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One in three babies born to HIV-positive mothers at risk of toxoplasmosis, KNUST study reveals

A new study from researchers at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi has found that nearly one in three babies born to HIV-positive mothers in Ghana contract toxoplasmosis, a parasitic disease that can cause severe, long-term health complications if left untreated.

The study, conducted at KNUST’s University Hospital, revealed that infants born to HIV-positive mothers faced a significantly higher risk of Toxoplasma gondii infection compared to those born to HIV-negative mothers.

Toxoplasmosis, which can be transmitted during pregnancy, may lead to vision loss, brain damage, and developmental delays in children. The risk was particularly elevated in women with compromised immune systems, such as those living with HIV.

Key findings showed that over half of the HIV-positive pregnant women in the study had an acute T. gondii infection, with more than half of these cases resulting in transmission to their babies. In contrast, recent infections were rare among HIV-negative women, though transmission still occurred in half of those cases.

Dr. Bhavana Singh, lead researcher from KNUST’s Department of Clinical Microbiology, noted that older age and unemployment were significant risk factors for infection among HIV-positive women.

 Genetic analysis also confirmed that the toxoplasmosis strain circulating in Ghana matches a common global variant found in regions like Europe and North America.

While not all infected newborns exhibited immediate symptoms, the research team emphasized the need for long-term monitoring up to 10 years as complications can emerge later in childhood.

The study published in the Journal of Science and Technology (JUST) underscores the urgent need for enhanced prenatal screening, particularly for high-risk groups, and greater public health education about toxoplasmosis prevention.

Additional authors include Dr. Linda Batsa Debrah, Dr. Georgina Isabella Djameh, and Prof. Alexander Yaw Debrah.

Otumfuo Osei Tutu II Foundation donates essential equipment to Manhyia Gov’t Hospital

The Otumfuo Osei Tutu II Foundation has donated essential medical equipment to the Nana Konadu Yiadom III maternity block at the Manhyia Government Hospital to support quality health delivery.

The Foundation commissioned and handed over the 30-bed maternity block to the hospital in April 2024 and has now equipped it with some items valued at ¢110,400.

The donated items include air conditioners, hospital beds, a sterilizer machine, and theatre lamp.

According to Akwasi Oduro Korankye, Portfolio Head of the Otumfuo Osei Tutu II Foundation, “this gesture aligns with the Foundation’s mission to enhance access to quality healthcare and promote maternal and child health.”

The Foundation expressed gratitude to Asanteman UK for providing funds and resources to support its initiatives in health, education, water, and sanitation, honoring the legacy of Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II.

World-first gonorrhoea vaccine launched by NHS England as infections soar

England will be the first country in the world to start vaccinating people against the sexually transmitted infection gonorrhoea.

It will not be available for everyone. The focus will mainly be on gay and bisexual men with a history of multiple sexual partners or an STI.

The vaccine is 30-40% effective, but NHS England hopes it will reverse soaring numbers of infections.

There were more than 85,000 cases in 2023 – the highest since records began in 1918.

Gonorrhoea does not always have symptoms, but they can include pain, unusual discharge, inflammation of the genitals and infertility.

How many people will chose to be immunised is uncertain.

But projections by Imperial College London show that if the jab proves popular then it could prevent 100,000 cases and save the NHS nearly £8m over the next decade.

Max, a sexual health campaigner, told BBC Newsbeat he would “100%” take the vaccine after being diagnosed with gonorrhoea twice within a year.

“I think this is great that it’s been announced”, he says, adding: “It’s going to take the pressure off the clinics, it’s just a big win all round.”

Vaccination will start in August and will be offered through sexual health services.

Public Health Scotland said it was also working on plans to launch its own programme for high-risk individuals.

BBC Newsbeat has asked health bodies in Wales and Northern Ireland whether they intend to do the same.

Is it effective enough?

This vaccine wasn’t designed for gonorrhoea. It’s the meningitis B vaccine currently given to babies.

But the bacteria that cause the two diseases are so closely related that the MenB jab appears to cut gonorrhoea cases by around a third.

That will require a delicate conversation in sexual health clinics as the vaccine will not eliminate the risk of catching gonorrhoea. It is normally caught while having sex without a condom.

But Prof Andrew Pollard, the chair of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), which recommended the vaccine, said despite it only being 30% effective, it was “worth having” and could have “a huge impact” overall.

The decision is not just about the record numbers of cases. Gonorrhoea is becoming increasingly difficult to treat.

Most cases are treated with a single dose of antibiotics, but there is an 80-year history of the bacterium which causes gonorrhoea repeatedly evolving resistance to our antibiotics.

It’s happening to the current treatments too and is why some doctors are concerned gonorrhoea could one-day become untreatable.

