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Red Cross arms Central Region against cholera outbreak
The Ghana Red Cross Society (GRCS) through the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies have presented various health emergency response relief items to the Central Regional Coordinating Council to tackle the cholera resurgence in the region.
The items included 540 cholera vaccines, 3,000 tablets of chlorine, knapsack engine-powered spraying machines, personal protective equipment, Veronica buckets and hand washing stands.
The items are for onward distribution to health facilities to contain the outbreak which began in October 2024, spread to more than 36 districts across five regions – Greater Accra, Central, Western, Eastern and Ashanti.
The region also benefited from a healthy volunteers training programme by the Ghana Red Cross Society with 80 out of the 250 trainees from the region.
The volunteers are operating in the Greater Accra, Western, Ashanti and the Central regions.
The Central Region recorded more than 3,000 suspected cholera cases with 260 confirmed, four health workers were infected in late 2024 and 19 people died from the disease.
Cholera is a highly fatal disease that spreads through contaminated food and water, leading to severe diarrhoea, dehydration, and, if left untreated, death.
In severe cases, a healthy individual can succumb within hours due to rapid fluid loss.
Although entirely preventable through access to clean water, proper sanitation, and good hygienic practices, cholera continues to pose a recurring public health challenge, particularly in areas with inadequate waste management and limited healthcare services.
The ongoing outbreak had placed immense strain on health facilities, stretching both medical staff and resources to their limits.
The Red Cross volunteers would operate in three districts in the region, including Mfantseman, Cape Coast and Komenda-Edina-Eguafo- Abrem.
Speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Cape Coast, Mr Solomon Gbolo Gayori, Secretary General of the GRCS said the interventions were essential relief measures to enhance public health education drive and containment.
He said the GRCS had been at the forefront of the response, providing sanitation resources and engaging communities to curb the spread of the outbreak.
It had implemented multi-faceted interventions in the region through house-to-house campaigns by trained volunteers and promoting hand washing practices.
The volunteers had also made schools and community outreach, with media engagements leveraging radio/ TV broadcasts for awareness creation, complemented by distribution of posters and leaflets at markets and public gatherings.—GNA
News
Prioritise affordable treatment of sickle cell treatment —Health Expert
Health experts have urged Ghana to prioritise affordable and accessible treatment for sickle cell disease (SCD) as advanced, but costly curative therapies remain out of reach.
SCD, an inherited blood disorder, affects about three in every 100 newborns in Ghana.
Globally, around 1,000 babies are born with the condition daily, with three-quarters in sub-Saharan Africa.
The disease causes severe complications including chronic pain, anaemia, infections, strokes and organ damage, often leading to shortened life expectancy.
In recent years, gene therapy has been developed as a potential cure.
However, its cost—running into millions of dollars per patient—makes it financially and technically inaccessible in Ghana.
According to Dr Lawrence Osei-Tutu, a Sickle Cell and Childhood Cancer Expert at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, “the country must instead focus on practical, lower-cost interventions such as hydroxyurea”, a decades-old cancer drug proven to reduce painful episodes, hospitalisation and life- threatening complications in SCD patients”.
Taken orally, the medicine improves red blood cell function and is considered safe and effective.
“Hydroxyurea therapy is as good as the cure and a low-hanging fruit to pluck, we must bring a cure to our sickle cell warriors, but do so sustainably.” he urged.
In a chat with The Spectator here, he said to create awareness on the disease, the expert noted that despite its benefits, “hydroxyurea is not widely accessible in Ghana.”
Stressing that, “many patients either cannot afford it or struggle with irregular supply through the health system.”
Moreover, he argued that scaling up access would provide immediate relief while the country builds the infrastructure, trains specialists and secures funding needed to support curative therapies in the future.
With an estimated 15,000 babies born with sickle cell disease annually in Ghana, Dr Osei Tutu cautioned that “failure to improve access to effective treatment will leave many patients vulnerable to preventable complications and early death.”
From Kingsley E. Hope, Kumasi
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Let’s reintroduce Cultural Studies to complement educational reforms — Tourism Minister
Madam Abla Dzifa Gomashie, the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, has emphasised the importance of reintroducing Cultural Studies in schools as part of Ghana’s broader educational reform agenda.
She said Cultural Studies would complement existing efforts to reposition Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) to promote digital literacy and expand Creative Arts education.
Speaking at the 2025 Homowo Festival of the people of Ningo-Prampram, held on the theme: “Education: The Best Legacy for our Children,” Madam Gomashie said cultural education was critical to national identity and development.
She noted that the festival’s theme aligned with the Government’s vision to transform education in Ghana and encouraged the youth to embrace it not only as a means of personal development but also as a way of preserving traditional values.
These values, including patience, wisdom, and hard work, were at the core of the Homowo celebration, the Minister said.
“Cultural festivals like Homowo are vital instruments for strengthening cultural identity, preserving historical memory, and fostering national unity. Additionally, festivals serve as platforms for educating the youth through storytelling, music, dance, and other traditional practices, while also providing opportunities for community engagement.”
Madam Gomashie highlighted the strong foundation that Ghana’s tourism was built on, which included culture, traditions, and the creative industry, collectively contributing to over GH¢4.8 billion to the economy.
“Festivals give tourists reasons to visit our country. Therefore, with the right infrastructure and the development of all the domains, the sector can do more than what has been recorded,” she added.
Mr Sam Nartey George, the Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram and Minister of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovation, commended the community for their vibrant participation in the festival. He announced plans for the construction of a new nursing training school in Ningo, aimed at expanding access to healthcare education in the area.
Nene Osroagbo Djangmah XII, Paramount Chief of Great Ningo Traditional Area; King Dr Tackie Teiko Tsuru II, Ga Mantse; Nene Tetteh Wakah III, Paramount Chief of the Prampram Traditional Area; Prof. Odaifio Welentsi III, Paramount Chief of the Nungua Traditional Area; Naana Dugbakuwor Dugba II, Paramount Queen Mother of Great Ningo; and Mr. Elvis Afriyie Ankrah, Special Envoy on Religion and Inter-Faith Affairs, who represented the Chief of Staff, were among dignitaries at the festival. -GNA
