Latest news with #FrankLule
Zawya
21-03-2025
- Health
- Zawya
World Health Organization (WHO) Supports Ghana's Efforts to Strengthen Nutrition Services with Essential Nutrition Actions Package
The World Health Organization (WHO) has reaffirmed its commitment to improving nutrition services, working with the Ghana Health Service and partners to adapt and provide printed copies of the revised Essential Nutrition Actions (ENAs) Package. The revised ENA marks a significant step in ensuring that frontline health workers have the necessary tools to implement comprehensive nutrition interventions at the Primary Health Care (PHC) level. The ENAs Package serves as a roadmap for integrating nutrition services into Ghana's Universal Health Coverage (UHC) strategy. It builds on the country's 2020-2030 UHC Roadmap, which prioritizes PHC as the foundation for improving service delivery. Ghana's revised ENAs package adopts a life-course approach recognizing that, addressing malnutrition requires interventions at all critical stages of life—from pregnancy through childhood, adolescence, and adulthood, ensuring that no one is left behind. Since 2014, Ghana has implemented seven (7) ENAs, adapted from WHO's global framework. These actions targeted pregnant and lactating women and children under five and emphasized a few key interventions. However, to address emerging nutrition challenges—including childhood obesity and the long-term effects of poor nutrition, Ghana has updated its ENAs package, building on the previous and the latest evidence-based interventions to tackle malnutrition in all its forms. This revised package of 58 interventions is also aligned with the updated Global WHO ENAs Framework (2019), national health policies and guidelines. Speaking on the importance of this donation, Dr. Frank Lule, Officer in Charge of WHO Ghana, emphasized WHO's commitment to strengthening Ghana's health system. "Nutrition is a critical pillar of health and ensuring that healthcare providers have access to updated resources is essential for improving service delivery. This revised package will support health workers in delivering high-quality nutrition services across the country", he said. Received on behalf of the Ghana Health Service (GHS) by Madam Olivia Mawunyo Timpo, Deputy Director Nutrition - Family Health Division, expressed appreciation for WHO's continued support, noting that the provision of these materials will enhance capacity building and ensure that nutrition services are effectively integrated into primary health care delivery. She conveyed the department's appreciation to UNICEF and the academic community for their contributions to the document's adaptation. The newly printed ENAs materials include detailed interventions, guidelines for facility-based staff, and standardized training resources to ensure effective implementation of essential nutrition actions. These materials will be distributed across various healthcare facilities, empowering frontline health workers to provide comprehensive nutrition services to communities as part of a coordinated action from different sectors. Through initiatives like this, WHO and GHS continue to work together to enhance Ghana's health security and ensure that nutrition services remain a core component of the country's journey toward UHC. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of World Health Organization (WHO), Ghana.
BBC News
14-02-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Tins to know as Ghana begin cholera vaccination afta 50 pipo die across di kontri
Di Ghana health service don begin to vaccinate pipo against cholera for di kontri afta ova 50 pipo don die. So far at least five out of di kontris 16 regions of Ghana don confam cases of cholera as hospitals dey struggle to deal wit di outbreak. Many oda pipio bin dey on admission. Data from di health service and ministry of health don show say for di greater Accra, Eastern, Central, Ashanti and Western regions na di regions wey don record cases. Dr Denis Laryea wia be oga in charge of disease surveillance don tok say "pipo bin dey die sake of many pipo wia get di disease try to self-medicate, wia odas bin dey report to di hospital three to four days afta di infection." Na so dem begin to vaccinate pipo for di greater Accra region between 14 -17 February 2025 as im be di region wit di most cases - more than 200 out of di 6,000 cases across di kontri. Di western and central regions also gat plenty cases. For three days, di Ghana health service say dem dey target 300,000 pipo for dis vaccination for Accra. Di areas for dis vaccination na di Ablekuma south, Okaikwei south and ashiedu keteke, all for di greater Accra region. Who qualify for dis vaccination Di health service say di oral cholera vaccine (OCV) na for every body wey be one year and above. Dem also tok say di vaccine dey safe and effective "Make una look for your area for di vaccination team, and take di vaccine to protect yourserf," di health service tok. Di world