The best way to deal with a drug-resistant infection is to never catch it in the first place.

Dr Amanda Doyle, from NHS England, said: “The launch of a world-first routine vaccination for gonorrhoea is a huge step forward for sexual health and will be crucial in protecting individuals, helping to prevent the spread of infection and reduce the rising rates of antibiotic resistant strains of the bacteria.”

The people most affected by gonorrhoea in the UK are those aged 16-to-25, gay and bisexual men, and those of black and Caribbean ancestry.

The vaccine – which costs around £8 per dose – is value for money when primarily offered to gay and bisexual men, rather than all teenagers.

However, clinicians do have the freedom to use their own judgement and offer the vaccine to people using sexual health services they think are of equally high risk.

People will be offered mpox (formerly known as monkeypox), HPV and hepatitis vaccines at the same time.

Prof Matt Phillips, president of the British Association for Sexual Health and HIV, said: “This is excellent news and a landmark moment for sexual health in England.

“Gonorrhoea diagnoses are at their highest since records began and this has the potential to help us to turn that around.”

It is not known how long the protection provided by the vaccine will last or how often booster jabs might be required.

The decision comes almost a year and a half after a vaccination programme was recommended by the UK’s JCVI.

Sexual health campaigners had criticised the long wait, but have welcomed this decision.

Katie Clark, head of policy and advocacy at the Terrance Higgins Trust, called it a “huge win”.

Keren Tetteh: Transforming Lives through Communication Empowerment

In our everyday lives, effective communication is essential to ensure comprehension and build connections. It’s not just about talking but being heard and understood. But sometimes, these things may not come naturally, especially for children. This is where the work of speech and language professionals becomes incredibly important. They play a crucial role in helping individuals overcome communication challenges, which in turn enhances educational opportunities and promotes inclusivity.

One such dedicated professional is Keren Tetteh, a licensed speech and language therapist.

Keren specialises in diagnosing and treating communication disorders, and her work involves a variety of responsibilities.

What sets Keren apart is her holistic approach to therapy. She understands that communication is not just a clinical issue but also has emotional and social dimensions.

Keren is passionate about empowering individuals through effective communication, firmly believing that everyone deserves the chance to express themselves and connect with others.

She is currently working towards her doctorate in Communication Sciences and Disorders at Teachers College, Columbia University.

For her, this journey is not just about earning a degree; it’s an opportunity for her to dive into the fascinating world of communication and discover new therapy techniques that can truly make a difference.

In addition to her studies, Keren teaches part-time at the University of Ghana in the Department of Audiology, Speech and Language Therapy. Here, she shares her passion and expertise with future speech and language therapists, encouraging them to empower others and create positive change in their communities. Keren’s commitment to both her education and her students reflects her dedication to the field and her desire to inspire the next generation of professionals.

Keren’s philosophy centres on the idea that effective communication is a fundamental human right. “When individuals can express themselves, they gain confidence and a sense of agency,” she explains.

Though this empowerment benefits the individual, it also enriches the community as a whole. Keren emphasises that communication goes beyond just words; it includes non-verbal cues, social interactions, and emotional expression.

She believes society can drive greater understanding and collaboration among its members by breaking down communication barriers.

Keren also highlights the broader social and national benefits of communication empowerment. “In a diverse society like ours, effective communication is essential for social cohesion. Articulation is required for needs and ideas to be understood, leading to better relationships and a more inclusive environment.”  

Furthermore, she points out that strong communication skills can drive economic growth, as individuals who can express their thoughts are more likely to succeed in education and the workforce.

Keren’s dedication to her field is evident from her previous role in pediatric Speech and Language clinics, focusing on the health needs of children.

There, she played a vital role in ensuring that children received the support they needed to thrive. Keren, together with these facilities, promote their mission for optimal healthcare and development for all children. Her expertise was instrumental in achieving these goals. She collaborated with families, educators, and healthcare professionals to create comprehensive care plans tailored to each child’s unique needs.

As a licensed speech and language therapist, Keren is also an active member of professional organisations like the Speech Therapists and Audiologists Association of Ghana (STAAG), currently working on some research papers.

Her involvement in these groups reflects her commitment to professional development and advocacy for the field. Keren holds a Master of Science in Speech and Language Therapy from the University of Ghana, Korle-Bu, which has equipped her with the skills necessary to excel in her profession.

The work of speech and language therapists like Keren Tetteh is vital in transforming lives through communication empowerment. They enhance personal well-being and contribute to the social fabric of their communities.

The impact of effective communication extends beyond individual lives, promoting inclusivity, understanding, and driving national progress. For Keren, helping individuals overcome barriers to expression makes her feel fulfilled and drives her passion to achieve a more equitable and connected world.

