FOLAN PETITIONS CPP®
By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri

FRIENDS OF Ladi Nylander (FOLAN), a youth grouping of the Convention Peoples’ Party (CPP) has taken issue with what it sees as negative campaigning by some executives of the party against the national chairman.
The group registered their displeasure about the situation with a march to the CPP headquarters amidst songs and the hoisting of placards to present a petition advocating a second term for Ladi Nylander.
According to the group, unconstructive campaigning with harsh words targeted at the chairman was disturbing the party’s progress.
“We find it difficult to understand why some party members do not see eye to eye with the chairman looking at the pragmatic steps the chairman is taking to push the party ahead.”
It therefore called on the executives to come together to give their support to the incumbent in order for him “to finish the good things that he has started.”
“The CPP has been changing chairpersons every four years and this is not helping the party at all,” they said.
Giving reasons for the call at a press briefing in Accra, Emmanuel Nii Odoi, CPP 2008 parliamentary candidate for Odododiodo constituency said the party has seen some good innovative initiatives since the tenure of Nylander as chairman.
“These include the introduction of a shadow cabinet, family dialogue and inclusiveness of all persons in the central committee,” he explained.
Nii Odoi stated that people support different candidates for different reasons; however supporting a candidate should be through active campaigning and not destruction of an opponent’s image in order to make one’s candidate popular.
“People with genuine grievances within the party should take advantage and channel their complaints through the appropriate internal mechanisms for amicable resolution and not in the media just to destroy the image of the party.”
Past experiences during internal elections have showed that it becomes difficult for the party to unite afterwards to compete for the national elections, he said.
“We therefore want to ask that the incumbent chairman be allowed to exhibit the experience he has painstakingly acquired over the past few years that he has been chairman,” concluded Nii Odoi.

Caption: Emmanuel Nii Odoi (middle) speaking to the press at the event

Fire Guts Ridge Hospital ®
By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri
PERSONNEL of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) lived up to expectation yesterday as they were able to halt a fire which broke out at a section of the emergency quarters for staff of the Ridge Hospital in Accra.

Although no casualties were recorded, the fire destroyed 75 percent of items and other equipment in the affected rooms including GH¢1,018.
An eyewitness, Isaac Acquaye who could not tell what caused the fire said it started about 11:15am from the first room of the block which is occupied by the night superintendent.

“The moment I saw smoke coming from the quarters, I together with two others got some sachets of pure water to quench it but we could not,” he said.
Acquaye said in their bid to stop the fire from spreading to the adjoining rooms on the block, they decided to call in the fire service personnel.
Sillim Sayers, Health Service Administrator at the hospital and an eyewitness also said the fire destroyed everything in the first room but some items including hospital documents, books, water, mattresses, furniture and the television were savaged by staff from the other rooms.

Regional Fire Commander at Makola, Edwin Ekow Blankson, briefing the press said the service arrived at the scene within five minutes after receiving a call about a fire outbreak at the Ridge Hospital around 11:30am.
He told DAILY GUIDE the building was still intact as fire personnel were able to contain the fire within twenty minutes. “There is no way the fire could move beyond the set boundary,” he added.
He was unable to establish the cause of the fire and or the extent of damage immediately, adding that a committee will be set up to investigate the incident.
Dr. Obeng Apori, Medical Director of Ridge Hospital commended the fire service for their swift response to the distress call.
“If it had not been for the swift intervention of the fire service, the situation would have been very disastrous.”
He later called on government to refurbish the hospital in order to avoid a recurrence of the event.

RAMADAM DATE ANNOUNCED
BY JAMILA AKWELEY OKERTCHIRI
The National Chief Imam, Sheikh Osman Nuhu Sharubutu, has announced the date for the observation of the crescent to signal the commencement of this year’s Ramadan.
Briefing the press on the start of the Ramadan, the National Executive Secretary at the office of the National Chief Imam, Alhaji Awaisi Bio, said 31st July 2011 shall be the first day for the observation.
If the crescent is not sighted on the said day, Monday, August 1, 2011 shall complete the month of Sha’ban by calculation.
“Consequently, Tuesday, the 2nd of August 2011 shall be an automatic day for the commencement of the fast for the year 2011,” he said.
Alhaji Bio therefore called on Muslims to bury their differences and unite to develop the country.
Sheikh Osman Nuhu Sharubutu commented, “The people of Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed because of the practice of homosexuality and that even foreigners who were there were all punished by Allah Almighty.”
He added that Allah created male and female for the purpose of procreation, noting, “If Allah wanted us to practice this, He wouldn’t have created a woman when Adam wanted a partner in the Garden of Eden’.
Sheikh Nuhu Sharubutu therefore called on Ghanaians to frown on the act in order to avoid incurring the wrath of Allah Almighty.
He also appealed to the authorities to do everything to stop the practice.

