The Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the Ghana Health Service, has marked this year’s World Tuberculosis (TB) Day with a call for increased commitment, investment, and effective delivery of TB control measures.
Under the theme “Yes, We Can End TB! Commit, Invest, Deliver,” the commemoration emphasized the urgent need for action to eliminate the disease. Stakeholders at the event identified key challenges hindering TB control in Ghana, including stigma, limited access to diagnostic tools, and inadequate funding.
In his address, the Minister of Health, Mr. Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, highlighted Ghana’s progress in TB case detection while acknowledging persisting gaps.
He revealed that in 2024, the country recorded over 20,000 TB cases—a significant improvement—yet still below the World Health Organization’s (WHO) target of 44,000 cases annually.
In a statement, the Minister stated their commitment to ending TB by increasing funding for control activities, improving access to diagnostic tools such as GeneXpert machines and digital X-rays, and strengthening the healthcare systems to ensure no TB patient goes undiagnosed or untreated.
Mr. Akandoh also urged Ghanaians to actively participate in the fight against TB by raising awareness in their communities, supporting affected individuals, and encouraging early testing. He challenged the public to reflect on their contributions, asking: “Can you raise awareness? Can you support someone with TB? Can you encourage others to get tested?”
The Director-General of the Ghana Health Service, Prof. Samuel Kaba Akoriyea, reinforced the theme’s message, stating that eliminating TB requires strong leadership commitment, sustained investments, and effective implementation of TB interventions. He announced that Ghana’s National TB Control Program has revised its guidelines to align with WHO’s latest global standards.
Adding to the discourse, Prof. Dorothy Yeboah-Manu, Chairperson of the Advisory Board of the National TB Control Program, emphasized the importance of research in identifying undiagnosed TB cases.
She urged stakeholders to continue investing in TB control efforts.
“Let us commit our time, our resources, and our men into TB control effort,” she urged.
For the eighth year in a row, Finland has been named the world’s happiest country in the World Happiness Report published on Thursday.
Compiled annually by pollster Gallup, the United Nations, and the University of Oxford’s Wellbeing Research Centre, the report uses data gathered from over 140 countries around the world.
As in previous editions of the report, the top 10 is dominated by European countries with all but three entries from the continent.
Within that group, the top four in the 2025 report continue to be an all-Nordic affair with Finland being closed followed by Denmark (second), Iceland (third), and Sweden (fourth).
How do you measure happiness?
The notion of happiness is in itself subjective but the annual World Happiness Report rankings are based on subjective life evaluations compiled over the past three years from the Gallup World Poll in cooperation with the University of Oxford and the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network.
Interdisciplinary experts from the fields of economics, psychology, and sociology are then called in to review the data and make evaluations.
The variables quantified by the report’s authors include income (GDP per capita), healthy life expectancy, social support, freedom to make life choices, generosity, and freedom from corruption.
For the first time, the 2025 report’s data crunchers have looked at the impact of benevolent behaviour on our well-being and happiness levels.
Importance of caring
“Happiness isn’t just about wealth or growth – it’s about trust, connection, and knowing people have your back,” Jon Clifton, the CEO of Gallup, said. “If we want stronger communities and economies, we must invest in what truly matters: each other”.
Researchers say that beyond health and wealth, some factors that influence happiness sound deceptively simple: sharing meals with others, having somebody to count on for social support, and household size.
In Mexico and Europe, for example, a household size of four to five people predicts the highest levels of happiness, the study said.
While the report authors note the importance of the family unit as a hallmark of caring and sharing, with large Latin American households being particularly singled out, the growing trend towards loneliness – most strongly felt by young people – is still prevalent.
In 2023, 19 per cent of young adults globally reported having no one to rely on for support, an increase of 39 per cent compared to 2006.
However, believing in the kindness of others is also much more closely tied to happiness than previously thought, according to the latest findings.
As an example, the report suggests that people who believe that others are willing to return their lost wallet is a strong predictor of the overall happiness of a population.
Nordic nations rank among the top places for expected and actual return of lost wallets, the study found.
According to Alexandra Peth, a managing director of a bioindustry trade association in Finland, said Finnish culture prioritises trust and connection.
“People trust each other in Finland and I think on many levels in the society, we try to support each other,” Peth said. “So I think the system makes it kind of that you can trust it somehow”.
Overall, researchers said that global evidence on the perceived and actual return of lost wallets shows that people are much too pessimistic about the kindness of their communities compared to reality – actual rates of wallet return are around twice as high as people expect.
