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Be compassionate in caring for the sick — Prof. Alder
Staff and students of Ensign Global College in a group picture
Professor Stephen Alder, the President of Ensign Global College at Kpong, has urged public health officers to be compassionate when caring for the sick.
Prof. Alder, who was addressing the college’s 10th anniversary and ninth graduation ceremony, said, “We have to remember that these are human beings that are being affected by these issues, and we have to be compassionate in our care and protection for their health as well.”
The programme, which saw 28 public health students graduating, was on the theme: ‘Celebrating a Decade of Educating Professional and Entrepreneurial Leaders for Prosperity.’
He said public health was a big field that covered so many areas of human lives, including the cholera outbreak, counterfeit medications and expired food consumption.
“We have watched with concern as cases of cholera have been detected in Ghana. We’ve watched and seen the issues related to not only expired food but counterfeit medications, all sorts of things that are going to undermine efforts to keep people healthy and well.”
He said when these issues were seen, it meant that something had slipped through, and they had to figure out why it occurred and correct that for the future.
Prof. Alder further said to ensure that public health practitioners provided professional care to the public, the private-owned health training college was committed to working the training of highly competent professionals, who were going to protect the public’s health, help with the regulatory bodies, and the health system.
Dr Lynette Gay, the Founder and Board Chairman of Ensign Global College, said she identified that there was need for a change in the health of the community, home, and families, as good health began from the home.
She stated that it was this awareness that informed the establishment of the college to train professionals to provide effective care and protection right from the family, stressing that, “We hate to see people go to the hospitals at the last resort if they can address their health needs within their own knowledge in their home.”
She then encouraged the public health officials to have community involvement, go beyond their imagination, and not to stop themselves from impacting positively on the health of the communities.
Ensign Global College was established in 2014 by Dr Mrs Lynette Gay and Mr Bob Gay in fulfilment of their desire and passion to transform public health education in West Africa, with the aim of improving the quality of life among West Africans through scholarship for a robust healthcare system. -GNA
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Oxfam in Ghana donates medical equipment and essential drugs worth GH¢1.5 million to Kasoa Polyclinic
Oxfam in Ghana has donated medical equipment and essential drugs worth about GH¢1.5 million to the Kasoa Polyclinic to strengthen maternal and reproductive healthcare services in the municipality.
The presentation, which took place on Tuesday, June 24, 2026, at the premises of the clinic in Kasoa, formed part of the sustainability and legacy activities under the Power to Choose (P2C) Project.
The donated items included delivery beds, maternity beds, oxygen cylinders, neonatal resuscitation equipment, blood pressure monitors, newborn weighing scales, suction machines, delivery kits, essential medicines, medical theatre wear and other critical supplies to support quality healthcare delivery.
The Power to Choose Project is a seven-year initiative being implemented by Oxfam in Ghana in partnership with the Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana (PPAG), WiLDAF Ghana, SEND Ghana, Norsaac and PARDA, with funding from Global Affairs Canada through Oxfam Quebec.
The project seeks to improve sexual and reproductive health and rights for young people, particularly adolescent girls, young women and young men living in vulnerable and marginalised conditions.
Addressing nurses and management of the hospital, the Country Director for Oxfam in Ghana, Mohammed-Anwar Sadat Adam, said the project, which began in 2021 and will run until early 2028, is being implemented in seven countries across Africa, Latin America and the Middle East.
He said Ghana and the Democratic Republic of Congo are the two African countries benefiting from the project.
Mr. Adam noted that the project has already trained about 102 health workers in areas including youth-friendly services, emergency obstetric and neonatal care, family planning, gender-based violence response, respectful maternity care and inclusive healthcare delivery.
He said Oxfam and its partners conducted assessments at beneficiary facilities and identified equipment needs to help improve healthcare delivery.
According to him, the donation would create safe spaces where young women and girls could seek healthcare services without fear or stigma and would improve health outcomes in the community.
Mr. Adam thanked the Government of Canada, the Ghana Health Service, the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Ghana (SOGOG), World Health Ghana and other partners for supporting the implementation of the project.
He urged the beneficiary facilities to ensure that the equipment is properly used and maintained to serve the community for many years.
A speech by the Municipal Health Director for Awutu Senya East, Dr. Stanley Kweku Yaidoo, which was read on his behalf by the Municipal Accountant, Rev. Dr. Askari Thomas, described the donation as timely and important.
He said quality healthcare delivery depends on manpower, financial resources and equipment, adding that healthcare workers cannot effectively deliver services without the necessary tools.
Dr. Yaidoo thanked Oxfam and its partners for selecting Kasoa as one of the beneficiary facilities and assured them that the equipment would be put to good use.
The Acting Medical Superintendent of Kasoa Polyclinic, Dr. Papa Kojo Arthur, expressed appreciation to Oxfam for its continuous support over the years through training and capacity building.
He said the equipment would greatly support the effective management of patients, particularly in maternal and child healthcare.
According to him, the donation would help reduce maternal and perinatal mortality in the municipality.
The donation formed part of efforts to strengthen the capacity of youth-friendly health facilities in eight implementing districts across five regions of Ghana to continue providing quality and accessible sexual and reproductive healthcare services beyond the lifespan of the project.
By: Jacob Aggrey
The Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts (MoTCCA) has announced that an electronic copy of Ghana’s revised National Cultural Policy is now available online for free access by the public and stakeholders in the creative sector.
In a statement issued on June 22, the ministry said the revised policy was officially launched on June 9, 2026, at the National Theatre of Ghana in Accra.
According to the ministry, the decision to upload the document on its official website is aimed at ensuring widespread dissemination, increasing public awareness and promoting the effective implementation of the policy.
The ministry encouraged sector practitioners, stakeholders and members of the public to visit its website and read the document.
“The Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, in the spirit of the Black Star Experience, remains committed to a transparent, inclusive and collaborative approach to building the better Ghana we want,” the statement said.
It added that it looks forward to the active participation of stakeholders in implementing the policy for the benefit of the country.
The ministry urged the public to take advantage of the free access to the policy document and familiarise themselves with its contents.
By: Jacob Aggrey
