Editorial
RISING COVID-19 ACTIVE CASES
It is becoming increasingly worrying that when it was thought that COVID-19 active cases had come as low as between 300 and 400, unexpectedly it started rising again.
The rising active cases have become a major source of concern to the leadership of the country as was pointed out by the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in his latest address on the pandemic to the nation. So worried was the President that he made it clear that “if the active cases continue to rise, he would have no option but to bring the country under partial lockdown as was experienced some time last year.
According to him active cases has moved from 900 last week to 1,924 this week. Indeed, the country experiences 200 new cases daily: This is very alarming.
The cases have started rising because many people no longer keep to the COVID -19 safety protocols. These include social distancing, use of nose masks, washing of hands frequently and using hand sanitisers as often as possible.
It was pointed out by President Akufo-Addo that “two weeks ago there was no critical case but we now have 33. This is very unfortunate.”
As a country we were doing very well until quite recently when the cases started rising again. During the Christmas celebrations the safety protocols were thrown overboard and this could be attributed to the current situation.
We, therefore, need to go back to the times when the safety protocols were taken seriously by all with the exception of a few unconcerned people, to ensure that the pandemic is brought under control once again.
With regard to the current wave of infection, those severely ill are youthful persons without underlying health issues. This is in contrast to previous times when those severely affected were people within the old age bracket.
Everybody in the country must take up the issue seriously and help in the fight against the pandemic since lives, when lost, cannot be revived. Simply put, life has no substitute.
It is the duty of the President to play his part to protect all Ghanaians but at the same time every individual also has a part to play in order to make assurances of our safety double sure.
The situation is gradually growing from bad to worse because deaths have now moved from 338 to 352 and that 13 out of the 16 regions have recorded active cases.
We all have a role to play to bring the pandemic under control. As the President rightly pointed out, our goal should be the attainment of zero recording of the disease.
It is only when we’re able to attain this that we can say we have fought a good battle and won, and then all Ghanaians will be the winners.
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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