From left, Alhaji Osman Kadri, Chairman of occasion, Sheikh Osman Nuhu Sharubutu, National Chief Imam and Alhaji Abdul Kadri Tabir, Greater Accra chief of Dagomba and vice chair of the council of Muslim chiefs.

Hugs for Ghana Donates to Hospitals®
By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri

HUGS FOR Ghana, a student-led nonprofit organization in Mukilteo, USA has donated 100 sets of thermometers to four hospitals in the Greater Accra and Western regions of Ghana.
Korle Bu Children’s Hospital, Princess Marie Children’s Hospital, Labadi General Hospital and Eikwe Hospital are the beneficiaries of the items worth approximately $3,500.
The organization, founded by 16 year old Joel Bervell, is dedicated to supporting underprivileged children in hospitals, institutions and other child-related services in Ghana.
Presenting the items to Rebecca Lartey, Deputy Director of Nursing Services, Bervell, President of the organization said, “The organization’s mission is to reveal the gift of love, hope, confidence and warmth to the hearts and lives of Ghana’s youngest citizens.”
He said funds for the donation were raised through the health initiative projects-‘100 Cents Saves a Life’ and ‘Ghanaian Night of Culture,’ both free will donation events.
“The focus of the fundraiser was to provide information to the community about the needs of disadvantaged children in Ghana,” added Bervell.
He hoped the thermometers would contribute to the path of healing for children while at hospitals.
Mrs. Lartey said the donation had come at a time when the hospital needed it the most. She expressed joy about the donation and called on others to follow in the footsteps of Hugs for Ghana.

Joel Bervell presenting a thermometer to Mrs. Rebecca Lartey at the Korle Bu Children’s Hospital.

Japan Assists Adensi North District®
By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri

THE JAPANESE government has provided a 10-unit water closet toilet facility worth $105,932 for three towns in the Adansi North district.
The project targeted at covering Fomena, Dompoase and Fumso is expected to benefit 16,000 inhabitants.
It will also improve the sanitary and general health conditions of the beneficiaries.
“The growth in population in the district has increased pressure on sanitation facilities,” said Japanese Ambassador to Ghana, Naoto Nikai at the grant signing ceremony.
“It is difficult for the limited facilities to serve the over 92,000 people in the district,” he added.
The project scheduled to be completed in a year is being financed through the Japanese Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects Scheme (GGHSP).
However, the district assembly will bare the cost of preliminary works and contingencies in the construction.
“This is very commendable on the part of the district assembly, ensuring that the provision of such amenities become the right of its inhabitants,” said Nikai.
District Chief Executive of Adensi North, Abdul Lateef Majdoub expressed gratitude to the Embassy of Japan for supporting them in addressing the issue.
“It is a demonstration of the continuous commitment of Japan to alleviate the suffering of people even in the face of the recent calamity that hit the country,” Majdoub said.
He therefore assured the Japanese government of the district’s commitment in providing the counterpart funding agreed upon.

Naoto Nikai and Abdul Lateef Majdoub signing the grant document at the ceremony.

“Deliver Quality Claims”
By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri

Insurance companies have been urged to improve their relationship with their customers by paying claims quickly.
Rev. Asante Marfo-Ahenkora, president of the Ghana Insurance Brokers Association (GIBA), made these observations during the first memorial lecture held in Accra to commemorate the first anniversary of the death of Kwesi Essel-Koomson, founding Managing Director of KEK Insurance Group.
The lecture was themed: “Insurance claims - the role of the broker, the insurer and the reinsurer”.

