News
Hepatitis Day: Okyeame Kwame Foundation partners NOGUCHI, MDS-Lancet hold free screening
Multiple award-winning Ghanaian musician, Okyeame Kwame in partnership with the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR), University of Ghana, and MDS-Lancet Laboratories, Ghana on Friday, organised a medical outreach.
The medical outreach programme was in commemoration of the World Hepatitis Day 2024, which was observed on Sunday, July 28. 
As part of activities held at Dome, they offered a complimentary screening for hepatitis B and C, hemoglobin levels, and malaria. For persons who test negative for Hepatitis B, received free vaccination, and they provide counseling and support to individuals who tested positive.
Speaking to the media, Okyeame Kwame said the dream to finish what he started over a decade ago to eradicate hepatitis by 2030 is the reason which has kept him going.
According to him, it even though the prevalent rate remains the same, it is a testament that the situation has not skyrocketed leading to a negative consequence.
He said, it also evident that people have become more aware and are testing leading to discovery of more cases.
Okyeame Kwame charged the public to be more circumspect about their lifestyle choices to prevent the disease from going viral.
The founder of Okyeame Kwame Foundation further called for more collaborations from the public to reach a wider audience with the awareness.
Through the participation in this significant day, they have conducted major hepatitis screening and vaccination exercises at various locations in Accra over the years.
Some of the beneficiaries expressed their appreciation to the Okyeame Kwame Foundation and its partners for such an opportunity.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
A member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Dr. Sammy Ayeh has picked up nomination forms to contest for the position of Deputy National Communications Officer position.
Announcing his intention, Dr. Ayeh said he is offering himself to help communicate the party’s vision clearly and connect its message with the aspirations of Ghanaians.
He expressed deep gratitude to the party’s National Communications Officer, Lawyer Sammy Gyamfi, describing him as an able leader on whose shoulders he has risen.
“His exceptional leadership, mentorship and confidence in me have shaped my journey and strengthened my resolve to serve,” Dr. Ayeh stated.
He said if elected, he will seek to build on that foundation by strengthening research-driven communication, empowering grassroots communicators, and enhancing strategic media engagement.
Dr. Ayeh humbly appealed to party members and supporters for their support.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
The Data Protection Commission has called on the Minority Caucus in Parliament, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, JoyNews and other media houses to protect the personal information of 1,964 Ghanaians evacuated from South Africa.
In a press release issued on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, the Commission expressed concern over the public disclosure of the evacuees’ personal details, including their names, signatures and records of financial assistance received.
It warned that making such information public could expose the affected individuals to identity theft, fraud and other forms of harm, especially given the threats to their safety that some of them may have faced.
The Commission explained that the 1992 Constitution protects the dignity and privacy of every individual. It also cited the Data Protection Act, 2012 (Act 843), which sets out rules for the lawful collection, use and disclosure of personal information.
While acknowledging the importance of transparency, parliamentary oversight, the right to information and press freedom, the Commission stressed that these principles do not automatically justify the unrestricted publication of personal details.
It said the disclosure of the records by the Minority Caucus, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, JoyNews and other media organisations must be assessed based on the law, the purpose of the disclosure and the privacy rights of the individuals involved.
The Commission further noted that although the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Parliament are registered data controllers in good standing, their registration does not exempt them from their legal responsibilities under the Data Protection Act.
It has therefore urged all the parties involved to take appropriate steps to protect the affected individuals, including immediately restricting access to or removing personal details from publicly available records where their continued disclosure is not legally justified.
The Commission announced plans to conduct a regulatory review to determine whether the disclosures had a lawful basis, what safeguards were applied and whether the privacy rights of the evacuees had been adequately protected.
It said it would engage the relevant parties as part of the review and take appropriate regulatory action if any breach of the law is established.
The Commission reiterated that protecting personal information and respecting human dignity must remain central to efforts to promote public accountability.
By: Jacob Aggrey
