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GHS to vaccinate young girls against cervical cancer
The Ghana Health Service (GHS), in an effort to reduce the prevalence of the human papillomavirus among women in Ghana, will roll out a vaccination campaign by the end of the year targeting pre-adolescents aged 9 to 14.
This nationwide vaccination aims to immunize adolescents before entering into sexual activity, given the alarming rate of cervical cancer.
Programmes Manager for the Expanded Programme on Immunization at the Ghana Health Service, Dr. Kwame Amponsah-Achiano, emphasized the necessity of the two-dose vaccine for each child.
“Because we have already done a pilot which was to learn lessons, we will roll out a nationwide vaccination, and our focus is usually on young people before they start their sexual debut. So by the end of the year, we should have started the vaccination.”
“While we were doing the piloting, we had to give three doses, then it came to two, and now we are talking of one, but the one dose is also premised on the fact that we need to have a well-established screening, but we are likely to do two doses because that is the best card put forward.”
According to the ICO/IARC Information Centre on HPV and Cancer, Ghana has a population of 10.6 million women ages 15 years and older who are at risk of developing cervical cancer. Current estimates indicate that every year 2797 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer and 1699 die from the disease. Cervical cancer ranks as the 2nd most frequent cancer among women in Ghana and the 2nd most frequent cancer among women between 15 and 44 years of age. Data is not yet available on the HPV burden in the general population of Ghana. However, in Western Africa, the region Ghana belongs to, about 4.3% of women in the general population are estimated to harbour cervical HPV16/18 infection at a given time, and 55.6% of invasive cervical cancers are attributed to HPVs 16 or 18.
Source: Citinewsroom.com
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Remove all unauthorized outdoor advertising signs and billboards mounted at road medians – NRSA cautions advertising companies
The National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) has announced plans of continuing its enforcement exercise to remove all unauthorized outdoor advertising signs and billboards located in road medians.
The decision to embark on this exercise, according to the authority, is to avert risks posed by the signs, which cause visual and cognitive distractions to drivers and obstruct the view of both motorists and pedestrians.
The authority in a statement disclosed that the exercise would cover the N1 Highway (from the Achimota Overhead to the Dzorwulu Fiesta Royale Traffic Light), the Dr. Kwame Nkrumah Circle Stretch (from Circle to Odorkor through to the Weija intersection), Spintex Road (from the Action Chapel intersection to the Palace Mall), and the Kawokudi to Achimota stretch.
The NRSA said it will begin this phase of the removal exercise in August, in collaboration with municipal assemblies in the Greater Accra Region.
The authority warned advertising companies, their clients, and sign owners to voluntarily remove their signs with immediate effect.
The NRSA stressed that failure to do so will lead to forceful removal, and the full cost of the operation will be charged to owners of the non-compliant signs.
The Authority added that this exercise is part of efforts to ensure safer roads for all road users and called for the cooperation of all stakeholders.
By Jacob Aggrey
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MP for Ejisu highlights deplorable conditions of roads in the Ejisu constituency
The Member of Parliament for Ejisu, Kwabena Boateng has highlighted the deplorable conditions of roads in the Ejisu Constituency.
He noted that these roads are lifelines that connect the people to markets, schools, hospitals, and workplaces.
According to him as far back as a year ago, work commenced on both Ejisu-Onwe and Kokobra-Achiase roads.
Bridges were built, gutters were constructed, and the people’s hopes were rekindled but those hopes are dimming once again.
The MP for Ejisu made this known to the House when he presented a statement on the deplorable conditions of roads in the Ejisu constituency.
“Mr. Speaker I do not rise to lay blame. I rise to call this House to conscience to remind ourselves that governance is a continuum and the same exist for the benefit of all including the people of Onwe,Asieninpong, Kwaso, Kokobra,Ekyem, Akokoamong, Achiase,Asamang among others,” He stated.
Sadly he indicated that, the situation has worsened with the onset of the rainy season, stressing that these roads have become traps endangering pregnant women, school children, traders, and farmers. Vehicles get stuck, transport grinds to a halt, produce spoil and the local economy bleeds quietly.
He appealed to the Minister of Roads, Kwame Governs Agbodza to help fix the roads to ease the frustration of road users.