Speaking on the brokers’ perspective, Rev. Marfo-Ahenkora said an insurance broker deals with many insurers so they have access to different types of insurance policies.
He explained: “They act on behalf of their clients and define what risk to insure, what type of cover is best and how much it should cost. In many cases, the insurance broker is most valuable in the event of a claim.”
He therefore admonished those insured to engage the services of insurance broker, stressing that brokers have a duty to work in the best interest of their clients and provide sound practical account independent of any insurance company.
Samuel Kwaku Ocran, Deputy Managing Director of Star Assurance Company, also speaking on the insurer’s role, noted that the claims unit of insurance companies deals quickly and fairly with all claims submitted while distinguishing between valid and invalid claims.
“When this is done, the insurer then assesses the loss or damage, adjusts and negotiates the claim amount, processes the claim for payment as well as indemnifies the insured in the form of repair, replacement, reinstatement or payment of cash”, he said.
Mr. Ocran however noted that an insurance company may refuse to pay claims due to false statement and failure to disclose relevant facts when applying for the insurance; claims which does not fall within the items insured in the policy; and failure to comply with the terms of agreement.
He asked persons insured to look beyond the white and black prints on the contract terms when applying for insurance.

Ken Aghoghovbia, Chief Executive Officer of Africa Reinsurance Corporation, in a speech read on his behalf, said the primary objective of the reinsurer is to settle claims promptly barring anything that might prevent them from doing so.
“It is evident that the primary role of reinsurance is essentially to give the necessary support to insurers to enable them meet their primary obligation, settle claims of policy holders and guide against the risk of collapse that may arise from the inability to settle genuine claims when due.”

Muslims Call for Homosexual Prohibition®
By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri & Michael Ciaglo

THE MUSLIM community in Ghana has called on government to introduce a “Prohibition of Homosexuality and Lesbianism Bill” that would criminalize homosexual acts.
The details of this bill, which would imprison homosexuals without the option of a fine, were presented at a Coalition of Muslim Organizations, Ghana (COMOG) news conference on Thursday morning.
COMOG bemoaned homosexuality and called for a collective effort from government and religious groups to battle it.
“The community hereby urges all of us – Christians, Muslims, traditionalists, government and opposition – to unite as one concerned people to fight the common twin – homosexuality and lesbianism – as well as their byproduct – same sex marriage,” said Alhaji Mohammed Easah, National President of COMOG.

Alhaji Mohammed Easah, (center) national president of COMOG, speaks out against homosexuality

Earlier this week, the Christian Council of Ghana held a similar press conference denouncing homosexuality and calling on all religious organizations and “decent-loving Ghanaians” to join the campaign against the practice.
Alhaji Easah also noted that “all religious organizations have condemned homosexuality in strong terms. We, the Muslim community, condemn the practice as disgusting, repugnant, unacceptable and alien to our culture and national norms, and also alien to our natural behavior as a people.”
The current Ghanaian Criminal Code, section 104(1) (b), outlaws “unnatural carnal knowledge,” a phrase interpreted to mean homosexual intercourse. COMOG is calling for government to go one step further and implement stricter regulations against all homosexual activities.
Alhaji Esaha said the proposed bill, if passed into law by parliament, would attract severe penalties including long prison terms with no option of a fine and disqualification from appointment or promotion to any public office or position.
Alhaji Easah urged traditional rulers and opinion leaders to join the fight and assist police in identifying and prosecuting gays and lesbians, adding “Any person who fails to report a homosexual or lesbian that approaches him or her to engage in such acts also commits the offense.”
In an attempt to garner widespread acceptance of the bill, Alhaji Easah advocated for all political parties to agree on a stance against homosexuality.
“Let this fight be not an NDC/NPP affair, but an all-hands-on-deck affair,” Alhaji Easah said. “Let government, the opposition and the people unite to prosecute this fight to success – in the ultimate interest of Ghanaians.”

Antenatal Clinic for Sickle Cell Patients @ Korle Bu
By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri
KORLE-BU Teaching Hospital is set to start a special antenatal clinic for pregnant women with Sickle Cell disorders.
The clinic will be opened on Wednesdays to treat patients at the Obstetrics OPD starting from today, Wednesday, July 20, 2011.
A statement signed by Mustapha Salifu, Public Relations Officer of the hospital noted the sickle cell Clinic for pregnant women was one of the specialized clinics that the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology used to run in the 80s but was suspended.
He therefore observed that all pregnant women with sickle cell disorders who wish to be seen for expert management should first get the necessary referral before coming to the clinic.
“We hope patients and their relatives will co-operate and support the hospital to make this special clinic attain the purpose of its re-introduction,” the statement said.

