News
Stroke: Major cause of death in Eastern Region
A total of 410 stroke mortality were recorded in the Eastern Region in 2019.
Hypertension was also ranked second with 209 deaths out of 2,000 deaths, which were recorded in the region within the year under review.
For three consecutive years, Cardiovascular Diseases (CVD) has topped the death list with stroke as the main underlying cause in the region between 2017 and 2019.
This was revealed by the New Juaben North Municipal Health Director, Mrs Nana Yaa Konadu Gyesaw on a sideline interview during a press encounter to commemorate this year’s World Heart Day.
The media briefing was organised by the Stroke Association Support Network (SASNET) on the theme; “Prioritising CVD and stroke prevention and control as part of measures towards achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and to protect the health of Ghanaians now and beyond COVID-19 era”.
Mr Konadu Gyesaw said the Out Patient Departments (OPDs) of various hospitals within the region recorded 7,975 cases of cardiovascular diseases in 2017 while in 2018, 8,628 cases were recorded and 9,706 cases also recorded in 2019.
She said the rate at which CVD related deaths, particularly stroke had continued to be on the ascendency in the region must be the cause of concern to all stakeholders.
“We can help save our own lives by avoiding fatty foods, eating in the night, smoking, excessive intake of alcohol and cultivate the habit of frequent exercise and drinking enough water to keep our bodies healthy.
“Our health must be a major concern to all of us because in the past, it was only adults who got stroke but now, children between the ages of eight and 10 are also contracting stroke”, she said.
Mrs Juliet Anaglo, speaking on behalf of the president of SASNET, Chief Dr Ben Jabuni called on the government to treat cardiovascular diseases and stroke as an emergency public health and develop policies to put CVD and stroke high on the political agenda.
The Eastern Regional Chairman of the Ghana Coalition of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) in Health, Mr Emmanuel Kwafo Mintah also called on the Ministry of Health (MoH) to intensify education and sensitisation on healthy lifestyles and encourage the adoption of regenerative health practices to boost their systems.
He urged the government to enforce the tobacco control legislation, and institute free cervical cancer screening across the country.
From: David Kodjo, Koforidua.
The Northern Regional Police Command has arrested three men believed to be part of a kidnapping syndicate responsible for abducting a 42-year-old man in Wapuli, a community in the Yendi District.
The suspects, Haruna Seidu, Amidu Bandi and Osman Bandi allegedly kidnapped the victim and demanded GH¢100,000 from his family for his release.
According to a police statement, officers from the Regional Police Intelligence Directorate were deployed to Wapuli after the incident was reported.
The team conducted surveillance and launched a rescue operation.
On Friday, December 5, 2025, police successfully rescued the victim and arrested the suspects after what was described as an intense exchange of gunfire.
The suspects were later taken into custody and are expected to be arraigned before court.
The Police said the a fourth suspect, who is believed to have sustained gunshot wounds during the operation, is currently on the run.
They urged the public to provide any information that may lead to his arrest.
By: Jacob Aggrey
News
Nana Yaa Serwaa Sarpong advocates Bold educational reforms at the UK House of Lords during Global Education Summit.
On November 27 2025, global development leaders, policymakers, education experts and civil society organisations gathered at the UK Parliament’s House of Lords for the Global Education Summit hosted by The Baroness Verma of Leicester and organised by the African British Business Forum.
The high-level event focused on the global rise in out-of-school children and the urgent reforms required to deliver equitable, quality education for all.
Among the distinguished Speakers was Nana Yaa Serwaa Sarpong, Founder & President of Women in Sustainability Africa (WiSA) and General Manager of the EIB Network, who delivered a compelling address on the theme “Breaking Barriers: Empowering Out-of-School Children Through Education.”
In her remarks, Nana Yaa who is currently celebrating 26years of Service in the Media, emphasized that education must be viewed as essential national infrastructure, not charity.
Borrowing experiences from her 18 years of empowering women and young people, she presented a strong case on how Africa’s poor educational systems tie into the poor state of its Gender Equality gap.
According to her, unlocking access to education is one of the most effective ways to strengthen economies, empower women and young girls, build resilient communities and drive sustainable development.
She highlighted that each child excluded from learning represents deferred innovation, delayed opportunity and a weakened society.
Nana Yaa noted that the barriers keeping millions of children out of school are complex and interconnected—ranging from poverty and cultural norms to geographical isolation and digital exclusion.
Addressing these challenges, she argued, requires solutions that are equally comprehensive and multi-layered.
Nana Yaa stressed that girls remain disproportionately affected, and investing in girls’ education has a transformative impact across several Sustainable Development Goals, including gender equality, poverty reduction, health outcomes and climate resilience.
Nana Yaa advocated for the expansion of flexible, inclusive and community-responsive educational models, such as mobile classrooms for remote and nomadic communities, community learning hubs, after-hours programmes for working children, radio-based instruction for low-tech areas and digital platforms designed to reach learners regardless of connectivity challenges.
She warned that without deliberate action, the digital divide would continue to widen, pushing already vulnerable children further to the margins.
During her presentation, she introduced three major reforms WiSA is seeking Partners for, aimed at reshaping educational access across Africa and beyond.
These are the Digital Bridge for Out-of-School Children (DBOC), the Community Education Stewardship Hubs (CESH) involving local women educators and youth volunteers and the Teen-focused Global Skills Accelerator for Out-of-School Teens (GSA-OT).
She also underscored the need for education systems that support instruction, inclusivity and healing, particularly for children experiencing autism, trauma, displacement or conflict.
Nana Yaa emphasised that emotional and psychological support must be integrated into educational frameworks in order to restore confidence, stability and long-term learning capacity.
The summit concluded with strong commitments from stakeholders to adopt sustainable financing models, strengthen data-driven policies and expand cross-sector partnerships.
The African British Business Forum reaffirmed its commitment to championing innovative, scalable solutions to educational inclusion across the UK, Africa and the wider global community.