For the first time in the annual World Happiness Report, benevolence is being considered as a factor in gauging our well-being.
Which 10 countries were the least happy?
Afghanistan retains its position at the bottom of the table, with the bottom 10 largely remaining the same country-wise though their positions have been shuffled somewhat.
138. Lesotho
139. Comoros
140. Yemen
141. DR Congo
142. Botswana
143. Zimbabwe
144. Malawi
145. Lebanon
146. Sierre Leone
147. Afghanistan
Which countries were the 10 happiest?
The four happiest countries remain unchanged in 2025 with the Nordic countries carrying the top spots again this year.
However, there have been some changes in the rest of the top 10 with Costa Rica and Mexico pushing Switzerland and Australia – which took the ninth and tenth spots respectively in 2024 – further down the table.
The Netherlands moved up a spot in this year’s report to make it an all-European top five.
Efforts to promote the adoption of clean energy sources for cooking in Ghana have encountered both challenges and opportunities.
At a National Stakeholder Policy and Strategy Forum on Clean Cooking in Tamale, the CEO of the Ghana Alliance for Clean Cookstoves and Fuels (GhACCF), Mohammed Aminu Lukmanu, highlighted the country’s progress and challenges in transitioning to cleaner cooking methods. He noted that charcoal remains a widely used energy source, particularly in urban areas, despite its health risks.
Citing data from the World Health Organization (WHO), he revealed that approximately 28,000 people die annually in Ghana due to indoor air pollution caused by burning firewood and charcoal.
“Charcoal is used more in urban areas, at about 27%, than in rural areas. This is evident in cities like Accra, Kumasi, and Takoradi, where truckloads of charcoal are transported from regions like Afram Plains, Northern Region, and Kintampo,” Mr. Lukmanu stated.
He attributed the preference for charcoal to its perceived efficiency and lower pollution levels compared to firewood. However, he warned of the severe environmental consequences of charcoal production, particularly in northern Ghana, where the Siena tree is being over-harvested.
“It takes four units of wood to produce one unit of charcoal in the northern sector due to the hardwood. This has led to the depletion of Siena trees, which are being cut down for charcoal production,” he explained.
To mitigate this, Mr. Lukmanu advocated for the use of sustainable feedstock for charcoal production, such as savannah grass, corn harvest waste, and cocoa pods. He also emphasized the need for further research and data collection to better understand the impact of indoor air pollution on public health.
In addition to health risks, he noted that the rising cost of LPG has driven many Ghanaians back to using charcoal and firewood. However, he pointed out that electricity remains a cheaper and cleaner alternative for cooking.
“Cooking with electricity is cheaper than firewood, charcoal, and LPG. With approximately 87% of Ghana having access to electricity, promoting e-cooking or electric cooking is a viable solution,” he asserted.
Stakeholders, including traditional authorities, pledged to use their platforms to educate and sensitize their communities on the benefits of adopting LPG as a cleaner alternative to charcoal. However, they acknowledged that convincing people to switch from charcoal to LPG remains a challenge due to its widespread availability.
To address this, they urged the government to make LPG products more affordable and accessible to the average Ghanaian. They also emphasized the need for more convenient LPG refilling services and a reliable distribution network to support the transition to cleaner cooking fuels.
The National Stakeholder Forum was organized by the Ministry of Energy and Green Transition.
A new large-scale study tracked people’s dietary habits and health outcomes from midlife to about age 70. This is what they found out.
Eating a diet that is mostly plant-based – and that skips red meat and ultra-processed foods – is tied to better physical and mental health in old age, a large new analysis shows.
The study, which was published in the journal Nature Medicine, tracked about 105,000 people in the United States for up to 30 years.
It analysed health outcomes associated with eight diets and eating habits, including the Mediterranean diet, which emphasises olive oil, fish, and nuts, and the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) eating plan, which restricts sodium to help control blood pressure.
Around age 70, the healthiest people’s diets included plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, unsaturated fats, nuts, beans and other legumes, and “moderate” levels of animal-based foods such as low-fat dairy.
Less than 1 in 10 are ageing healthily
While research into diet and health outcomes is nothing new, the study authors said their analysis is one of the first to hit upon how different eating habits in midlife are tied to healthy ageing overall.
In the study, people were considered to be ageing well if they reached 70 without any major chronic conditions, if their brain function was still good, and if they had “intact” mental health and physical abilities.
Compared with other research on healthy ageing, Guasch-Ferré said this is a more comprehensive view that takes into account quality of life rather than just how long people live.
