Hot!
Influx of fake dentist …Dental Association caution public
The Ghana Dental Association (GDA) is concerned about the invasion of fake dentists in the country practicing in barber and hairdressing salons.
Dr (Dent.) Cecilia Kakrabah Quarshie, President of the Association, said the development was becoming alarming, stressing the need for a collaboration between the association and security agencies arrest the quack dentists.
This came to light at the 33rd Annual General Congress (AGC) of the GDA in Kumasi, Ashanti Region.
It was under the theme, ‘Strengthening the GDA: An All Inclusive Membership for Tomorrow’s Success.’
According to Dr Quarshie, it was a development every member of the public must be concerned about because of the dangers these fake doctors pose to life and health.
“Dentistry is a noble profession deeply rooted and steep in medicine and science and should not be trivialised as mere fashion statement because implications of these unregulated practices are alarming,” she said.
According to her, efforts were being made to end the practice and asked the members of the public to deal with qualified dentist in order to avoid any health implications.
In attendance at the AGC was the Minister of Health, Dr Bernard Okoe Boye, who stressed the need for teaching hospitals to collaborate with the Ghana Health Service (GHS) to allow consultants at the hospitals to do clinicals at rural or peri-urban areas periodically.
He said it should be possible for specialists to extend their services to other areas of the country that lacked their expertise.
On his part, the Pro Vice-Chancellor of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Prof. Ellis Owusu-Dabo, in a statement read on his behalf, expressed worry about the exodus of health workers which he said could have repercussions on the provision of health care in the country.
In 2023, he said about 4,000 nurses left the country to Europe and America in search of better opportunities.
He said, already, there was an unequal distribution of health workers, particularly specialist medical staff in the country, and that the current situation would exacerbate the plight of those already at a disadvantage.
“It is estimated that about 70 to 80 per cent of dentists are clustered in the southern part of the country, mainly Accra and Kumasi, while the remaining 20 per cent are distributed across the northern sector.
“This leaves thousands of people without access to professional care services, especially in rural and peri-urban Ghana,” he added. As of 2022, there were a total of 570 dentists for a population of 31 million people – a ratio of one dentist to 58,400 people.
This, he said, falls below the World Health Organisation’s recommendation of a dentist for every 7,500 people.
From Kingsley E. Hope, Kumasi
Ghana’s First Lady, Lordina Mahama, has made a generous donation to the country’s national female Under-17 and Under-20 teams – Black Maidens and Black Princesses- as they continue preparations for major international assignments.
The donation, made on Friday, May 22, was presented on behalf of the First Lady by the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, at the GFA Technical Centre in Prampram.
The gesture forms part of efforts to motivate and support Ghana’s young female footballers as they prepare to represent the country on the international stage.
The donation included essential food items and toiletries aimed at supporting the welfare and well-being of the players and technical teams.
The donation included cartons of Milo, T-rolls, soft drinks, toiletries, and a range of essential supplies aimed at supporting the welfare of the players, enhancing camp conditions, and easing preparations ahead of their respective assignments.
The Black Maidens are currently engaged in preparations for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup qualifiers and are set to take on Liberia women’s national under-17 football team in the second-leg encounter in Liberia this weekend.
Meanwhile, the Black Princesses have already secured qualification to the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup after overcoming Uganda in the qualifiers, extending Ghana’s remarkable record to eight consecutive appearances at the tournament.
The donation by the First Lady was expected to boost morale within both camps while reinforcing national support for the young female footballers who continue to make the country proud.
The prosecution has officially rested its case in The Republic v Solomon Asamoah & Another, the high-profile legal battle commonly referred to as the “Sky Train” case.
The Deputy Attorney General Justice Srem Sai announced the development, praising the state’s team of hard-working prosecutors for successfully anchoring the state’s evidence before the High Court.
The criminal trial centers on the former Chief Executive Officer and the former Board Chairman of the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF).
The duo stands accused of illegally authorizing and paying out US$2 million to a foreign company without obtaining board directives or other mandatory statutory approvals.
State investigators have confirmed that the disbursed millions cannot be found.
Following the closure of the prosecution’s case, the accused persons moved the court for an opportunity to file a submission of no case.
The presiding judge granted the application, ordering the defense to submit their arguments by June 8.
The outcome of the June 8 filings will decide the fate of the trial:
With this, if the judge finds the defense’s submission convincing, the accused will be acquitted and discharged however, If the judge dismisses the submission, the court will order the accused officials to take the stand and explain why they should not face prison sentences.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
