute catwalk show every hour by various designers, but there will be many stalls with exciting exhibits for everyone,” he said.
So far about 30 international designers of African descent are preparing to come and join other local designers for the exhibition.
Some of the designers are Kofi Ansah, Ghana, Imane Ayissi, Cameroon, House of Ole, Kluk CGDT, Thula Sindi, David Tlale all from South Africa, Bantu Wax, Ethiopia (based in US), Sika Designs, Ghana (based in UK), Deola Sagoe, House of Jole, both from Nigeria and Mustafa, Tanzania.
He said the event is open all — seamstresses, tailors, fashion designers, fashion accessories producers, shoe designers and makers, textile manufacturers and any industry that has a link to fashion from Africa.
According to Mr Manu who has been in the fashion business in the UK for close to 10 years, his vision came about as a result of a deep passion to help stimulate the fashion industry in Africa.
“Being from Ghana, I chose to make Ghana the home for this event, so that we may hold the exhibition periodically and bring in many participants from all over the world, thereby building on our tourism receipts too.”
The Minister of Trade and Industry, Ms Hanna Tetteh, said the fashion industry in Ghana has a great future if the private sector collaborates with government to create a platform to showcase Ghana’s potential to the global market.
Additionally, she said the industry has the potential of creating job opportunities for the many unemployed youth and urged the organisers of the event to link up with our tertiary institutions to discover the numerous talents in the industry that are produced yearly and create a platform for them to showcase their talent.

Eight young designers for Fashion Weekend

2009-05-27T04:02:00.000-07:00

Saturday, May 23, 2009 (The Mirror Pg 47)

By Rebecca Kwei
Eight amateur fashion designers have been selected to feature in this year’s Ghana Fashion Weekend 2009.
They are Klekleli Dzidienyo, Elimens, Quami Wear, Rowena Adjivon, Salimi, Miriam Yentumi, Bern Mensah and Doreen Lartey.
The event, which is scheduled for July 1-4, 2009 at the Accra International Conference Centre, is a blend of modelling shows and fashion exhibition and it is aimed at promoting African fashion. “Harnessing Creative Talents within Africa” is the theme for the event.
According to Sima Ibrahim, the CEO of Exopa Model Agency, organisers of the event, the best up-coming fashion designer who will be selected through a contest will be sponsored by the French Embassy to France to develop his or her talent.
Additionally, the French Embassy will engage the services of a Cameroonian designer who will take the young designers through a workshop before the final event.
After the event, each of the young designers will also have the opportunity to understudy a local professional designer for about a year.
Twenty designers comprising 10 of Ghana’s most respected designers, 10 from the international scene, in addition to the eight young designers, would showcase their talent at the event.
About 100 Exopa models made of 40 foreign models and 60 from Ghana will feature on the runway and they are expected to treat the audience to unique catwalk experience.
Some of the designers are Joyce Ababio, Allan David, Royal Dennis, Menice Apparel and Nallem, all from Ghana, Alphadi, Niger, Modella, Nigeria, and Adebayor Jones, UK.
The exciting side attraction is that Boris Kodjoe, the German-Ghanaian actor and designer, who owns the Ziami Clothing lines, will be in Ghana to grace the occasion. He will be accompanied by his wife, Nicole Ari Parker, who is also an actress.
Boris, well known for his role as Damon Carter in show time drama ‘Soul Food’, will showcase his designs.
Mr Ibrahim said some of the Black Stars players such as Michael Essien, Sulley Muntari, Stephen Appiah, Arsenal player Emmanuel Adebayor and Gerald Asamoah, who plays for the German national team and Schalke 04, will model clothes from Boris Kodjoe.
Mr Ibrahim said he had been to the USA to meet with Boris, who is excited about coming to Ghana.
He said Black Entertainment Television (BET), an American cable network, is doing a documentary on Boris Kodjoe and will thus accompany him to Ghana to film his (Boris) background, as well as the event.
He noted that this would give the fashion industry in Ghana a boost, since the documentary would be shown to a wider audience.
Mr Ibrahim said there would also be a fashion exhibition that would run concurrently with the modelling shows and appealed to people engaged in fashion-related products and services to contact Exopa for space allocation.
He said the modelling events would not only feature slim ladies but l-sized ladies will also hit the runway.
“Most Ghanaian ladies are not slim and it is important that we do not always focus on the slim ones only but encourage designers to create outfits for l-sized ladies as well.”