health organisation don tok say cholera na "highly contagious illness wia be global health threat. If dem no treat am, cholera fit to lead to death," country director for di WHO Frank Lule tok. For dis round of vaccination, di GHS say dem go do house-to-house and target districts wey be hotspots. Symptoms of cholera Di Ministry of health bin dey educate pipo since last year ova di illness. Dem tok say to know say di sickness una dey see na cholera, di patient go get - diarrhoea (wen pipo go dey poopoo water water) - Vomitting - Patients go dey thirsty, tired and weak - Loss of body fluids wia fit lead to death Cholera dey spread by flies, water and food. E dey transfer from faecal matter to pesin mouth. If pesin drink water and food wey contaminate, im fit sick of cholera How to prevent cholera According to di health service - pipo gat to drink clean water - Wash your hands with soap and running water - Wash fruits and vegetables well well - Practise good hygiene - Eat food wey hot - Make pipo stop open defecation - If pesin get acute diarrhoea dem gat to drink ORS quick and visit di hospital - Pipo wia dey sell food gat to wash plates, cups, and oda tins well well
Zawya
11-02-2025
- Health
- Zawya
Ghana Hosts Consultative Meeting to Strengthen Africa's Health Security Through National Public Health Agencies
Africa's ability to effectively prepare for and respond to health emergencies took a significant step forward as public health leaders, technical experts, and key stakeholders convened for a high-level regional consultation on strengthening National Public Health Agencies (NPHAs). Hosted in Ghana by the World Health Organization (WHO) African Region, the meeting brought together representatives from across the continent to assess and refine the core framework that will enhance Africa's health security architecture. With public health emergencies increasing in frequency and complexity, the role of NPHAs has never been more critical. NPHAs serve as central hubs for disease surveillance, outbreak response, laboratory diagnostics and risk communication, thus, ensuring they are well-structured, adequately resourced, and effectively governed is vital. Yet, their effectiveness depends on strong governance models, sustainable financing, and strategic partnerships. The consultation provided a platform for African experts to shape the evolving governance models of NPHAs with focus on institutional strengthening and sustainable financing mechanisms. Speaking at the opening of the consultative meeting, Dr. Frank Lule, Officer in Charge at WHO Ghana, highlighted the broader vision of the meeting and called on participants to give their best. "This meeting goes beyond defining technical capacities; it's about rethinking governance models, strengthening partnerships within emergency management', he said. Through in-depth discussions, participants examined how NPHAs could be better positioned to operate autonomously while maintaining strong coordination with Ministries of Health and other key agencies. The frequency of public health threats in Africa calls for stronger, more coordinated response mechanisms. Director General of Ghana Health Service, Prof. Samuel Kaba Akoriyea, emphasized the importance of this engagement. He said, "As Ghana faces pressing public health challenges, this programme comes at a crucial time. I look forward to the insights that will emerge from this meeting to strengthen our response." Stakeholders explored ways to improve technical capacity, optimize resource allocation, and ensure that NPHAs can effectively lead health emergency preparedness and response efforts in their respective countries. Strengthening collaboration between NPHAs, WHO, Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), and other global health institutions was also identified as a key strategy to enhance preparedness and response across the region. The consultation concluded with a strong commitment to empowering NPHAs and ensuring their active role in Africa's health security framework. Key outcomes included: A clearer understanding of the current landscape of NPHAs in Africa and their contributions to emergency preparedness and response. Refinement of the core capabilities framework, integrating African perspectives and experiences. Strengthened partnerships among NPHAs, WHO, Africa CDC, and other key stakeholders to enhance regional cooperation. Identification of actionable steps for WHO, partner organizations, and governments to improve NPHAs' capacity and positioning in emergency preparedness and response. By fostering strategic partnerships and refining governance models, this consultation has set the stage for a more resilient health emergency preparedness system in Africa. As the recommendations from this meeting take shape, NPHAs are poised to play an even greater role in protecting public health and responding effectively to future crises. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of World Health Organization (WHO), Ghana.
