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.
Ahyiresu and Abofrem, two quiet communities in the Atwima Mponua District, have been shaken to the core by a chilling midnight drama that reads like a nightmare.
A pastor and a young mother stand accused of attempting to bury a five‑month‑old baby girl alive, a crime that has ignited outrage and disbelief across the township.
According to police, Apostle Richmond Akwasi Frimpong, 36, Head Pastor of the Anointed Grace Prayer Ministry at Kuffour Camp, conspired with his uncle Emmanuel Appiah, 53, and the child’s mother, 23‑year‑old Beatrice Agyapomaa, to dispose of the infant, Anaya Achiaa, under the cover of darkness.
A fourth suspect, Emmanuel Donkor, remains on the run.
The suspects were caught near a refuse dump around 10 pm on April 9, 2026, after a vigilant resident, Akwasi Twezor, noticed their suspicious movements.
When confronted, they claimed the child was already dead and had palace approval for burial. But Twezor’s instincts proved right—the baby was still alive, gasping faintly for breath.
Chief Linguist, Nana Yaw Badu, later confirmed that Frimpong had misled him earlier in the evening, securing permission for burial by falsely declaring the child dead.
The infant was rushed to the Abofrem Clinic, where she is now responding well to treatment. Police described her as “very beautiful.”
Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Evelyn Yitamkey, Commander of DOVVSU in Bibiani, confirmed that the suspects have been provisionally charged.
Frimpong faces attempted murder and conspiracy charges, while Agyapomaa and Appiah are charged with conspiracy and abetment.
They were remanded by the Bibiani Circuit Court, presided over by Judge Frank Asiedu Nimako, to assist investigations.
The docket has been forwarded to the Attorney General’s Department for advice, ASP Yitamkey indicated.
The attempted crime has provoked fury among residents, many suspecting ritual motives aimed at bolstering the pastor’s influence.
Crowds attempted to attack the suspects outside court, but police intervention prevented mob justice.
The Assembly Member for Ahyiresu, Yusuf Suleiman, has assured residents that justice will be pursued swiftly.
From Kingsley E. Hope, Kumasi
The forecourt of the African University of Communications and Business (AUCB) in Accra came alive on Friday with colour, creativity and innovation, as Level 300 students transformed the space into a lively exhibition of ideas.
Under the theme “Building meaningful brands beyond the logo,” the students invited patrons into a world where ordinary products were reimagined through storytelling, design and purpose.
From scented candles to innovative food concepts, each stand told a unique story, one that went beyond aesthetics to capture identity, value and human connection.
For many of the students, the event was more than just an academic exercise; it was a moment to dream out loud.
Guided by their lecturer, Peter Wonders, they explored what it truly means to build a brand in today’s competitive world where trust, consistency and experience matter just as much as logos and slogans.
Chairman of the occasion, Nana Kum Gyata VI, in his remarks said a brand is what people say about you when you are not present.
At the end of the presentations, awards were presented to deserving groups with Vida Nyaneba emerging as the overall best branding student.
By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu
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