Gemann — From disgrace to grace

2009-05-27T04:00:00.000-07:00

Saturday, May 23, 2009 (The Mirror Pg 3)

By Rebecca Kwei
From Fame to Shame, From Disgrace to Grace is the title of his book which will be out soon and perhaps the title clearly speaks about his life.
Nana Kwasi Agyemang popularly known as Gemann who shot to fame in the early 1980s but had to spend 14 years in prison for murder, says he has come a long way but very grateful to God for His love.
“I am doing very well by God’s grace. In fact I’m doing extremely well,” was what he said when The Mirror caught up with him at his office at Adabraka, a suburb of Accra, to find out how he was coping with life after prison.

New life
Now a pastor, Gemann celebrated his 46th birthday on Tuesday, May 19. He now sports a new-look an afro (Gemann used to have long wet curls) and is involved in a number of Christian activities.
He has started a church, New Life Christian Love Fellowship which operates at the O’reilly Secondary School at Adabraka. The church has about 35 members.
He said being a pastor was a vision the Lord gave him while he was in prison.
“I had wanted to become a preacher even before I went to prison. As a kid I always played the role of a pastor which earned me the name Osofo,” he recalled.
He explained that his intention then was to be rich and succeed in the entertainment industry before taking up pastoral duties so people would not think he went into it because of the money .
“But God had His own plans and it happened that I had to go through the training inside prison,” he said.
The New Life Christian Love Fellowship started while he was in prison. He says aside the church having a branch in Accra, there are three branches: one each in the Condemned Cell and the main yard at Nsawam Prison and one at Ankaful Prison Annex.
Gemann now also has permit to visit all police cells in the country to preach and educate on life and crime.
He said he had visited some police cells in Accra and Tema and was happy that anytime he visited a police cell, not less than five people gave their lives to Christ after hearing him.
“I believe God has preserved my life so that I may be light unto those who are still in darkness,” he noted.
Suspects in police cells, he indicated, related better to him because they knew he had gone through a similar situation.
Gemann has not shirked his love for the entertainment industry and has also started a Christian multi-media entertainment company called Godsbiz (God’s Business) that deals in gospel music, video production and artiste management.
According to him he has also developed a radio programme, Talent from the Biblical Perspective which airs on Channel R, where he tries to help the youth identify and develop their talent by bringing in guests who have made it in life to share their experiences.
He said he was developing a television version of the programme which will hit the screens soon.
On Wednesdays and Fridays, he is a panelist on the entertainment review programme, 205, on the same station where he brings his Christian perspective to bear on entertainment matters.
Despite having so much going for him already, Gemann, revealed that he is recording a new gospel album which he calls 14. The title represents the number of years he spent in prison. He said the album will probably have 14 tracks on it as well.
Gemann said he was also a motivational speaker since he got a lot of invitations from other churches to come and share his testimony.

January 9, 1995
January 9, 1995 was the day Gemann’s life changed. Although he was not too willing to be retrospect since the story had been told over and over again, he did summarise what happened that day.
According to Gemann, a lady friend called Nada had boarded a taxi to come and visit him at his then residence at Dome CFC.
He said apparently, Nada who did not have money on her to pay, had also not come to an agreement over the fare with the driver.
Thus when Nada got to his place and he decided to pay, there was a disagreement over the fare and the taxi driver left without taking any money.
He said the taxi driver came back an hour later, parked his car about 500 metres away from his (Gemann’s) house and then came to the house to collect sand into a plastic bag.
He said when he enquired what he (taxi driver) was going to do with the sand, he replied that he would kill each and every one in the house.
“This led to a heated argument and as a result, I fired a warning shot to calm the situation but this rather infuriated him (taxi driver),” he narrated.
According to Gemann, in the course of bringing the taxi driver back to the house from where he (taxi driver) had parked his car to reverse whatever curse he might have done, there was a struggle and the pistol went off killing the taxi driver.
“What happened was purely an accident. I was a novice at handling such weapons and because I had fired a warning shot earlier, the pistol went off easily, he said with sadness in his voice.
I felt terrible, devastated and broken. I immediately went to the police station to report myself.
Gemann was later sentenced to death by hanging on January 9, 1995. He was granted presidential pardon and coincidentally released from prison on January 9, 2009. He believes the dates are not a coincidence but a miracle.

