News
Children with cleft not cursed – CEO of Korle-Bu
Some of the parents with their children cured of cleft condition
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH), Dr Opoku Ware Ampomah, has asked Ghanaians to disregard myths and misconceptions surrounding children born with cleft, insisting that such children are not cursed.
According to him, cleft was a medical condition that can be corrected by surgery within 45 minutes.
However, due to stigmatisation, parents of such children often hide them at home, denying them opportunity to receive treatment which later affect them in life.
Dr Ampomah made the disclosure last week at a press conference to mark the cleft awareness week observed on August 26-29, 2024.
Operation Smile is a global nonprofit service organisation that bridges the gap in access to essential surgeries and health care, starting with cleft surgery and comprehensive care.
It also provides medical expertise, training, mentorship, research and care through its dedicated staff and volunteers around the world, working alongside local governments, nonprofits and health systems, and supported by generous donors and corporate partner
The period was one the Operation Smile team will educate Ghanaians on various media platforms.
According Dr Ampomah most children with cleft were often said to have been stroked by an evil spirit, cursed, or were children born out of adultery or facing punishment from God.
But he indicated that “cleft is not a curse, it is a medical condition that is surgically correctable in a 45 minute surgery.”
He explained that cleft was a condition that occurs in the early stages of pregnancy, resulting the cleft lip or cleft palate.
Cleft lip is an opening or split in the upper lip that occurs when developing facial structures in an unborn baby do not close completely.
A cleft palate is an opening or split in the roof of the mouth that occurs when the tissue does not fuse together during development in the womb.
He said a child with cleft condition finds it difficult to breast feed, hear or speak and mostly produce nasal sounds when they speak.
Dr Ampomah, who is also the Medical Director for Operation Smile said the condition was caused genetically while there were also environmental factors that could cause it.
Some of the environmental factors, he said, were alcohol use, smoking, drug abuse and lack of vitamin B (folic acid) during pregnancy.
He said heavy metals and toxin from galamsey sites which pollute water bodies could result in cleft problems, adding that “with the ‘galamsey’ activities, I will not be surprised if there are increases in the cleft conditions, we do not have to wait for it to happen.”
Dr Ampomah said Operation Smile was the largest provider of cleft care in Ghana since it started operation in 2011, adding that it provides free and safe surgeries to both children and adults.
He advised women to stop taking unprescribed drugs and visit the hospital when there are challenges to avoid such conditions.
Mr Henry Quist, the Acting Country Manager of Operation Smile-Ghana, encouraged parents and guardians with cleft children to take advantage of their outreaches to correct the condition.
According to him, surgery could be performed on babies with cleft lip from three to six months and for those with palate, between nine and 12 months of birth.
By Jemima Esinam Kuatsinu
The Minister of Finance, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, has pledged to work closely with the Judiciary and the Ministry of Justice to address challenges affecting the delivery of justice in Ghana.
He made this known after receiving the Chief Justice, Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, who paid a courtesy call on him earlier today.
The Chief Justice was accompanied by Supreme Court Judge, Justice Gabriel Pwamang, the Acting Director of the Ghana School of Law, Professor Raymond Atuguba, and the Judicial Secretary.
The Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Dr. Dominic Ayine, was also present at the meeting.
Dr. Forson said the Chief Justice explained that the visit was to express appreciation for the continuous support the Ministry of Finance has given to the Judiciary.
According to him, the Chief Justice raised concerns about congestion in the courts, describing it as a major challenge that affects the speedy delivery of justice.
He said several solutions are currently being considered to help reduce the pressure on the courts.
“The Chief Justice also highlighted issues regarding the working conditions of staff within the Judiciary,” Dr. Forson stated.
He assured them of his commitment to helping resolve these problems through collaboration with the Judiciary and the Ministry of Justice.
“I am committed to working closely with the Judiciary and the Ministry of Justice to tackle these challenges,” he said.
As part of the measures being considered, Dr. Forson revealed that his ministry is examining the possibility of allowing the Judiciary to use 100 percent of its Internally Generated Funds (IGF) to meet urgent operational needs.
He said this move, if approved, would help improve the efficiency of the courts and enhance justice delivery across the country.
The meeting forms part of efforts to strengthen cooperation between the Executive and the Judiciary in addressing systemic challenges within Ghana’s justice system.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Ghana has begun talks with the family of Guinea’s first President, Sékou Touré, to take possession of the house where Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah lived and worked during his final years in exile.
The Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, announced that the move follows instructions from President John Dramani Mahama.
According to him, the Mahama administration plans to renovate and preserve the residence in Guinea as a mark of respect for Nkrumah and to protect his legacy.
He explained that the site is expected to become part of a broader historical and tourism experience that traces Nkrumah’s life from Ghana to Guinea.
The decision was formally communicated to the Sékou Touré family on Saturday during a visit led by Vice President Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang.
The visit took place after the investiture of Guinea’s President Mamady Doumbouya.
Mr Ablakwa noted that the Ghanaian delegation toured Nkrumah’s abandoned home and was warmly received by three generations of the Sékou Touré family, led by the former president’s eldest son.
He added that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is currently negotiating the terms and conditions of the arrangement and engaging preservation experts to handle the restoration works.
The minister assured the public that the process will be handled openly, stressing that Ghanaians will be kept informed at every stage in the interest of transparency and accountability.
Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah was Ghana’s first President and a leading figure in Africa’s independence and Pan African movements.
His years in Guinea symbolised the strong political and ideological ties between the two countries.
By: Jacob Aggrey