Be cautious in attempts to rescue accident victims – Ambulance Service advises public

The Ashanti Regional Manager of the National Ambulance Service, Paemt Sommik Duut Miilon, is admonishing the public to exercise restraint and care when responding to accident victims.

He says the well-meaning gesture to respond swiftly and save victims of carnage could sometimes rather cause more harm than good.

“When it comes to priorities, we look at Road Traffic Accidents (RTA). We prioritize accidents because at the point in time, those people need immediate attention. Sometimes people end up dying, not because of the injuries that occur to them but because of the way they are handled, by bystanders and all,” he said.

Speaking on Luv FM, Mr. Miilon observed that attempts by the public to help crash victims before emergency personnel arrive could worsen injuries and cause fatal consequences.

“In Ghana, we always want to help. Immediately when accidents happen, people try to step in. But some people are better left just the way they are for professionals to get there, because when you have someone who’s trapped in a car, and you pull the person out, if the person can survive probably like 30 to 45 minutes, immediately you pull them out, they may end up having just like 5 minutes,” he said.

He offered life-saving tips for people who find themselves at accident scenes and insist on helping, urging the public to avoid certain critical mistakes.

“What mostly kills is bleeding. Either internal or external, so if it is either the hands or the legs that is affected, and the person is bleeding profusely and not trapped, you can get any cloth and put it on it.

“If it is an amputation, you’ll get a rope that can tie the amputation to restrict the blood from coming out. When something is stuck in somebody, please don’t remove it. When someone is stuck in a car, you don’t pull the person out, you wait for the fire service to get there and move the person safely,” he stated.

He further cautioned the public to desist from prank calls and rather use emergency lines responsibly to ensure immediate emergency response to save lives.

Hearse operators abusing sirens should be arrested and prosecuted – Ambulance Service

The Ghana National Ambulance Service (GNAS) is alarmed by the rampant abuse of the emergency sirens by some motorists, particularly hearse operators and individuals who employ the services of a motorcade for easy movements within traffic jams.

The Service is distraught about the challenges the siren misuse is posing in the discharge of their duties as some motorists tend to refuse them road access during emergency situations.

Speaking on Luv FM, Ashanti Regional Manager of the Ambulance Service, Paemt Sommik Duut Miilon raised concerns about the growing challenge EMS teams face in navigating traffic.

He cited the common practice of hearse operators abusing sirens, which contribute to delays in response time, despite not being medical emergencies.

“On Fridays and Saturdays, you see the hearse operators on the roads. There’s no emergency for dead bodies, so those people need to be arrested by police and prosecuted,” he said.

Mr. Duut Miilon urged road users to give way swiftly, stressing that delays often occur due to the traffic congestion caused by unauthorized use of the sirens.

He called for enforcement, urging authorities to militate against the misuse of sirens and prioritize the free passage of legitimate emergency vehicles.

While the standard international response time for medical emergencies is approximately 8 minutes with some places achieving as low as 5 minutes, the Ashanti Region’s average currently stands at 17 minutes.

This, Mr. Duut clarified, is not due to a lack of ambulances or their non-readiness, but largely because some patients’ request transfers between hospitals and prank calls.

“Ghana’s EMS professionals are equipped and ready but they can only save lives if the public stops misusing emergency lines and starts responding responsibly. Prank calls aren’t just annoying they’re deadly distractions,” he noted.

Mr. Duut highlighted the sheer number of prank calls flooding their dispatch center daily with at least 200 calls from individuals who phone in to make unnecessary demands.

The worrying situation often thwarts the service from offering the needed help to genuine calls.

“We have the 112 which is the emergency line for Ghana but we can get over 200 to 300 pranked calls, the line doesn’t rest. These aren’t harmless jokes. They range from insults to nonsensical requests like airtime, all of which choke the lifeline meant for real emergencies,” he said.

Compassion over wealth: Alhaji Agongo fulfills GH¢500,000 pledge to Ghana Medical Trust Fund

Last week, under the warm Accra sun, businessman Seidu Agongo stood before officials at the Ministry of Health, his eyes reflecting both determination and compassion as he presented a check for GH¢500,000 to the Ghana Medical Trust Fund.

The presentation was on behalf of Alive Industries, redeeming a pledge Alhaji Agongo, its founder and head made during the launch of the Ghana Medical Trust Fund by President John Dramani Mahama.

In a country where the monthly minimum wage hovers around GH¢450, imagine facing medical bills of GH¢8,400 every month just to stay alive.

This is the crushing reality for thousands of Ghanaians suffering from kidney failure, a silent epidemic claiming lives not just through disease, but through financial impossibility.

“I see their faces every day,” Alhaji Agongo told the media, his voice steady but emotional. “Mothers who sell everything they own for one more treatment. Fathers, who must choose between feeding their children and staying alive to raise them.”

