Health

The Ghana Health Service (GHS), in an effort to reduce the prevalence of the human papillomavirus among women in Ghana, will roll out a vaccination campaign by the end of the year targeting pre-adolescents aged 9 to 14. This nationwide vaccination aims to immunize adolescents before entering into sexual activity, given the alarming rate of cervical cancer. Programmes Manager for ...

Cameroon will be the first country to routinely give children a new malaria vaccine as the shots are rolled out in Africa. Officials described the campaign due to start Monday as a milestone in the decades-long effort to curb the mosquito-spread disease on the continent, which accounts for 95% of the world’s malaria deaths. “The vaccination will save lives. It ...

Introduction In communities across Ghana, the prevalence of mental illnesses such as depression, anxiety, and schizophrenia remain alarmingly high. Unfortunately, the majority of cases go unnoticed and untreated due to limited resources and the pervasive social stigma surrounding mental health. This article aims to shed light on the silent suffering experienced by Ghanaians and emphasizes the urgent need for mental healthcare reform. Prevalence and ...

The number of people using tobacco continues to decline despite industry attempts to jeopardize progress towards stamping out cigarettes and other such products, the World Health Organization (WHO) said in a report published on Tuesday.  Trends in 2022 showed that roughly one in five adults worldwide uses tobacco, compared to one in three in the year 2000. While cigarette smoking ...

The Ghana Health Service has revealed that a total of 3,688 health personnel have left the country to seek greener pastures within the last three years. The Ghana Health Service says the figure comprises professional and critical caregivers. Some health professionals leaving the country have cited poor working conditions in Ghana as the reason for vacating their positions to seek ...

The Ghanaian government should provide rights-based mental health services and adequate support for housing, independent living, and job training for people with mental health conditions, Human Rights Watch said today, head of the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on December 10, 2023. Human Rights Watch released a short film featuring three people who were locked up because they have a mental ...

Pregnant and lactating women are advised to be cautious about consuming seafood such as shrimp, lobsters, and fish like tuna. This is because these foods may contain high levels of mercury and other heavy metals that can potentially affect the cognitive development of babies. Professor Richmond Aryeetey, Dean of the University of Ghana School of Public Health, highlighted that a ...

Ghana’s 2017 ban on shackling people with psychosocial disabilities – or mental health conditions – has not halted the practice, Human Rights Watch said today. The government has not adequately resourced the enforcement mechanisms to monitor compliance by faith-based centers where people are being held in chains and assist those currently being unlawfully detained. Human Rights Watch visited two spiritual ...

Following the dedication of October as Mental Health Month, MindFreedom Ghana has collaborated with the Ngleshie Amanfro Polyclinic to educate the people in the Community on psychosocial issues.   World Mental Health Day 2023, was held on the theme ‘Mental health is a universal human right’ Experts say the commemoration of Mental Health Day presents an opportunity for people and communities ...

The United Nations Human Rights Council has raised concerns about the lack of enforcement of Ghana’s Mental Health Law, Act 846(2012). The Council observed at a recently held Universal Peer Review( UPR) Process in Geneva, Switzerland that the absence of a robust enforcement regime has made it difficult to report the most inhumane and degrading treatment of persons with mental ...