Health Essentials
Urinary tract infection is common, do not take it home!
Have you ever experienced a burning sensation while urinating? Did your urine have a strong smell? Were you also experiencing frequent urination at the time?
Then you may have had a Urinary Tract Infection. The above symptoms are but a few of the symptoms if it presents any.
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) can occur in any part of your urinary tract – kidneys, ureters, bladder, or urethra. Infections of the lower urinary tract – the bladder and urethra – are most common.
Women are more likely to experience UTIs than men. Infections of the bladder can be uncomfortable and unpleasant, but if a UTI spreads to your kidneys, serious consequences can occur.
There are not always symptoms associated with urinary tract infections, but when they do occur they may include:
- A strong, persistent urge to urinate
- Burning sensations when urinating
- Routinely passing small amounts of urine
- Cloudy urine
- Blood in the urine may appear red, bright pink, or cola-coloured
- Strong-smelling urine
- A woman may experience pelvic pain, especially in the area of the pubis
Elderly adults are more likely to overlook UTIs or confuse them with other conditions.
Infections can occur in different parts of the urinary tract, and they are called by different names depending on where they happen.
- Cystitis of the bladder can cause you to pee excessively or to feel pain when you do. It can also cause you to have cloudy urine or blood in your urine.
- Pyelonephritis (kidneys) can result in fever, chills, nausea, vomiting, and upper back pain and discomfort.
- Urethritis may cause a discharge and pain when you urinate.
Bacteria entering the urinary tract through the urethra and multiplying in the bladder often cause urinary tract infections. Even though the urinary system is designed to protect against such bacteria, these defences sometimes fail. If that occurs, bacteria could take hold and grow into a full-blown infection in the urinary tract.
- Infection of the bladder (cystitis). In this type of UTI, Escherichia coli (E. coli), a type of bacteria commonly found in the gastrointestinal tract (GI), is responsible for the infection. However, other bacteria can also cause infection. Sexual intercourse may lead to cystitis, but you don’t have to be sexually active to develop it. A woman’s anatomy makes her vulnerable to cystitis, especially the short distance between the urethra and anus and the opening along the urethral wall that leads to the bladder.
- Infection of the urethra (urethritis). In this type of UTI, GI bacteria spread from the anus to the urethra. Additionally, because the female urethra is located close to the vagina, infections such as herpes, gonorrhoea, chlamydia, and mycoplasma may cause urethritis.
Women are prone to urinary tract infections, and many experience more than one infection in their lifetime. Specific risk factors for women include:
- Female anatomy. Women have a shorter urethra than men, which makes it easier for bacteria to reach the bladder.
- Sexual activity. Women who are sexually active tend to have more UTIs than those who aren’t. Switching partners also increases your risk.
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- Birth control methods. Women who use diaphragms for birth control, as well as those who use spermicidal agents, may be at higher risk.
- Menopause. As estrogen levels decline during menopause, you become more susceptible to infections in the urinary tract.
- Abnormalities of the urinary tract. The risk of UTIs is higher in babies born with abnormalities of the urinary tract that prevent urine from leaving the body normally or cause urine to back up in the urethra.
- Urinary tract obstructions. UTIs can be caused by kidney stones or an enlarged prostate that trap urine in the bladder.
- A suppressed immune system. The risk of UTIs increases with diabetes and other diseases that impair the immune system.
- Catheter use. An increased risk of UTIs exists for people who can’t urinate on their own and use a tube (catheter). The category may include people who are hospitalised, people with neurological problems that make it hard for them to control their bladder function, and people who are paralysed.
- Recent urological surgery. An exam of your urinary tract with medical instruments or a surgery on your urinary tract can both place you at risk for urinary tract infections.
Infections of the lower urinary tract rarely result in complications when they are treated promptly and properly. An untreated urinary tract infection, however, can cause serious complications.
Complications of a UTI may include:
- Recurring infections, especially in women who experience more than two UTIs in a six-month period or four or more within a year.
- Acute or chronic kidney infection (pyelonephritis) caused by an untreated UTI that permanently damages the kidneys.
- Pregnant women are more likely to deliver low birth weight or premature babies.
- Men with recurrent urethritis have narrowing (stricture) of the urethra, a condition previously seen with gonococcal urethritis.
- Infections can lead to sepsis, which is a potentially life-threatening complication, especially if the infection goes into your urinary tract or kidneys.
Here are some steps you can take to reduce your risk of urinary tract infections:
- Drink plenty of liquids, especially water. Drinking water helps dilute your urine and ensures that you’ll urinate more frequently — allowing bacteria to be flushed from your urinary tract before an infection can begin.
- Drink cranberry juice. Although studies are not conclusive that cranberry juice prevents UTIs, it is likely not harmful.
