News
Let’s avert shortage of anti-retroviral drugs
Until the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic late last year, HIV/AIDS was regarded as the world’s worst epidemic humanity had ever faced.
Many countries and its citizens endured devastating long-term socio-economic and personal impacts and in some cases the disease became a major obstacle to development.
AIDS is caused by HIV, a retrovirus that attacks the immune system. The virus destroys CD4+ T cells, a type of white blood cell that is vital to fighting off infection.
AIDS is treated with antiretroviral drugs. These drugs suppress HIV but do not completely eliminate the virus from the body.
Health experts were alarmed initially because of its devastating effect on human beings and said then that, the “exceptionalism” of the disease required “exceptionalism” in the response.
So, the then UN General Assembly meeting on HIV/AIDS in New York, on September 22, 2003, WHO Director General Jong-Wook Lee, requested that the disease be treated as a global health emergency and called for implementation of free HIV/AIDS treatment in resource-poor settings.
“Given the nature of the AIDS epidemic, providing free treatment should be imperative even if it cannot be applied to all diseases or all in need,” he said
Since then, anti-retroviral agents remained the cornerstone of HIV treatment and prevention and all HIV-infected individuals with detectable plasma virus presently receive treatment with recommended initial regimens.
Today, there have been substantial advances in the use of antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) for the treatment, progression as well as prevention of HIV infection disease.
So, globally, people are living longer with anti-retroviral drugs medications which help the body fight off life threatening infections.
However, with the outbreak of COVID-19, it appears the world’s attention is now focussed on the ensuing pandemic to the neglect of other diseases.
Consequently, many countries including Ghana are facing shortage of Anti-Retroviral Drugs (ARVs) for the treatment of Persons Living with HIV (PLHIVs), according to Health and Development Non-Governmental Organiations in Ghana.
According to them, out of a target population of 193,901 PLHIVs who were supposed to be put on the ARVs treatment, only 173,000 were currently benefiting from the treatment due to the non availability of the drugs at designated health facilities across the country.
The spokesperson of the group, Mrs Cecelia Senoo, said “70,000 packs of the ARVs which were expected to be procured by government with delivery in December last year, have still not arrived. “
Without adequate access to their life saving medicines, she said, PLHIVs risk developing drug resistance that could also lead to potential deaths.
Mrs Senoo described the situation as dire and advised the government to take urgent steps to avert a looming disaster.
We must state clearly that we acknowledge the challenges facing the government in the midst of COVID-19 and the competing demands facing the nation. We as well cannot fail to recognise the obstacles to effective health care in the country.
However, we add our voice to the call for urgent and adequate supply ARVs to provide treatment to PLHIVs to assist them to gain greater access to, remain adherent to, and avoid instability in treatment regimens.
We also urge that the country avert at all times shortage of the ARVs in order not to jeopardise the treatment programme of the nation.
About 200 company secretaries, governance professionals and institutional leaders will gather in Accra for the ‘Company Secretaries Summit’ next month.
It is aimed at strengthening governance practices and enhance boardroom effectiveness across the country.
The summit, which is scheduled for July 16 at the Labadi Beach Hotel seeks to equip governance professionals with the knowledge, skills, and networks required to navigate the increasingly complex demands of modern corporate leadership.
It will feature keynote presentations, panel discussions, and interactive sessions focusing on emerging governance trends, boardroom dynamics, regulatory compliance, digital transformation, and stakeholder expectations.
According to the convener, Catherine Engmann, the summit comes at a critical time when governance professionals are under growing pressure to support sound decision-making, strengthen governance culture, and respond effectively to changing institutional and regulatory environments.
“This gathering is not just another conference. It is a platform for governance leaders who are already operating at the highest level and intend to stay there,” she said.
She noted that the programme was designed to provide participants with practical tools, fresh insights, and valuable professional connections.
According to Ms Engmann, a major highlight of the event will be the awards ceremony, which will recognise individuals and organisations that have demonstrated excellence in governance practice and made significant contributions to improving board effectiveness and corporate accountability.
She mentioned that the summit will also offer participants an opportunity to benchmark their practices against industry standards, exchange ideas with peers, and explore innovative approaches to governance challenges.
Beyond the formal sessions, the event is expected to foster networking and collaboration among governance professionals, helping to strengthen governance practices across Ghana’s corporate and institutional landscape.
Speaking about the vision behind the initiative, Ms Engmann, said the summit was inspired by the need to create a dedicated platform that recognises the critical role played by company secretaries and governance professionals.
According to her, the Company Secretaries’ Summit and Awards reflects her conviction that Ghana’s governance professionals deserve an annual platform where they can engage in meaningful discussions, build strategic relationships, and receive recognition for their contributions to effective governance.
Registration for the summit, she said was currently open, with interested professionals encouraged to secure their participation ahead of the event.
By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu
-1 cup dried soya beans
-4–5 cups for water (for blending)
-Extra water for soaking
-Sugar, honey or dates (optional, for sweetness)
-Vanilla extract (optional)
Preparation
-Pick through the beans to remove stones or damaged seeds and rinse thoroughly
-Place them in a large bowl and cover with plenty of water. Soak for at least eight hours or overnight to soften it to blend easier
– After soaking, rub the beans with your hands as the skin begins to remove
– Removing the skins helps reduce the ‘beany’ taste and improves texture
– Put the soaked beans into a blender with 4–5 cups of clean water
-Blend until smooth and milky. (You may need to do this in batches depending on your blender size).
– Using a clean muslin cloth or fine sieve, strain the blended mixture into a pot. (Squeeze well to extract as much liquid as possible).
-The leftover pulp is called okara. Don’t throw it away — it can be used in baking, porridge, or even added to stews.
– Place the strained milk on medium heat and make it boil. Stir continuously to prevent burning or overflowing.
– Allow it to boil for at least 20–25 minutes. Proper boiling removes the raw taste and neutralises natural compounds that can upset the stomach.
-Once boiled a little sugar or honey. Pulse.gh
Health benefits of Soya beans
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