Ghana News

Accra, 17 June 2015-The World Health Organization (WHO) on Thursday called on Ghana to urgently ratify the Protocol on illicit trade of tobacco products in the country as a sure measure to protect public health.

The Organization urged the Ministry of Health to work to get the legal instrument on illicit trade of tobacco reviewed and submitted for parliamentary approval as soon as practicable.

Dr Magda Robalo, WHO Country Representative, made the appeal at the opening of a two-day high level meeting on Tobacco Taxation Policy in the African Region in Accra.

This year’s African Vaccination Week was commemorated together with the annual Child Health Promotion Week on the 23rd April, 2013 under the theme “Healthy Children; Great Future” with the slogan “Vaccinate, Prevent disabilities, Save lives”.

Accra,  19 June 2015 - In response to heavy rains and flooding, the World Health Organization has donated about 5 tons of essential medical supplies to treat severe and moderate cases of diarrhoea and cholera worth nearly US$100,000 to the Ministry of Health. The consignment consists of three Interagency Diarrhoeal Disease Kits containing enough medicines and equipment such as oral rehydration salts (ORS), intravenous fluids and medical equipment to treat over 2,000 episodes of severe and moderate diarrhoea.

Accra, Ghana 08 July 2015 - A two-day Regional African Consultation (8-9 July 2015) on the Global Strategy on Human  Resources For Health: Workforce 2030 is underway in Accra, Ghana.

Presentation of credentials to Minister of Foreign Affairs - Dr Magda Robalo, on Wednesday 12 March 2014, presented her credentials to the Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Ms Hannah Tetteh to officially assume office as the World Health Organization Representative (WR) to Ghana. During their interaction WR mentioned the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) as the key item on the WHO agenda; specifically MDG4 and MDG5 together with the support to strengthen the Health Systems in Ghana.

Accra, 25 August, 2015 - The World Health Organization (WHO) has signed an Agreement with the School of Public Health, University of Ghana,  for the release of US $ 792,000.00 meant for the   training of  about 200 district and sub-district health and other staff from seven regions to strengthen disease control and surveillance systems in the country.   The need for this training is highlighted against the background of the recent Ebola Virus Disease in West Africa in which inadequate capacity of health staff contributed to the high morbidity and mortality.

1. Background

An outbreak of Ebola Viral Disease in Guinea was officially reported to WHO on 21st March 2014. Since, the Country Office in Ghana has been in the forefront of multiple unfolding events in Ghana. An official communication was sent to Ghana’s Minister of Health to inform her about the outbreak. Heads of bilateral and multilateral agencies and other partners were also provided with available information regarding the outbreak.

Several other activities have also been undertaken in the following areas:

Accra, 06 October, 2015 - The first WHO implementation workshop organized by the WHO/HIS/EMP in collaboration with the Ghana Food and Drugs Authority was held from 8-19 September at the Fiesta Royale Hotel in Accra. This workshop presented the opportunity for NRA’s in the African region to discuss regulations on Biologicals, vaccines, and other bio-therapeutics in the African region which is an entirely new experience for most NRAs in the African region.

Accra, 06 October, 2015 - WHO in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and the Ghana Health Service organized a Multi-Country workshop from the 15-16 September 2015 at the Ghana Institute for Public Administration at Greenhill, Accra. The workshop themed “Epilepsy care, a shared responsibility” sought to emphasize the fact that one stakeholder cannot do it alone- That Care for people living with Epilepsy is a concerted effort by all stakeholders- health workers, family members, community members including faith-based and traditional healers.

Ghana joined the rest of the world to celebrate the 2014 World Health Day (WHD) at the forecourt of the Ghana Health Service Headquarters in Accra. The focus this year was on Vector Borne Diseases (VBD) which includes Malaria, Lymphatic filariasis (which can cause Elephantiasis) and Yellow Fever. Highlighting the serious and increasing threat these diseases pose to global health and the need to protect ourselves from the vectors such as the mosquitoes which play a key role in the transmission of VBD, the slogan for the campaign was “small bite, big threat”.