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Govtto decide on hydroxychloroquinefor COVID-19 case management

Ghana’s COVID-19 case management team is deliberating on whether to continue or stop using hydroxychloroquine as one of the drugs for the management of the disease in the country.
This comes on the heels of a decision by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to halt the testing of the malaria drug as a possible treatment for coronavirus over safety fears discovered in some recent studies.
The Director–General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS) DrPatrick Aboagye who disclosed this at yesterday’s COVID-19 briefing in Accra said the decision would be announced in due course.
“As I speak now, of course, we will wait for the formal communication but the case management team is meeting to take a decision on what to do. When they do we will adequately communicate to you”, he said.
He, however, explained that the drug in question was currentlyadministered to only persons under criticalconditions, adding that those being managed at their respective houses do not take hydroxychloroquine.
“We only use it [hydroxychloroquine] for critical cases. We do not use it for routine cases. Those who are being managed at home do not take hydroxychloroquine”, he explained.
Hydroxychloroquine was an approved drug for the treatment of malaria as well as conditions like lupus or arthritis. In the absence of a cure for COVID-19 it has been helping in case management. The ongoing testing was to confirm its efficacy.
However, WHO director-general TedrosAdhanomGhebreyesuson Monday said the drug would be dropped temporarily from its global study into experimental coronavirus treatments after safety concerns.
The concerns were discovered by a paper published last week in the Lancet that showed people taking the drug were at higher risk of death and heart problems than those who were not.
“The executive group has implemented a temporary pause of the hydroxychloroquine arm within the solidarity trial while the safety data is reviewed by the data safety monitoring board,” MrGhebreyesussaid.
He said the concern related only to the use of hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine for COVID-19, adding that the drugs were acknowledged treatments for people with malaria and auto-immune diseases.
Other treatments in the WHO’s solidarity trial, including the experimental drug remdesivir and an HIV combination therapy, he said were still being pursued by scientists.
BY JONATHAN DONKOR
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Speaker of Parliament inaugurates open Parliament Steering Committee, launches action plan

The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has launched the Open Parliament Steering Committee and the Open Parliament Action Plan.
The ceremony was under the theme “Achieving Gender Equality: Action by Action.”
The Speaker highlighted the critical role Parliament plays in translating the will of the people into inclusive legislation, responsive policies, and accountable governance.
“The International Day of Parliamentarianism is worth celebrating, as it offers an opportunity not only to recognise and promote achievements in strengthening democratic governance, but also to pause and reflect on the remaining gaps in institutionalising parliamentary democracy,” he said.
He noted that the event was scheduled to coincide with the International Day of Parliamentarianism to reinforce the importance of open and inclusive governance.
The Majority Leader, Mahama Ayariga, stated that the International Day of Parliamentarianism is intended to recognise the vital role Parliaments play globally as pillars of democratic governance.
He noted that this marks the first time Ghana is formally observing the day.
“The gravity of our observance is further accentuated as we convene to witness the launch of the Open Parliament Action Plan by the Open Government Partnership Caucus,” he said.
Delivering a statement on behalf of the Minority Leader, Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin, the Deputy Minority Leader, Patricia Appiagyei, described the Open Parliament Action Plan as a transformative initiative aimed at strengthening the relationship between Parliament and the public.
She said the plan represents a bold commitment to making Parliament more transparent, accessible, and responsive to the needs of Ghanaians.
The Clerk to Parliament, Mr. Ebenezer Ahumah Djietror, described the launch as a key milestone in the effort to build a citizen-focused and accountable Parliament.
He added that the International Day of Parliamentarianism is a call to action to recommit to the highest standards of public service and democratic accountability.
The inauguration was attended by a wide range of stakeholders, including the Majority and Minority Members of Parliament, members of the Open Parliament Steering Committee, the Open Government Partnership (OGP) Caucus, Parliamentary Network Africa, representatives from civil society organisations, members of the diplomatic corps, traditional and religious leaders, student bodies, the Parliamentary Press Corps, and other media partners.
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NACOC declares drug menace a national emergency

The Parliamentary Committee on Defence and Interior has paid a working visit to the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) to engage with its leadership and assess operational challenges hampering the fight against illicit drugs.
In a detailed presentation, Dr. Basha Ligbi, Head of the Commission’s Research Bureau, highlighted critical setbacks including broken body scanners at airport terminals, inadequate office infrastructure, overcrowded detention facilities, and deteriorating vehicles.
He also called for the Commission’s headquarters to be reclassified as a security zone, citing growing security risks due to private encroachment and nearby high-rise developments.
Director General of NACOC, Brigadier General Maxwell Obiba Mantey, described the escalating drug trade as a national emergency, warning that drug barons now rival armed robbers in threat level and are gaining influence at the highest levels.
He appealed for stronger institutional support and morale-boosting interventions to preserve the integrity of NACOC officers.
Chairman of the Committee and MP for Builsa North, James Agalga, assured the Commission of the Committee’s commitment to escalate the concerns to Parliament and engage key justice sector stakeholders to fast-track reforms in support of NACOC’s mandate.