Editorial
Observing the protocols to bring COVID-19 under control
All over the world, countries are struggling to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic in order to save the lives of their people even though this has not been easy.
Ghana is among the countries that have worked so hard to bring the pandemic under control.
The world has praised President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and his team for a job well done in spite of the challenges facing the country.
Unfortunately, some Ghanaians have become complacent and are no longer observing the COVID-19 protocols as was advised by the President and his team of medical professionals.
So, it came as no surprise when the Ghana Health Service announced the recording of a deadly variant, known as Delta, in the country on the second day of this month. The first Delta case was identified in December 2020, and the strain spread rapidly, soon becoming the dominant strain of the virus in both India and the United Kingdom.
In fact, researchers have said that the Delta variant, a SARS-CoV-2 mutation, is about 50 per cent more contagious than the Alpha variant, which was first identified in the United Kingdom. Alpha was already 50 per cent more contagious than the original coronavirus first identified in China in 2019.
This means that people need to rigidly adhere to the wearing of nose masks and wash their hands regularly with running water. Furthermore, people must sanitise their hands with alcohol-based sanitiser to keep them away from possible infection.
The issue of social distancing is also quite important. During funerals, wedding and naming ceremonies in various parts of the country, the observance of COVID-19 protocols must be strictly adhered to.
The same principle of observance applies to schools, churches and mosques whenever they congregate for learning or for worship. These are realities that we cannot run away from.
The COVID-19 pandemic can only be eliminated or pushed away from society if we consistently keep to the protocols.
If Ghanaians do not lower down their guard, as has been pointed out by President Akufo-Addo, more progress can be made, so the earlier we keep to the observance of the COVID-19 protocols the better it will be for all.
Editorial
Parents urged to take responsibility for sex education
Dr. Francis Wuobar, a Gynaecologist at the Eastern Regional Hospital in Koforidua has urged parents to take the lead in providing sex education to their children, stressing that they were in the best position to guide them through the changes of adolescence.
According to him, sex education remained a taboo subject in most Ghanaian homes, a culture that must change to prevent children from seeking misleading information elsewhere.
“With the evolving nature of society and technological advancements, today’s children will either learn about sex on the internet or from their peers, who may offer wrong advice,” he cautioned.
Dr. Wuobar noted that the health system and society often concentrate on the reproductive stage of life, neglecting the adolescent and menopausal phases.
“When a woman reaches the reproductive period and gets pregnant, everyone rallies around her. But before that stage, during adolescence, there is little attention and guidance, which has contributed to the rising cases of teenage pregnancy,” he explained.
He observed that many adolescents lack access to counseling and adolescent clinics, creating a vacuum that forces them to explore on their own.
“The answers they seek, adults and parents are not willing to provide. Their peers, who are equally uninformed, become their only source of advice. This exploration is one of the major contributors to teenage pregnancy,” he said.
Dr. Wuobar therefore called on parents to create open and confidential spaces for discussion, where children can freely ask questions about sex, puberty, and relationships.
He emphasized that parents must help adolescents understand the consequences of unprotected sex, the changes they go through, and what choices were right or wrong.
“Today’s generation is curious and asks questions, unlike in the past when children were silent. Parents should not rebuke them but rather engage them seriously and guide them through this turbulent stage,” he advised.
He further appealed to the health sector to establish more adolescent clinics across the country to give young people safe spaces to seek information and counseling.
That, he said, would help reduce the high incidence of teenage pregnancy and support adolescents in making informed decisions about their sexual health.
From Ama Tekyiwaa Ampadu Agyeman, Koforidua
Editorial
Addressing unhealthy conditions at Akropong Mandela Market
Dear Editor,
The Akropong Mandela Market, a vibrant centre of commerce, has been in a terrible state for over a decade now.
Central to the problem is a public toilet located near the market, which has become a breeding ground for diseases and a source of discomfort for both food vendors and customers.
This toilet, utilised by everyone in the town, is positioned too close to the market, severely affecting the vendors who spend long hours selling their goods.
They are constantly exposed to unsanitary conditions mixed with foul odours emanating from the facility.
Agnes, a vendor at the market is sad about the apparent lack of concern from those responsible for maintaining the toilet. Despite collecting user fees, there seems to be little effort to keep the facility clean and hygienic.
The situation at the Akropong Mandela Market highlights the urgent need for effective waste management and sanitation infrastructure in public spaces.
Authorities must take immediate action to ensure the facility is regularly maintained and cleaned. Vendors and customers deserve a safe and healthy environment to conduct their daily activities.
In the meantime, the vendors are urging local government officials to intervene and find a lasting solution to this problem.
Only through collective action can the health and well-being of both vendors and customers be safeguarded to restore the Akropong Mandela Market to its former glory as a thriving commercial hub.
Addo Sarah Ansah Student,
UNIMAC–IJ(BACS26275)
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