Kente Weavers Urged to Patent Their Designs
By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri & Dominic Kojo Blay

Kente weavers have been advised to register their designs to avoid duplication by other players in the industry.
The authority in charge of culture has therefore been tasked to get a national copyright for the numerous kente designs.
Dr. Hannah Bissiw, Deputy Minister for Water Resources, Works and Housing, said this at the inaugural celebration of the 1st National Kente week in Accra themed: “Celebrating our Kente heritage; a majestic new boost for sustaining the Ghanaian economy and maintaining the tradition in the 21st century.”
She observed that kente is the pride and heritage of Ghanaians, noting, “We must protect the uniqueness of our kente.”
Dr. Bissiw also noted that some factories both home and abroad are imitating the kente designs.
“It is Ghana’s pride to keep the quality and design of our kente,” she said.
The Minister of Chieftaincy and Culture, Alexander Asum-Ahensah noted that the kente cloth is a symbol of unity in the country.
“All Ghanaians recognize and cherish the kente cloth, even in the Diaspora the kente cloth has become an African fraternity.”
He stressed the need for the industry to be sustained for future generations.
“I therefore appeal to the very experienced weavers to make time for the youth to acquire the needed technical skills,” he added.
The sector minister asked the general public to be part of the week-long celebration.
Nana Abena Konadu, a representative of Royal Protocol Services, organizers of the event, said the celebration was aimed at boosting and sustaining the Ghanaian kente industry.
She explained that the event is also to project the kente heritage, which is gradually collapsing due to low patronage.
Activities lined up the celebration include kente weaving competition, kente ‘what do you know’ contest, kente fashion show and the kente dinner dance, which will be held at the State Banquet Hall on August 6, 2011.
Kenteman Nii Laryea Sowah, Media Co-ordinator of the event, said the fund-raising dinner dance will create a seed fund to assist players in the kente weaving business that are facing financial challenges.
He said invited guests that will grace the occasion include ministers of state with Professor Akilakpa Sawyer being the guest speaker.
“Tobge Afede XIV, the Abgobgomefia of the Ho traditional area will co-chair the occasion with a representative of the Asantehene,” he said.
Tickets for the event are selling at GH¢100.00 for a person and GH¢150.00 for double at Koala, Joy FM and shoprite- Accra Mall, and 37 Maxi Mart.

Cases of Deafness Hit 2.2 million
By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri

REPORTED CASES of nerve deafness, a common hearing problem have reached an alarming estimate of 2.2 million nationwide.
The medical problem which is caused by the inability of the nerve (a fine organ in the inner ear) to receive specific sound frequencies, affects the daily lives of patients as they are unable to communicate because they cannot hear properly.
Dr. E.D Kitcher, head of the Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) Unit of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) said the major cause of the medical condition is exposure to loud noise at social gathering as well as the effects of herbal medication though that is not well tested.
Dr. Kitcher who was speaking during the presentation of medical equipment to the hospital’s ENT Unit by Tigo Ghana said when people are exposed to loud sounds, the nerve in the inner ear which has receptors for sound, generates sensitivity problems causing it to lose its ability to hear high frequencies.
The telecommunication’s company donated two kinds of hearing assessment equipment and a cash amount of $7,500 to the unit.
“The ear receptors are marked by frequencies just like the keyboard in the piano which has frequencies for high notes and frequencies for low notes. People who have nerve deafness cannot perceive high tone frequencies therefore they miss out when you use consonants.”
He further stated that people with nerve deafness experience difficulty in discriminating between sounds when a person is speaking via phone. “The person who has a problem with his ears can hear but cannot make any meaning of what is being said,” he added
During the presentation he expressed the need for private organisations to support the unit by providing more testing equipment and hearing aids for patients adding that the donation will go a long way in re-equipping the facility after a fire outbreak destroyed the testing equipments there three years ago.
Ama Daaku, Solutions Manager of Tigo Ghana said Tigo Ghana was touched by the destruction of the unit’s equipment due to the fire outbreak and consequently resolved to support it “as a way of recognizing not only its efforts but also its service to the Ghanaian community.”
She further noted that the presentation is in fulfillment of Tigo’s promise to the unit three years ago stressing, “We believe in the individual’s right to hear, understand and speak back.”

