One of the four cases of maternal deaths recorded in the Ledzokuku Municipality in 2022 involved a pregnant woman who, for the fear of Caesarian Section (CS), went to a prayer camp and later died in labour.
Madam Jacqueline Sfarijlani, the Ledzokuku Municipal Director of Health Services, said all four cases were largely due to anaemia during pregnancy, late reporting to health facilities, and the patronage of prayer camps and healing centres for the fear of Caesarian Section (CS).
She said: “When a woman comes at 36 weeks and her HP is below 11, it is a risk factor because one of the causes of maternal mortality is haemorrhage (bleeding during the delivery process)”.
“So, if her HP is low and care is not taken or no intervention, we may lose her and that is one of the cases in Greater Accra and the Ledzokuku Municipality as well,” she said, adding that, often, pregnant women reported to the facilities late.
In 2021, the directorate recorded six maternal deaths.
The Municipal Health Director said the fear of CS was a major concern and called for concerted efforts from all stakeholders to demystify the service.
Madam Sfarijlani said this in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) at the 2022 annual Performance Review meeting organised by the Ledzokuku Municipal Health Directorate at Teshie.
It was on the theme: “Addressing healthcare delivery gaps for equity in health coverage through intensifying health promotion interventions, optimising the use of data and technology to improve access to quality healthcare and strengthening preventive and control measures for emergent and re-emergent public health events”.
The meeting was to assess the work of health facilities in the Municipality in the previous year based on the objectives of the Ghana Health Service and discuss challenges, achievements, and learn best practices to improve health care coverage.
Madam Sfarijlani said key interventions for 2023 included sensitisation programmes for pregnant women on CS and dieting.
She said the directorate was also working to reduce anaemia during pregnancy.
“A lot of work has been done to reduce maternal mortality, and we want to intensify our pregnancy schools, thus move the pregnancy schools from the facilities into the communities so that we get closer to them, we will talk to them about the interventions and ensure that we fortify their iron folate constantly to boost the iron in the blood.”
Presenting the health care coverage by the various facilities in the Municipality, Mr. Charles Banafo, the Administrator at the LEKMA Hospital, identified a reduction in antenatal care services, which had led to maternal complications during delivery.
He said: “We didn’t do well because they were not coming, if you are pregnant, it is not a disease, but you need to come for antenatal services within the first trimester for us to see that everything is okay.”
He called on all, particularly husbands and relatives to commit themselves to the safety and well-being of pregnant women.
Chef Ebenezer Smith has been revealed not to be a member of the Chefs’ Association of Ghana, despite prominently displaying the association’s logo during his purported record-breaking cook-a-thon.
Mr. Smith participated in the event wearing a jacket adorned with the association’s official logo, creating the impression that he was affiliated with and endorsed by the association in his endeavor to achieve a Guinness World Record for the longest individual cooking session.
However, according to Peter Agbovi, the National Secretary of the Chefs’ Association, Mr. Smith has never been a registered member of the association.
Despite being notified to rectify this misrepresentation by formally joining the association, Mr. Smith did not take any steps to comply.
“In his cook-a-thon attempt, we observed that he was wearing a jacket bearing our logo. We promptly contacted him to clarify that if he intended to use our logo, he must first become a registered member of the Chefs’ Association of Ghana…
“He did not share his videos on our social media platforms during the event because he was not an official member and did not complete the registration process when we reached out to him. Following the cook-a-thon, we did not have any communication from him until yesterday, when he held a press conference,” Mr. Peter Agbovi disclosed in an interview with GHOne TV.
About 200 artisans operating on a piece of land near the Kpone barrier on Wednesday, June 26, demonstrated against the alleged sale of the land to a private company.
The artisans, made up of welders who operate fuel tankers, electricians, and some food vendors, among others, burned vehicle tyres on the land opposite the B5 Company Limited at Kpone Barrier to back their protest amid guidance by the police to ensure free flow of traffic on the stretch.
Mr Mohammed Abdulai, spare parts dealer and spokesman for the artisans told the media that they were not the landowners, but they had been working there for years.
Mr Abdulai said they pleaded with the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation, the landowners, to allow them to pay rent or buy the land instead of selling it to B5 Company.
He said, “You want to collect the land and give it to B5, but they have taken all the land. Even if you want to sell it, come and sit down with us so that we can pay rent, but GBC won’t agree to that and is always asking us to leave. They always give us notice to quit within a short period.”
They appealed to the government to intervene in the issue to protect their livelihoods.
Meanwhile, management of the GBC, in response to the issue, stated that “Our attention has been drawn to news items on some media houses that squatters are being evicted from a parcel of land at Kpone, which is purported to belong to B5 Plus Company.”
A statement signed by Mrs Stephanie Baka, the Deputy Director (Corporate Affairs) of GBC, indicated that the land belongs to the corporation, and as the rightful owner, GBC has the mandate to evict squatters from its property.
“These squatters have been living on the property for some time now, and the eviction exercise being led by the Kpone-Katamanso Municipal Assembly is within our mandate to protect our property. The property has been turned into a place where nefarious activities are rife and this is tarnishing the image of the Corporation,” it emphasised.
It added that “squatters have been duly noticed about the eviction but have refused to vacate the property, and management wishes to admonish all media houses to desist from peddling false information about the eviction exercise.”
Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara has expressed admiration for Ghana’s role in leading African countries towards independence.
He made these remarks at an event commemorating Ghana’s 67th Independence Day in Koforidua, Eastern Region.
He lauded Ghana’s efforts in maintaining the honour and pride of its independence and recognized the shared history, friendship, and culture between Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire.
The event, under the theme “Our Democracy Our Pride,” was held at the newly inaugurated 5,000-seater Koforidua Youth Resource Center.
“What a beautiful celebration, bravo to all the Ghanaian people. On this special occasion, congratulations from the people of Cote D’Ivoire who are your brothers and sisters. It’s a great pleasure for me to be here today with you and the great people of Ghana. To experience once more the legendary hospitality of Ghana.
“Ghana and Cote D’Ivoire are bound not only by geography but also by history, friendship and culture. It’s a great joy for me to be sent here by my dear friend Nana [President Akufo-Addo] to celebrate Ghana and the citizens of this beautiful and wonderful country. Whose, since 1957 has shown the way to independence, dignity and pride. Congratulations on the period, it was indeed beautiful and outstanding.”
President Ouattara praised President Akufo-Addo’s leadership since 2016, despite global challenges.
“I would like to use this opportunity to commend you for your leadership and many achievements in Ghana despite the adverse challenges at the global level, with COVID-19, Ukraine-Russia war, obviously Gaza-Palestina,” he said.
He also lauded President Akufo-Addo’s exceptional performance during his term as ECOWAS President.
“I would like to commend you for your commitment towards regional integration shown during your tenure as President of ECOWAS. I must say you did an exceptional, outstanding job. And as the other heads of state know I wanted you to continue for many years.”