“Do we really want to live longer, or do we want to live better?” she said.
Yet fewer than one in 10 people actually met the bar for healthy ageing, the analysis found.
While the study was done in the US, Guasch-Ferré said the results likely hold up in Europe as well.
The study has some limitations, however. While the researchers tried to take factors like socioeconomic status into account, other issues such as genetics, the environment, and access to healthcare could also play a role in the diet-health nexus.
Even so, Guasch-Ferré said the findings could be used to tweak dietary guidelines – and to help incentivise people to make healthier dining choices.
“Of course, healthy ageing is not just [about] the diet,” she said. But “any improvement on the diet could help”.
Hope for Future Generations (HFFG) and its partners have commended the government for presenting the 2025 Budget and Economic Policy but are calling for increased and sustainable health financing to drive Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
While acknowledging the government’s decision to increase the health budget from GHS 15.6 billion in 2024 to GHS 17.8 billion in 2025, a nominal increase of 13.4%, HFFG noted that this still falls short of the 15% commitment outlined in the Abuja Declaration.
In a statement, the organisation said, after adjusting for inflation, the real value of the 2025 health budget has declined by 23%, which could hinder service delivery and UHC progress.
HFFG commended the Government’s commitment to uncap the National Health Insurance Levy (NHIL) totaling GHS 9.93 billion, aimed at supporting vaccine procurement, claims payments, procurement of essential medicines, bridging donor gaps such as USAID financial shortfalls, free Primary Health Care, and critical care services.
While this is a step in the right direction, the Ministry of Finance must release funds to the NHIA without delay. Additionally, the Ministry of Health should submit timely requests to facilitate the NHIA in fulfilling its mandate.
The organization also highlighted the urgent need for sustainable domestic funding as Ghana prepares for the exit of Gavi support by 2029, to avoid vaccine stockouts and maintain public health gains. They emphasized the importance of achieving vaccine sovereignty. Additionally, HFFG acknowledged the government’s focus on epidemic preparedness and response, but called for a dedicated pool of resources for emergency preparedness, noting the country’s vulnerability to outbreaks.
HFFG’s Key Recommendations:
• Timely Release of Vaccine Co-financing Funds – The government must ensure the prompt release of funds to meet Ghana’s vaccine obligations to prevent shortages and disease outbreaks.
• Increased Health Budget Allocation – Ghana should work towards the Abuja Declaration target of 15% of the national budget for health, as the current 6.32% allocation is insufficient.
• More Domestic Funding for Primary Health Care and Immunization – While the uncapping of NHIL is commendable, additional domestic resources are needed to cover expanded services.
• Dedicated Emergency Preparedness Fund – Ghana needs a reserved funding pool to respond to health emergencies, given the emergence of new disease strains requiring costly treatment.
HFFG reaffirmed its commitment to collaborating with the government and stakeholders to ensure equitable health financing and uninterrupted access to essential health services. The organization urged policymakers to act swiftly to address these critical gaps to safeguard the health of all Ghanaians.
Surgical doctors at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi, Ashanti Region, have suspended all surgical procedures indefinitely due to a severe water shortage that has disrupted operations at the facility.
Hospital authorities report that the water supply issue has persisted since last week, making surgical procedures unsafe and significantly affecting essential healthcare services.
In response to the crisis, the Komfo Anokye Doctors Association issued a memo on March 25, instructing management to comply with the suspension to safeguard patient safety and well-being.
The memo emphasized the critical role of water in maintaining hygiene, performing surgeries, and ensuring proper patient care. However, the ongoing shortage has compromised these essential functions, leaving doctors with no choice but to halt surgical cases temporarily.
“This memo is to formally inform management of the decision taken by the Orthopaedic and Emergency Directorate to temporarily halt the admission of new patients until water supply is restored,” the statement read.
Despite ongoing efforts to manage the crisis, the memo highlighted that the situation has reached a critical level, posing serious risks to patient safety and healthcare delivery.
Dr. Michael Leat, Chairman of the Association, assured that doctors remain committed to attending to existing cases and expressed regret for the inconvenience caused by the suspension.
The association also urged hospital management to explore alternative water supply solutions and provide regular updates on efforts to resolve the crisis.
Researchers have found that a medication commonly used to treat rare diseases could make human blood lethal to mosquitoes, presenting a potential breakthrough in the fight against illnesses like malaria.
The drug, known as nitisinone, is typically prescribed to individuals with rare genetic disorders that hinder the complete breakdown of specific amino acids.