- Wipe from front to back. Doing so after urinating and after a bowel movement helps prevent bacteria in the anal region from spreading to the vagina and urethra.
- Empty your bladder soon after intercourse. Also, drink a full glass of water to help flush bacteria.
- Avoid potentially irritating feminine products. Using deodorant sprays or other feminine products, such as douches and powders, in the genital area can irritate the urethra.
- Change your birth control method. Diaphragms, or unlubricated or spermicide-treated condoms, can all contribute to bacterial growth.
Source:
Maureen Masopeh and Tina Amarh
Content Creators
Health Essentials Ghana Limited
References:
- Mayoclinic.org
- Webmd.com
Very often we leave the doctor’s office only to remember that we left out a major complaint. Some patients immediately rush back to the consulting room totally oblivious of the privacy that the next patient is entitled to.
They expect that as they walk in, the doctor should ignore the seated or positioned patient and attend to them. That is totally outrageous. Others go home and continue to live with the condition hoping to be healed miraculously.
Most of us will be extremely lucky to spend 15 minutes with our doctor and this time is often much shorter in countries/communities where the doctor-patient ratio is so low that at best it can be described as criminal.
We are now in the second half of 2026, and I highly recommend that you see a doctor not only when you are unwell but as a means to assess your state of wellbeing and take the needed precautions. It is critical that you find a good primary care doctor who is knowledgeable and proactive and will also be able to coordinate specialist care that you may require.
To make the most out of our time with the doctor we need to PREPARE. If your condition is an emergency, then you do not have the benefit of time to prepare.
A must do!
Kindly ensure your personal hygiene is excellent.
- Take a good bath and brush your teeth
- Wear clean clothes that also make undressing easy, especially if you need to expose some areas for inspection/examination.
This may sound ridiculous, but the opposite does happen in real life.
Remember that doctors are human and when you are unkempt you may not get adequate contact with your doctor.
Research on the symptoms
If you have access to the internet or a book worth its salt you may read about your symptoms or wait to read after your doctor tells you your diagnosis.
Remember that if you need to research on the internet, it is essential that you use a reputable site.
In tune with your complaints
- Write down your complaints/symptoms if you think you may forget.
- If you have had a similar problem and have the results of any investigations e.g. Laboratory tests, x-rays, CT scans etc kindly carry them along
- Let your doctor know if you react to any drugs.
- Be truthful about any medications you have taken for the condition, if you do not remember the names make sure you go with the containers.
- If you have any other medical conditions (and medication) make the doctor aware.
- Remember to make a note of the following
- When did the symptoms/complaint begin?
- How long have you had these symptoms?
- Is it getting worse?
- Does anything make the condition worse?
- What makes you feel better?
- Is anything related to their onset?
- How often does it occur?
- How long does it last e.g. in pain conditions as well as rash, allergies etc.
- Does anyone else in your family have them?
- How do they affect your daily life?
- Is it related to work or home?
You may need to modify these slightly when you have skin lesions, swellings etc. This list is by no means exhaustive, and you may not need to find answers to all of them before getting help, but they will definitely help you ace the visit to your doctor.
If your doctor books you for surgery, do not leave his presence without finding out the following:
- Will you go home on the same day of the surgery?
- Will you need assistance to go home or can you drive unsupervised for instance
- What form of anaesthesia will you be given?
Then, if your visit is for a medical examination, do remember that also being aware of disease conditions in your family will help your doctor select the appropriate tests and make the whole experience and time useful.
Finally do not leave your doctor without finding out:
- How much physical activity/exercise you require; the Almighty “FITT” prescription
- What you need to eat or avoid.
- Some basic information regarding SLEEP.
See you in the consulting room soon.
AS ALWAYS LAUGH OFTEN, ENSURE HYGIENE, WALK AND PRAY EVERYDAY AND REMEMBER IT’S A PRICELESS GIFT TO KNOW YOUR NUMBERS (blood sugar, blood pressure, blood cholesterol, BMI)
Dr. Kojo Cobba Essel
Health Essentials Ltd (HE&W Group)/Medics Clinic
(dressel@healthessentialsgh.com)
*Dr. Essel is a Medical Doctor with a keen interest in Lifestyle Medicine, He holds an MBA and is an ISSA Specialist in Exercise Therapy, Fitness Nutrition and Corrective Exercise. He is the author of the award-winning book, ‘Unravelling The Essentials of Health & Wealth.’
Thought for the week – “The next big thing in Healthcare in Ghana is the Medics Clinic. Visit https://medicsgroupgh.com/ for more information.”
References:
The call often comes at the worst possible moment. A mother is bleeding heavily after childbirth. A road crash victim has been rushed into surgery. A child with severe anaemia needs an urgent transfusion.
Then comes the message to relatives: “The patient needs blood. Find donors.”