“These are the impossible choices no Ghanaian should have to make,” the businessman said, highlighting his closeness with the critical survival situations that drew him into making the donation.

As the owner of a dialysis centre, the founder of the collapsed Heritage Bank said he has witnessed firsthand the devastating arithmetic of kidney disease in Ghana.  

Each dialysis session costs approximately GH¢800, with most patients requiring three sessions weekly—totaling about GH¢8,400 monthly or roughly $800 in a country where average monthly income averages $750, according to the Global Payroll Association.

More than half of the working class earn less than that, according to the association.

“In a developing country where people hardly get food to eat, this is a significant strain,” Alhaji Agongo explained, surveying the room of health officials and journalists during the donation.

“That’s nearly 20 times the minimum wage. How can we expect our people to bear this?” he asked to deafening silence.

Bolster hope, securing lives

Alhaji Agongo’s donation is expected to bolster the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, an initiative launched under President Mahama and nicknamed “Mahama Cares.”

The programme specifically targets those most vulnerable: the impoverished, unemployed, elderly, and those without support systems.

The Health Minister, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, visibly moved during the ceremony, emphasised that the donation transcends corporate social responsibility.

“This is about Ghanaians standing for Ghanaians,” he stated. “Alhaji Agongo demonstrates what we all must aspire to— seeing the suffering of our neighbours and responding not because we have much, but because we care deeply.”

Alhaji Agongo, who also owns Agricult, an agricultural-focused company, stressed that his motivation stems from understanding the connection between public health and national prosperity.

“As a businessman, my success means nothing in a society where people die from treatable conditions,” he said.

“My business only flourishes in a healthy environment. We all need access to proper healthcare—not as a luxury, but as a fundamental right,” he added.

Challenging Ghanaians

Alhaji Agongo offered a challenge to fellow Ghanaians to help support each other to make life better.

“This is not about wealth—it’s about compassion. It is not because I have, but because I care. Together, let’s continue to lift others and be the reason someone gets another chance at life.”

Alhaji Agongo has donated to thousands of people across the country, including building a block for the Child Emergency Unit of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital.

Laboratory professionals petition chief of staff over recruitment discrimination

The Medical Laboratory Professional Workers Union (MELPWU) has petitioned the Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, over what it describes as systemic recruitment discrimination against medical laboratory and allied health professionals.

In a vehement petition signed by the MELPWU General Secretary, Dr Cephas Kofi Akortor, the group laments the government’s persistent failure to grant financial clearance for the employment of about 3000 qualified but unemployed medical laboratory and allied health graduates, a situation that has persisted since 2019.

Meanwhile, management of public health facilities engages the services of these individuals on a casual basis and pays them from internally generated funds.

Despite repeated appeals and the well-known shortage of medical laboratory professionals across the country’s health facilities, the union notes that no financial clearance has been granted for its members in six years.

Meanwhile, other health professional groups, including nurses, medical and dental officers, it said, continue to benefit from mass recruitment exercises.

“On May 13, 2025, the Ministry of Health issued a circular for the recruitment of medical and dental officers, yet again excluding medical laboratory officers,” the petition stated, adding that “this ongoing marginalisation of our members is not only unjust but gravely undermines the critical role we play in disease diagnosis, treatment, and prevention”.

According to MELPWU, medical laboratory professionals currently form the largest group of health workers engaged under Internally Generated Funds (IGF) across public hospitals in Ghana, a situation that subjects them to insecure and poorly remunerated conditions, devoid of job security and pension benefits.

The petition further highlights that despite assurances from the government following a nationwide strike in June 2024, including a commitment to process financial clearance for 19,351 allied health professionals, no concrete feedback or action has been taken by the Employer.

“This silence has only deepened the frustration and agitation among our members and the thousands of qualified professionals languishing in unemployment,” the petition stated.

“We are witnessing the creation of a class of overworked, underpaid, and unrecognised health professionals, whose contributions are being exploited under precarious conditions”.

Efforts by the union to engage key stakeholders, particularly the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Finance, and the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission, have not yielded results.

They are yet to receive a response to the latest letter addressed to the Minister of Health on April 7, 2025.

The union is demanding two key actions from the government: Immediate financial clearance and permanent posting of qualified but non-mechanised medical laboratory and allied health professionals, particularly all the staff currently working under IGF arrangements; and a clear, time-bound recruitment roadmap that ensures equity and regular employment opportunities for medical laboratory and allied health professionals, in line with the other health sector professions experiencing near-zero unemployment.

The petition warns that failure to act on these demands will leave the union with no option but to resort to legitimate industrial action.

“The allied health community is no longer merely pleading for jobs; we are demanding fairness, equity, and justice,” the petition concluded.