Nitisinone functions by inhibiting an enzyme, thereby preventing the accumulation of harmful byproducts associated with these diseases in the human body.
When mosquitoes drink blood that contains nitisinone, the drug also blocks the enzyme in their bodies, stopping them from properly digesting the blood, leading them to quickly die, according to their findings published in the journal Science Translational Medicine.
“One way to stop the spread of diseases transmitted by insects is to make the blood of animals and humans toxic to these blood-feeding insects,” Lee R Haines, associate research professor at the University of Notre Dame in the US and co-lead author of the study, said in a statement.
“Our findings suggest that using nitisinone could be a promising new complementary tool for controlling insect-borne diseases like malaria”.
Personal protective measures include wearing covering clothes, the use of mosquito repellent and the use of bed nets or window and door screens.
A growing need for mosquito control solutions
Another method is the use of ivermectin, used to kill parasites. However, its repeated use can lead to drug-resistance. It can also be toxic for the environment.
“Nitisinone performance was fantastic,” said Álvaro Acosta Serrano, professor of biological sciences at Notre Dame and co-corresponding author of the study.
“It has a much longer half-life in human blood than ivermectin, which means its mosquitocidal activity remains circulating in the human body for much longer. This is critical when applied in the field for safety and economical reasons,” he added.
Nitisinone was able to kill mosquitoes across all age groups, including older mosquitoes that are most likely to transmit malaria. It was also capable of eliminating insecticide-resistant mosquitoes.
“In the future, it could be advantageous to alternate both nitisinone and ivermectin for mosquito control,” Haines said.
“For example, nitisinone could be employed in areas where ivermectin resistance persists or where ivermectin is already heavily used for livestock and humans”.
Mosquito-borne diseases include malaria, dengue, West Nile virus, chikungunya and yellow fever, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC).
They represent an emerging threat to human health in Europe with climate change creating more favourable conditions for invasive mosquito species despite malaria being eradicated from the continent for several decades.
Infertility is more than a medical condition—it’s an emotional and psychological journey often suffered in silence. Behind the polite smiles and societal expectations lies a deep, hidden heartache that many individuals and couples endure. The inability to conceive can impact mental health, relationships, and self-worth, yet conversations around it remain limited in many cultures. In this blog, we break the silence and explore the unseen emotional toll of infertility, shedding light on the support, empathy, and awareness needed to truly understand this invisible battle.
Infertility affects millions of people worldwide, yet it remains a topic shrouded in silence and stigma. For many women trying to conceive, the bathroom can be a painful reminder of disappointment. It is where pregnancy tests are usually first taken, and where tears of sadness and frustration often fall when the test turns out negative.
This period in a woman’s life is marked by uncountable emotions that are usually inexplicable and negative. The question of “why me?” echoes strongly, making her wonder why her story can’t be one of smiles, like it has been for others.
But it is not only women who are affected, men also are, whether as partners of women battling infertility or they themselves being infertile.
The Emotional Earthquake of Infertility
A Medical Director of the International Fertility Group (IFG) and an internationally recognized Fertility Specialist, Dr. Uliana Dorofeyeva notes, “Infertility is not just a diagnosis. It is an emotional earthquake. It shakes up how you see yourself, your body, and even your future.”
With over 20 years of experience in fertility, she acknowledged that individuals trying to conceive often feel like they could no longer recognize themselves. “And the aftershocks show up in everyday life—at work, in conversations with friends and in your relationships with partners.”
The Loneliness of Infertility
Dr. Dorofeyeva highlights the special kind of loneliness that comes with wanting something so deeply and not being able to explain why it’s not working. “Even people with supportive families often feel incredibly alone in this” she said.
She revealed how this sense of isolation can quietly erode even the strongest partnerships. “When it comes to couples, infertility can either become a wedge or a reason to draw closer. But that takes intention” she said.
Coping with Infertility
The Fertility Specialist explained that people coped differently, leading to one partner wanting to talk while the other wants to shut down. Some may devour every article on the topic, while others avoid it altogether. “Although the love is there, sometimes it gets lost in the silence” she revealed.
Finding Strength: Coping Mechanisms
Dr. Dorofeyeva advised individuals trying to conceive to first give themselves permission to feel everything, including anger, grief, jealousy, and numbness. “These feelings are not ‘bad’ emotions—they are human ones. Naming these feelings is like opening a window to a stuffy room. It doesn’t fix everything, but it helps you breathe again” she explained.
She encouraged individuals to become informed, but not obsessed, with their fertility journey. “The unknown is terrifying. But understanding the steps, the options, the risks—it gives you a structure to hold on to.”