Within minutes, family members begin making frantic calls, sending WhatsApp messages, and appealing on social media. Some race from one hospital to another in search of matching donors. Others simply pray that blood arrives before it is too late.
For many Ghanaians, this is their first encounter with a reality healthcare professionals know all too well-blood remains one of the country’s most critical and vulnerable healthcare resources.
Despite years of progress, experts say Ghana’s blood collection, storage, and transfusion system still faces significant gaps that affect access, quality, and safety. And in emergencies, those gaps can cost lives.
A system built out of necessity
For decades, hospitals across Ghana collected blood however they could because patients needed it. There was no law governing blood services. There was simply the urgent need to save lives.
It was only in 2020 that Parliament passed the Blood Service Act (Act 1042), establishing the National Blood Service (NBS) as the agency responsible for ensuring safe and adequate blood supplies nationwide.
Charity and philanthropy
According to Dr. Shirley Owusu-Ofori, Chief Executive Officer of the NBS, the law marked a major shift toward a coordinated national system. But reforming practices that evolved over generations remains a challenge.
The blood that is not there
One of the biggest weaknesses is Ghana’s continued dependence on family replacement donors. These are relatives and friends who donate blood only when someone they know requires a transfusion.
The preferred option, experts say, is a strong pool of voluntary, unpaid donors who donate regularly, allowing blood to be available before emergencies occur.
“The blood should be waiting when the emergency happens, not the other way round,” Dr. Owusu-Ofori said.
The numbers reveal the challenge.
The World Health Organization recommends that countries collect at least 10 units of blood per 1,000 people.
Ghana currently collects about 6.6 units per 1,000 population, an improvement from previous years but still well below the recommended threshold. Yet demand continues to rise.
An estimated 80 to 85 per cent of blood requests in Ghana are for emergencies, leaving little room for delays.
More than a bag of blood
Many people assume donated blood goes straight to a patient. It does not. Every unit must first be screened for infections such as HIV, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and syphilis. It must then be processed, stored under strict temperature conditions, and transported safely.
Blood itself is not a single product. Red blood cells, plasma, and platelets all require different storage conditions and handling procedures.
Maintaining those standards requires specialized equipment, trained personnel, and continuous monitoring.
And that is where another challenge emerges.
The infrastructure gap
Across the country, some hospitals lack adequate blood storage facilities and the specialized equipment required to operate fully functional blood banks. Others depend on nearby facilities for supplies when emergencies arise.
While healthcare workers often improvise to meet patients’ needs, experts warn that blood safety cannot depend on improvisation.
Storage conditions, transportation systems, and quality controls must work every time.
A breakdown anywhere along the chain can compromise blood quality and patient safety.
Unequal access
Geography presents another challenge. For years, Ghana relied on three major blood centres in Accra, Kumasi, and Tamale to serve the entire country. The arrangement made blood collection and distribution across vast regions difficult and expensive.
To address this, the National Blood Service has established five regional blood centres in the Greater Accra, Ashanti, Northern, Volta, and Central regions.
More are planned.
But with 16 regions nationwide, large areas still remain underserved.
The result is uneven access to blood and blood products, particularly for facilities located far from regional centres.
Closing the regulatory gaps
The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) says recent assessments have uncovered compliance challenges across the blood sector.
According to Dr. Edwin Nkansah, Director of Vaccine Vigilance and Clinical Trials at the FDA, gaps exist across the entire transfusion chain, from donor recruitment and testing to storage and transfusion practices.
To strengthen oversight, the FDA is embarking on a programme to regulate and license selected blood facilities across the country. The aim is not punishment, he stressed, but improvement.
Facilities will undergo audits, receive technical support, and be guided to meet approved standards.
The goal is simple: ensuring that blood transfused in any hospital meets the same safety requirements.
The missing link
For all the discussions about infrastructure, regulation, and accreditation, experts agree that the biggest solution lies with ordinary citizens.
Every unit of blood starts with a donor. Yet voluntary blood donation remains far below what the country requires.
Health officials estimate that if just one per cent of eligible Ghanaians donated blood regularly, shortages could be dramatically reduced.
That would mean fewer desperate appeals from hospital wards and fewer families scrambling for donors during medical emergencies.
A race against time
Ghana has made important strides in strengthening blood services. Collection rates are improving. Regulatory oversight is expanding. New regional centres are being established. Yet significant gaps remain.
And for the mother experiencing postpartum haemorrhage, the accident victim on the operating table, or the child awaiting a transfusion, those gaps are not statistics. They are the difference between life and death.
Until safe blood is available whenever and wherever it is needed, Ghana’s blood system will remain a critical work in progress—one whose success depends not only on regulators and hospitals, but also on the willingness of citizens to roll up their sleeves and donate.
Because when blood is missing, every second matters.- GNA
