Hot!
‘Obstetric fistula requires attention amidst COVID-19’
As medical practitioners are working tirelessly to curb the spread of COVID-19, health professionals have once again drawn attention to the plight of poor women living with obstetric fistula in the country.
They indicate that it is important to continue to create awareness of the disease and its devastating effect on women.
Prof. Anyetei T. Lassey,Professor in Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the University of Ghana Medical School believes “we mustprioritise and improve maternal health services” to prevent pregnancy and labour complications including obstetric fistula during the pandemic.”
According to him, the associated “stigma and shame” of the disease were horrendous hence the need to join hands and strengthen the partnership in the fight against obstetric fistula.
“Ensuring the continuity of maternal health services in the midst of COVID-19 may hopefully reduce the incidence of obstetric fistula in Ghana, while the National Obstetric Fistula Task Team and the Ghana Health Service, continue to repair the backlog of unrepaired already existing fistula cases.” he said.
Speaking to The Spectator, he stressed the need to end gender and health inequalities to help achieve global and national objective of ending fistula by 2030, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).
Madam Rose Mantey, Senior Nursing Officer and Midwife in-charge of the Fistula Centre of Mercy Women’s Hospital, Mankessim, in the Central Region, also indicated that those with the condition “deserve our respect and empathy.”
“As a Senior Nursing Officer, I have worked with so many women and girls with obstetric fistula and I would not wish this condition on anyone.
“It is a humiliating condition. My prayer is that everyone with obstetric fistula would be repaired to help clear the backlog of existing cases in the country,” she said.
She said that most pregnant women and girls were apprehensive about accessing maternal health services due to the fear of COVID-19.
That, she said, could increase the probability of prolonged or undetected obstructed labour, which could increase cases of obstetric fistula.
“We need to encourage all pregnant women and girls to seek the services of a skilled birth attendant amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It is my wish people become aware of this condition and we all work hard to prevent them from happening in the first place, so that in the near future Ghana would no longer report cases of obstetric fistula,” she added.
Dr Patrick Kuma-Aboagye, Director General of the Ghana Health Service, commenting on the subject, also admittedwomen and girls “silently suffer indignity and shame simply because they have obstetric fistula.”
“Their sufferings push us to continue to put measures in place to prevent others from developing this devastating childbirth-related complication amidst the fight against coronavirus pandemic.
“My outfit will ensure the continuity of the provision of essential health services, which included sexual and reproductive health services for all amid the fight against COVID-19,” he said.
He stated Ghanaians especially women should not lose sight of the gains made by the Ghana Health Service and development partners in preventing and managing fistula cases.
“I encourage everyone to access maternal health services to ensure that complications such as obstetric fistula are prevented while adhering to the mandatory precautionary procedures of handwashing, using hand sanitisers, wearing nose masks and observing physical distancing,” he said.
By Geoffrey Buta
Hot!
Prof Alidu Seidu files nomination for Tamale Central seat
The newly elected parliamentary candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) for Tamale Central, Prof Alidu Seidu, has submitted his nomination forms to the Electoral Commission.
As of 10:00 a.m. today, he was the only person who had filed to contest the seat.
Nomination of candidates will close at the end of the day.
Associate Professor and Head of the Political Science Department at the University of Ghana Legon, Prof. Alidu Seidu won the National Democratic Congress (NDC) parliamentary primaries in the Tamale Central constituency with a landslide victory.
The elections, supervised by the party’s Elections and IT Directorate in the Northern Region, saw Prof. Seidu poll 840 votes out of the total valid ballots cast.
His closest contender, Lawyer Hanan Gundadow Abdul-Rahaman, secured 536 votes.
The other aspirants could not make significant gains, with Dr. Seidu Fiter obtaining 44 votes, Aliu Abdul-Hamid 23 votes, and the rest recording fewer than 10 votes each.
In all, 1,500 ballots were cast, with 6 ballots rejected and 7 spoilt ballots recorded.
The results were signed and declared by Dr. Arnold Mashud Abukari, NDC Northern Regional Director of Elections and IT.
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) held parliamentary primaries in Tamale Central to choose a candidate for the upcoming by-election following the death of the sitting Member of Parliament, Dr. Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed. Dr. Mohammed, who also served as Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, tragically died in a military helicopter crash in the Adansi Akrofuom District on August 6, 2025, alongside seven others.
His passing left the Tamale Central seat vacant, as required by Ghana’s 1992 Constitution.
The Electoral Commission has scheduled the by-election for September 30, 2025. While the NDC moved quickly to open nominations and vet aspirants, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) announced it would not contest the seat, citing the need to respect the somber circumstances and promote national unity.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Hot!
Ghana to locally refine its gold starting October 2025 – Sammy Gyamfi
The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Gold Board, Sammy Gyamfi, has announced that plans are far advanced for the establishment of a state-owned gold refinery in the country.
Speaking at the 2025 Minerals and Mining Convention, Mr Gyamfi said the refinery will process locally mined gold into bullion instead of exporting it in its raw state.
According to him, it is unacceptable that Ghana, despite being a leading gold producer in Africa, continues to export raw gold known as dore.
He explained that the Gold Board, working with the Bank of Ghana and local refineries, will from October 2025 begin refining gold locally.
He also disclosed that an ultramodern assay laboratory will be built to ensure international standards in testing gold quality.
Mr Gyamfi noted that the refinery will be wholly state-owned and will help Ghana move away from raw mineral exports to value addition.
This, he said, will boost foreign exchange earnings, create jobs, and position Ghana as a hub for gold refining and jewellery production in Africa.
The CEO stressed that the project forms part of government’s strategy to ensure the country benefits fully from its natural resources and to transform the mining sector into a driver of economic growth.
By: Jacob Aggrey
