News
30% of women who have Fibroids show symptoms of heavy periods- Dr Koby Appiah Sakyi
The Associate Professor of Medicine and CEO of Brittannia Medical Centre, Dr Koby Appiah Sakyi, has disclosed that only 30 percent of women who have fibroids show symptoms, with heavy, prolonged and painful periods being the most common.
According to Dr Sakyi, fibroids are non-cancerous growths in or around the womb that many women may have without knowing.
He stated that seven out of ten women will develop fibroids during their lifetime, but most of them, about 50 to 60 percent, do not show any signs.
“Many women only discover they have fibroids when they get pregnant and go for a scan,” he said.
He explained that for the few women who experience symptoms, the clearest warning sign is a change in their menstrual cycle.
“If your period was normally four to five days and now it lasts seven days, you bleed heavily, change pads quickly or soak yourself at night or during work, then it’s time to get checked. You may have developed fibroids,” he advised.
Dr. Sakyi added that fibroids can also cause pain during sex, a swollen lower abdomen that looks like a pregnancy, and difficulty in getting pregnant.
He added that in some cases, fibroids can lead to miscarriages or make it necessary for a woman to deliver by caesarean section because of where the fibroid is located.
He warned that women with a family history of fibroids, especially if their mother, sister or aunt has had them, are three times more likely to develop fibroids themselves.
Although the exact cause of fibroids is still not fully understood, Dr Sakyi said there may be a link to obesity, poor diet and certain lifestyle habits.
However, he noted that the scientific evidence supporting these links is not yet strong.
He encouraged women to pay attention to changes in their bodies and go for medical checkups, especially if they notice abnormal bleeding or have trouble conceiving.
By Jacob Aggrey
The Diaspora Affairs Office at the Office of the President has hosted a delegation of African diaspora women who are in Ghana ahead of a planned Presidential Conferment of Citizenship ceremony.
The Director of Diaspora Affairs, Kofi Okyere Darko, explained in a Facebook post that the visit was a gesture of appreciation by the delegation to the Government of Ghana for its continued efforts to reconnect Africans in the diaspora with their ancestral homeland.
He indicated that the ceremony, scheduled for next Monday, will officially grant Ghanaian citizenship to members of the delegation as part of the country’s broader engagement with the African diaspora.
The delegation was led by Erica Bennett, Founder of the Diaspora Africa Forum.
According to Mr Okyere Darko, her years of advocacy have played an important role in strengthening ties between Africa and people of African descent living abroad.
He noted that the group’s journey towards citizenship represents not only a legal process but also a cultural and spiritual return to their roots.
Also present at the meeting was Natalie Jackson, an attorney who is also expected to receive Ghanaian citizenship during the ceremony. She works closely with renowned civil rights lawyer Ben Crump.
Mr Okyere Darko emphasised that Ghana remains committed to strengthening relationships with the African diaspora and promoting unity, identity, and shared heritage among people of African descent worldwide.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Ghana has signed a debt restructuring agreement with the Kingdom of Belgium as part of efforts to restore the country’s economic stability after the financial crisis that hit the nation in 2022 and 2023.
The Minister of Finance, Cassiel Ato Forson, today disclosed that he signed the agreement on behalf of the Government of Ghana.
He explained that Ghana experienced a very difficult period during the crisis, which forced the government at the time to declare a debt default.
However, he indicated that the country is now recovering and witnessing a significant economic turnaround.
According to him, stronger systems are also being put in place to ensure that Ghana does not return to such a situation again.
Dr Forson noted that the agreement with Belgium is the eighth deal Ghana has concluded with countries under the Official Creditor Committee as part of its external debt restructuring programme.
He expressed appreciation to the Government of Belgium for its support and partnership with Ghana during the process.
The Finance Minister thanked Carole van Eyll, Ambassador of Belgium to Ghana, for her role in strengthening relations between the two countries.
The agreement forms part of Ghana’s broader effort to restructure its external debts and stabilise the economy following the crisis.
By: Jacob Aggrey