Caption: Ama Daaku presenting the equipment to Prof. Nii Otu Nartey, Chief Executive Officer of KBTH as Dr. E.D Kitcher (right) looks on.

Emergency Committee Reborn
By Michael Ciaglo & Jamila Akweley Okertchiri

Health Minister Joseph Yieleh Chireh on Tuesday inaugurated members of the Emergency Services Committee to improve handling of medical emergencies in the country.

Currently the health care system focuses on the prevention of illness as its primary health objective, rather than time-sensitive injuries and sicknesses.

“The provision of timely treatment during life-threatening emergencies is not a priority for many health systems in developing countries, and, I think, ours is not an exception,” Mr. Chireh stated.

The minister also observed that the response to medical emergencies by medical professionals is one of the least addressed issues by the health sector.

“It is in this light that, I, the minister of health, have requested for the reconstitution of this committee to oversee emergency services in Ghana,” Mr. Chireh said.

The sector minister also stated that recognizing improved organizations and planning for provision of trauma and emergency care is an essential part of integrated health care delivery.

This, he said, plays an important role in the preparation for, and response to, mass-casualty incidents which can lower mortality, reduce disability and prevent other adverse health outcomes arising from the burden of everyday injuries.

Therefore, acting on the requests of the director-general of the World Health Organization to strengthen emergency and rehabilitation services and to improve systems for treating trauma victims, Mr. Chireh tasked the 28 member Emergency Services Committee with advancing these services.

“The purpose of the Committee is to develop and/or strengthen Emergency Medical Care Systems in Ghana with the ultimate aim of improving the health of the population and meeting expectations for access to emergency care,” Mr. Chireh said.

The Emergency Services Committee is comprised of three sub-committees: Care in the Community/First Responders, Pre-Hospital Emergency Services and Emergency Services in Heath Institutions.

“The reason of the minister in creating these three sub-committees is to assure that as a country we look at emergency care holistically right from the community, to the health institutions,” said Committee Chairman Dr. Ahmed Nuhu Zakariah. “And once we are resourced enough and supported to weight, we can guarantee adequate emergency care in the country.”

Dr. Ahmed Nuhu Zakariah addresses the newly inaugurated emergency services committee.

Ghana Partners US In Medical Exercise
By Juliet Buntuguh & Jamila Akweley Okertchiri

The United States and the Ghana Armed Forces have launched a ten-day medical assistance training exercise for military medical personnel in Accra.
The exercise, which is being facilitated by the Medical Field Logistics Assistance Group (MEDFLAG), is aimed at promoting interoperability in addition to increasing medical capacity in the Ghanaian army.
At the opening ceremony, the leader of the US team, Lt. Col. Boyd explained that MEDFLAG creates a platform for the two armies to build and expand their medical capabilities, as well as foster mutually-beneficial relationships.
He stressed that the exercise was also to build and expand the deplorable medical capability of the Ghana Armed Forces as well as enhance the readiness of both countries’ medical personnel through a variety of disciplines including classroom instructions, three humanitarian civil assistance events in local areas, and a scenario demonstration.
Lt. Col Boyd noted that the annual bilateral exercise will facilitate the exchange of medical information and techniques within the two armies.
“We are going to learn how to exchange and use information,” he added.
He expressed hope that both armies will leave the exercise stronger and more experienced than before as they provide medical, dental and veterinary services to civilians.
The Chief of Defence Staff, Lt. Gen. P. A Blay, stated at the ceremony that, apart from the numerous benefits the exercise will bring, “more importantly, it will foster the community relations of the Ghana Armed Forces through the humanitarian civil assistance.”
He therefore asked participants to put all their energies and time into the exercise as this would not only benefit them but also help extend support to less privileged civilians who avail themselves for the Humanitarian Assistance Programme.
“We expect each and every participant to have learned enough to improve his or her field of expertise after the exercise,” Lt Gen. Blay said in conclusion.

