Ghana News

13 June 2018 ¦ Brazzaville ¦ Accra ¦ Geneva - The World Health Organization (WHO) today congratulated Ghana for having eliminated trachoma as a public health problem, two decades after the World Health Assembly resolved to tackle the leading infectious cause of blindness. The announcement comes the day after a commitment from Pfizer, the manufacturer of Zithromax (azithromycin) to extend their donation programme for the antibiotic until 2025, if required, to finish the task of global trachoma elimination.

The WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Matshidiso Moeti, has concluded her three-day visit to Ghana at the invitation of the Ghanaian Authorities.  The visit provided an opportunity for her to acquaint herself with ongoing efforts, successes and challenges as the country strives to improve the health and overall well-being of Ghanaians. 

Dr Moeti and her team visited the Shai Osudoku District in the Greater Accra Region. She first visited the District Health Directorate to interact with the District Health Management Team.  The District Director made a presentation on the performance of the district. From there the team visited the Ayikuma CHPS to give Dr Moeti the opportunity to familiarize herself with service delivery at the lower levels.

Dr Moeti and her team called on some members of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Health at the Parliament House to hold discussions on health related matters of interest.  She applauded the Legislature for passing the LI for Mental Health Bill (MHB) and also the increase in districts offering mental health services.  Dr Moeti mentioned that inadequate funding to support mental health programmes was a challenge in most African Countries, including Ghana.  She however advocated for more resources for Mental Health Programmes in Ghana, since according to her was a health pr

Dr Moeti paid a courtesy call on Her Excellency the First Lady, Rebecca Akufo-Addo.  She commended the First Lady’s efforts in maternal and child health in Ghana, particularly among others her support for the construction of a Mother-Baby Unit for the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital to ease the congestion at the maternity unit and improve outcomes for mothers and newborns. 

Dr Moeti paid a courtesy call on His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.  Accompanying her were the Honourable Minister of Health, Dr Kwaku, Honourable Minister of Health, Madam Tina Mensah, WHO Country Representative, Dr Owen Kaluwa, Officials from WHO AFRO, Dr Kasolo and Dr Kizito and senior officials from the Ministry of Health. 
In her discussions with the President, Dr Moeti first congratulated him on his nomination as co-Chair of the eminent Committee on SDGs and thanked the Government of Ghana for inviting her to visit Ghana

The Annual Health Summit hosted by the Ministry of Health began y 23 April 2018 at the Labadi Beach Hotel under the theme "Achieving Universal Health Coverage:  Using Innovative Approaches”. This was a platform for bringing all stakeholders (other line Ministries, civil society, UN agencies, private sector and academia) together to discuss pertinent health issues in Ghana and also provides an opportunity to widen the scope of discussions on these very important health issues.

On 22 March 2018, Ghana joined the rest of the world in commemorating 2018 World TB Day whose theme was "Wanted, Leaders for a TB-Free Ghana.‟ The national launch took place at Mantse Agbona, in James Town- Accra in the Greater Accra Region.

Dr Owen Laws Kaluwa, Representative of the World Health Organisation (WHO) in Ghana, has asked African governments to increase investments in research and development of new medicines, especially in the conduct of clinical trials.

WHO is supporting Ghana’s Ministry of Health in response to an outbreak of a febrile illness in a boarding school The initial case was reported from Kumasi Academy High School (KASHS), Asokore Mampong Municipal, Kumasi on 29 November 2017