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Ghana Health Service warns of rising seasonal flu cases
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The Ghana Health Service (GHS) has raised concern over an increase in seasonal influenza cases being recorded in parts of the country.
According to the Service, the flu cases confirmed as Influenza A strains H3N2 and H1N1 have been detected mainly in the Greater Accra, Central, Bono, and Eastern Regions.
These infections coincide with Ghana’s annual flu season, which usually peaks during the cooler months.
The GHS explained that symptoms of the illness include sudden fever, cough, sore throat, runny nose, body aches, headache, and fatigue.
The virus spreads easily through droplets from coughing, sneezing, or talking, as well as by touching contaminated surfaces.
Crowded places such as schools, dormitories, markets, and transport stations are considered high-risk areas for transmission.
The most vulnerable groups include children, the elderly, pregnant women, and people with chronic illnesses such as asthma, diabetes, and heart disease.
The Service advised the public to seek medical care early when experiencing flu-like symptoms, stay home when unwell, and maintain good hygiene by washing hands regularly, covering coughs and sneezes, and disinfecting frequently touched surfaces.
It also encouraged the wearing of face masks in crowded places and avoiding close contact with sick persons.
To address the situation, the health system has enhanced surveillance, introduced rapid testing in health facilities, updated treatment protocols, and intensified public education campaigns.
With schools reopened across the country, the GHS is working closely with the Ghana Education Service to ensure that preventive measures are strictly followed to protect students and staff.
Acting Director-General of the Ghana Health Service, Dr. Samuel Kaba Akoriyea, assured the public that measures are in place to control the spread of the flu and urged everyone to cooperate to protect themselves and their communities.
By: Jacob Aggrey
The Director of Legal Affairs of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Gary Nimako Marfo, has questioned who will bear the cost of conducting presidential and parliamentary primaries following the Supreme Court’s ruling on the party’s delegate system.
Speaking to journalists, Mr. Nimako Marfo said he would not immediately comment on the ruling, adding that he wanted to wait for the full details before sharing his views.
“I don’t want to comment on it now. Let’s wait,” he said.
When asked about the Supreme Court’s decision that all members in good standing should vote in party elections, he shifted attention to the financial implications of implementing the ruling.
According to him, allowing all members in good standing to vote would increase the cost of organising internal party elections.
He questioned who would pay for the expanded electoral process.
“Who is going to pay for the cost of the elections?” he asked.
When a journalist suggested that political parties would bear the cost, Mr. Nimako Marfo replied, “Let’s wait and see.”
The comments come after the Supreme Court ruled that political parties should allow all members in good standing to vote in their internal elections, a decision that is expected to expand participation but also increase the financial and logistical demands of organising presidential and parliamentary primaries.
By: Jacob Aggrey
The Supreme Court of Ghana has declared the delegate system used by political parties to elect presidential and parliamentary candidates unconstitutional.
In a 5-2 majority decision delivered, the Court ruled that the long-standing system violates democratic principles and ordered all political parties to ensure every registered, card-bearing member participates in presidential and parliamentary primaries.
The ruling brings to an end decades of internal party elections conducted by a limited number of delegates.
The suit was filed by former Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng; veteran politician Dr. Nyaho Nyaho-Tamakloe; and former Minister for Lands and Forestry, Dr. Christine Amoako-Nuamah.
The plaintiffs argued that the delegate system created inequality among party members by granting voting rights to a privileged minority while excluding ordinary members in good standing.
They told the Court that restricting voting rights to delegates was inconsistent with the democratic principles enshrined in the 1992 Constitution.
The Attorney-General’s Department supported the suit and urged the Court to adopt a “one member, one vote” approach.
In its submission, the State argued that political parties perform an important public function in Ghana’s democratic framework and that their internal electoral processes must reflect constitutional values of equality, participation and universal suffrage.
The Attorney-General further submitted that expanding voting rights to all registered members would strengthen accountability and deepen internal democracy within political parties.
The judgment means that going forward, presidential and parliamentary candidates will be selected by all registered members of a political party, instead of by delegates alone.
Political parties are expected to review their constitutions and structures to comply with the Court’s directive ahead of the 2028 general elections.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
