Editorial
Apromase fire and other matters
● Many structures were destroyed at Sofoline recently
Dear Editor,
I have been trying to wrap my mind around the death of the policeman, his wife and three-month-old baby at Apromase in the Ashanti Region, but to no avail.
As I express my heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family, it beats my mind that there was no escape route for the family in the heat of the moment, if the media reports are anything to go by. We are told the victims were heard shouting for help but nobody could go to their rescue. How could that be?
We are told Police Intelligence and Ghana Fire Service had begun investigating the matter, and I would be glad if they conclude that quickly and reveal any foul play there might be in the incident.
Many a time I have read news of this nature, and this incident at Apromase was happening almost a year after a similar incident at Gomoa Buduburam, in the Central Region, where a family of seven got burnt on January, 15, 2022.
I am not privy to the outcome of investigation into the Buduburam incident but I think the police would do well, this time, to tell us what happened to this young policeman and his family, beyond what we have read in the newspapers.
I want to encourage the public to be alert when it comes to fire outbreaks. It is sad the ‘security systems’ we put in place to prevent burglary turnout to be our ‘nemesis’ in the event of fire outbreak.
Fire officers often advise that buildings or rooms should have at least two exits but many of our rented apartments are such that there is only one entrance or escape route. We need to improve on this and possibly install effective but less expensive fire alarms in our homes.
Prior to the Apromase incident, there had been other fire outbreaks early this year. These include the one at Sofoline which razed down three carpentry shops and a pepper mill and another outbreak at a compound house at Fante New Town all in the Ashanti Region.
The year is still young and we need to be more alert and take fire precautions seriously.
Yunusah Essandoh,
Achimota-Accra.
Dear Editor,
The recent shooting to death of Javits Frimpong, a 15 year old Ghanaian student in Bronx, USA, is a heartbreaking reminder that bullying should never be dismissed as a normal part of growing up.
Reports indicate that the teenager had allegedly been subjected to bullying at school before he was fatally shot on his way to class.
While investigations continue and the exact motive yet to be officially established, the circumstances surrounding this tragedy have raised serious concerns about the impact of not checking bullying.
What makes this loss even more painful is that Javits Frimpong, had moved from Ghana to the United States with hopes of a brighter future through education. Instead, his life was cut short at an age when he should have been pursuing his dreams and preparing for adulthood.
Bullying is often viewed as harmless teasing, but its effects can be severe and long-lasting. Victims may suffer emotional trauma, anxiety, depression, poor academic performance, and, in extreme cases, become entangled in violence.
This incident should serve as a wake-up call to schools everywhere. Complaints of bullying must be taken seriously, investigated promptly, and addressed decisively before situations escalate.
Parents, teachers, school authorities, and community leaders all share a responsibility to create safe environments for young people.
Open communication, counselling services, anti-bullying education, and effective disciplinary measures can help protect vulnerable students.
Equally important is teaching young people respect, empathy, and peaceful conflict resolution.
As we mourn the loss of Javits Frimpong, let us also commit ourselves to ensuring that no other child loses their life because warning signs were ignored. The fight against bullying is not merely a school issue; it is a societal responsibility.
Yours faithfully,
Dansoman
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The recent report that 294 teenage girls in the Ayawaso West Municipality failed to receive their Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination is a depressing reminder of the gap between medical progress and public trust.
In a focused campaign with 997 girls the Roman Ridge Sub-Municipal Health Directorate reached a 70 percent coverage rate. Our public health professionals deserve praise for reaching 703 girls, but the remaining 30 percent pose a serious threat.
This shortfall is not due to a lack of institutional effort, logistics, or resources. The directorate had sufficient logistics, as highlighted by Public Health Nurse Patience Adoli Kporxah. Rather, the barrier was completely human: a lack of parental approval.
In Ghana, one of the top causes of cancer-related mortality for women is still cervical cancer. Ironically, it is also one of the most avoidable. The HPV vaccine is widely acknowledged as a safe, highly effective barrier that, when given early, can prevent up to 90 percent of cervical cancers.
Parents are unknowingly leaving their daughters vulnerable to a virus that they will probably come into contact with in the future by withholding approval.
This initiative was not initiated in secret by the health directorate. They coordinated with churches, mosques, and media outlets, spoke at Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) meetings, and sent letters to schools as part of their broad public outreach efforts. However, around 300 parents continued to withhold their signatures in spite of these multi-dimensional approaches.
Why is this resistance still present? Fear, cultural taboos, and false information about vaccines and reproductive health on the internet are the main causes of vaccine hesitation rather than an intent to hurt a child. When a vaccination is administered to young teenagers in schools, it may cause unjustified concerns about fertility and sexuality.
Our public health initiatives need to change in order to close this gap before the November and December phases.
Letters and the mass media are important, but they are unable to provide precise, worried answers. During PTA meetings, health staff could think about holding direct question and answer sessions so parents may express their worries without fear of being judged.
In order to normalise the vaccine, community elders, religious leaders, and reputable local physicians must do more than simply impart knowledge; they must openly support it.
We must present the HPV vaccine as a standard, life-saving cancer prevention tool that is now completely incorporated into Ghana’s regular immunisation programme.
The entrance is still open, according to public health officials. Daughters who did not participate in the school-based activity can still get the vaccination at no cost by taking them to any government health institution.
We must work together to prevent cervical cancer in the future generation. The infrastructure, education, and dosages have been supplied by public health teams. The trust must now be provided by the parents of Ayawaso West and Ghana as a whole.
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