University of Ghana Breaks New Grounds
By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri and Michael Ciaglo

The University of Ghana has launched a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) programme in economics for post-graduate students.
It also cut the sod for the construction of a building for the Department of Economics, funded by the Bank of Ghana (BoG).
The Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Ernest Aryeetey, said the initiative to start the PhD programme forms part of the university’s plan to enhance the department of economics in the coming years.
The programme, designed to accommodate 20 of the current 70 M Phil students, has the possibility to elevate the department.
Mr. Aryeetey stated that with the support of the economics department “we will take our first batch of 20 students studying for their PhD in economics and pair them with lecturers from Connell, Yale, Ellisdon and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) next year.”
He expressed the hope that the PhD programme will “create an enabling intellectual environment for training and research and will eventually elevate the department to the status of a School of Economics.”
Mr. Aryeetey highlighted plans for the programme during the launch of the sod cutting ceremony.
The Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Paa Kwesi Amissah-Arthur, noted that the PhD programme is “consistent with the Bank of Ghana’s corporate social responsibility, hence its decision to provide a grant of US$2,000,000 for completion of Phase 1 of the project.”

He said the increase in the number of students is affecting the facilities, adding that conditions are definitely not congenial for academic work.
Mr. Amissah-Arthur said with the increase in the number of students from about 400 in 1990 to 20, 000 in recent years, students have to pack themselves in the lecture block with some standing outside to listen to lectures.
However, he noted that in spite of the challenges confronting the department, it continues to contribute towards the training of economists.
He was optimistic that the project will be completed within budget and on time to “enable us meet next year to commission the building.”

Dr. Fritz A. Gockel, Head of the Department of Economics, said the new building will consist of an 890-seat main auditorium, 12 seminar rooms, a computer room and library that will allow the school to grow.

Though the department is still looking for more investors to complete the project, phase one is slated to be completed by July 2012.

Caption: from left: Alfred Langdon, project architect, Prof. Kwesi Yankeh, Pro-Vice Chancellor, Paa Kwesi Amissah-Arthur, Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Prof. Ernest Aryeetey, vice chancellor and Dr. Fritz Gockel, head of the Department of Economics look over the model of the new Economics Annex.

Minister Outdoors Committees
By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri and Michael Ciaglo

THE MINISTER of Health, Joseph Yieleh Chireh, has inaugurated the allied health committee and the health awards planning committee as part of the ministry’s efforts to provide quality health services to Ghanaians.
Swearing in the nine-member allied health taskforce, the minister observed that with the increasing number of health related facilities in the country, there is a need to have a statutory body to regulate their operations in order to safeguard the health of the citizens.
He said unlike doctors, nurses, pharmacists and midwives whose work is regulated by an established authority, there is a large group of health professionals who fall under the umbrella of an allied health group.
This group’s work is not regulated because there is no established authority to monitor their work, hence the inauguration of the taskforce.
“Language and speech pathologists, paramedics, clinical psychologists, dieticians, cardiovascular technologists, radiologists, optometrists and medical assistants are all not under any authority so their work is not monitored,” Mr. Yieleh Chireh said.
He pledged his ministry’s support to the taskforce as outlined in their duties which are to “regulate the scope of practice for these professions, regulate the standard of professionals whose work has direct contact with the populace, ensure sustained standard of studies in institutions and monitor, inspect and facilitate continuous improvement in the [health] sector.”
In addition, he assured the taskforce that the ministry would “advise the ministry of health, conduct licensing examinations for those who have not had professional training, as well as help with the implementation of the allied health bill when it becomes a law.”
He indicated that this taskforce “will reduce the work of quacks and charlatans who pose as professionals and through their shabby work, reduce the good image of medical professionals.”
At the inauguration, the sector minister also established the health awards committee and urged the members to recognize the best medical professionals at institutional and agency levels to improve overall performance in the health sector.
This, he stated, will encourage the continuation of the good work some health workers are already practicing across the country.
“The time has come for us to change the trend and show practical appreciation for the efforts of health workers for their contributions to improve the health status of the people in Ghana,” he added.
The committee is also mandated to come up with guidelines to sustain the celebration of health professionals and make the selection processes fair across all medical professions.
In their acceptance speeches, the chairmen of the two committees, Dr. Samuel Opoku of the College of Health Sciences at the University of Ghana, and Dr. Sylvester Amemana of the Ghana Health Services both expressed a deep sense of appreciation for the creation of the two committees and vowed to deliver on their duties.