Turning point
According to Gemann he was a Christian but did not have a personal relationship and commitment with Christ.
“But when the incident happened, I knew at that moment that the only person who could save me was Jesus and I made a personal commitment to Him that very day,” he recalled.
Asked why he had bought a pistol, Gemann said when he moved to his then residence, he was told that the area was armed robbery-prone so he bought the pistol for protection against armed robbers.
“But in the end I slept with armed robbers in the same prison. Now I know it is God who protects and not pistols,” he stated.

Good things
One good thing, Gemann notes, is that he is at peace with the family of the taxi driver, Kwasi Agyei, whom he accidentally killed.
“The good thing is that the family of the late Kwasi Agyei wrote a petition to former President J. A. Kufuor for my release”.
Quoting Proverbs 16:7 — When a man's ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him (King James Version) to support, he said: “I prayed to God always to heal the wounds I had created and God touched their hearts.”
He said when he was released from prison, the family of the late Kwasi Agyei received him warmly and he is now part of that family.
He said the late Agyei had a daughter who is 14 years now and is almost like a daughter to him. He promises to take full responsibility of her at the appropriate time.
Unfortunately, Nada died two years ago.

Family ties
Gemann said he was grateful to his family and many others for their support without whom he would not have survived in prison.
Gemann has three siblings; his older brother is also a pastor, while his other brother is in the United Kingdom and his little sister is in the United States.
His father, Amoo Agyemang passed on six years ago and he now lives with his 76-year-old mother, Augusta Asiedu Agyemang at Teshie Nungua, a suburb of Accra.
Gemann has a daughter, Tremina Gemann, who is 18 and lives in Holland.
“Tremina was only three years old when I went to prison and obviously a difficult time for her growing up. But the good thing is that now I can talk to her anytime I want,” he said.

Early life
Born at Kokomlemle in Accra, Gemann had his basic education in different parts of the country because both parents were teachers and they travelled extensively.
He went to West Africa Secondary School and indicated that the late Ola Williams was his classmate.
He continued his secondary education at the Tema Secondary School and left for the UK while in Form 3 to pursue his entertainment career in 1982.
“As a kid I was already in show business. I was dancing and performing at parties,” he recalled.
Prior to leaving for the UK, Gemann who was well- noted for his dancing skills, had won the national dance championship from 1980 to 1982.
While in the UK, he did the Michael Jackson look-like show by dancing and performing to Michael Jackson’s songs which took him to many places around the world such as Finland, Denmark and Sweden.
He released Highlife in G Major in 1987; Hiphop the Jungle in 1989, Danzing Mann in 1992 and a gospel album God is Love in 2003 while in prison.
When he returned from the UK to Ghana in 1992, Gemann set up a recording and production company, Gemann Productions, and a studio known as Studio G and at the time, he had about 35 young men and women he was training in music and dance.
In 1994, he was the side attraction for the Miss Ghana pageant and he travelled with the team to all the 10 regions.
According to Gemann, he was three days away from completing a musical movie when the shooting incident happened.

Great lessons
“If I knew the Lord then, what happened on January 9, 1995, would not have happened. God’s word has made me more patient.”
Asked if he misses the old days he said “No. Now the joy of the Lord is my strength. The ministration gives me so much joy.
Some people have accepted me but some still doubt that I have changed. What is happening to me is real. I have chosen to do God’s work because I know what He has done for me.”
He advised the youth “to seek first the kingdom of God and its righteoness and all other things shall be added to them.”
He said parents should be concerned about their children and help them to know Christ properly and not only taking them (children) to church on Sundays.
He noted that most of the youth are leading hypocritical lives as such it was necessary for them to have a firm foundation in Christ to prevent the ‘sakawa’ generation which is rearing its head of late.

Future plans
Gemann believes the future is very bright and he has plans of opening up more branches of his ministry. “Bigger things start with humble beginnings’, he said.
He said at the moment he is “single and unattached” but hopes to marry sometime.
Psalm 116 is very dear to Gemann’s heart and he says “this scripture sums up my life.”