Self-Care
The Fertility Specialist stressed that no one should go through infertility alone. “You don’t need a huge circle. Sometimes one person who really listens is enough. Whether it’s your partner, a friend, a pastor, or a trusted elder—choose someone who listens with their heart.”
She emphasized the importance of self-care, encouraging individuals to make time for hobbies, fresh air, and music to help them feel good before medical appointments. “And when it gets too heavy, take a break. You are allowed to pause. Healing is not linear. Some days you will feel strong. Other days, broken. Both are real. Both are part of this” she advised.
Couples’ Support
Dr. Dorofeyeva advised couples to prioritize their relationship and work to make it stronger by building intentional habits of connection instead of fighting each other. “Talk about how you are feeling—not just about what the doctor said today. Ask each other, ‘how is your heart?’ Sit with the answer, even when it’s hard” she stated.
She encouraged couples to make decisions together and not let one person carry the emotional burden. “Be partners in this. Not just patients. Find joy where you can. Go for a walk. Dance in the kitchen. Watch a silly movie. You are allowed to laugh. Infertility doesn’t take away your right to joy.”
The Journey to Parenthood
Dr. Dorofeyeva noted that the road to parenthood was often long, but not always in the way people think. “It’s not just about how many months or years it takes. It’s the emotional journey that stretches time.”
She clarified that while some journeys begin with a diagnosis, others begin with a whisper of doubt. “But they all involve choice, courage, and a thousand small decisions. That’s why the doctor’s role isn’t just to prescribe. It’s to walk alongside” she said.
Conclusion
If you are struggling with infertility, remember that seeking help is the first step toward healing. Do not be afraid to reach out to a healthcare professional, support group, or trusted friend or family member.
The Ministry of Health has announced a reduction in the cost of application forms for Health Training Institutions across Ghana, effective for the 2025/2026 academic year.
The announcement, made in a press release issued by Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh on Monday, April 14, 2025, aims to make healthcare education more accessible and affordable for prospective applicants nationwide.
According to the release, the sale of application forms will officially commence on Tuesday, April 22, 2025, and end on Thursday, June 19, 2025, with further details to be published soon.
A key highlight of the announcement was the fee reduction: “The general public and all prospective applicants must take note that the cost of application forms, which was two hundred Ghana cedis (GHS 200.00), has now been reduced to one hundred and fifty Ghana cedis (GHS 150.00).”
The release further clarified the government’s intentions: “The reduction is intended to enhance access and affordability for applicants across the country.”
The Ministry also emphasized the official vendors for the application forms: “The general public and all prospective applicants are entreated to take note that only GCB Bank PLC and the Agricultural Development Bank are mandated to sell the application forms.”
The move is expected to be welcomed by aspiring healthcare professionals and their families, potentially increasing the number of applications and broadening the pool of qualified candidates for Ghana’s Health Training Institutions.
This commitment to reducing financial barriers to education aligns with the government’s broader goal of improving healthcare access and equity across the country.
An at-home spit test is better at identifying prostate cancer risks in some men than the standard test on the market, a new study has found.
The findings mean those at higher risk of prostate cancer – one of the most common forms of cancer among men – could someday have a new screening option that is less likely to return false-positives that require burdensome follow-up.
For the study, which was published in the New England Journal of Medicine, researchers took saliva samples from about 6,400 men in their 50s and 60s in the United Kingdom, and used DNA samples to calculate their prostate cancer risk, which is called a polygenic risk score.
They then did additional scans and biopsies for men with the highest risk scores, and diagnosed 40 per cent of them with prostate cancer.
Among men flagged as high-risk through the standard prostate screening tool, 25 per cent actually have cancer – significantly worse than the spit test.
That means introducing the spit test could “identify men at risk of aggressive cancers who need further tests and spare the men who are at lower risk from unnecessary treatments,” said Rosalind Eeles, one of the study’s authors and a professor of oncogenetics at the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR).
False positives of standard tests
The standard tool is a blood test that tracks a protein called prostate-specific antigen (PSA). Elevated PSA levels can be a sign of prostate cancer.
The PSA test is typically used for men at higher risk of cancer due to their age or ethnicity, or because they have symptoms. Men with high PSA levels are sent for additional tests to confirm whether they have cancer.
But it has a tendency to give false positives and detect low-grade cancers that are unlikely to ever be life-threatening, meaning many men undergo unnecessary scans, biopsies, and treatments, according to the ICR.
The researchers said the saliva test could serve as another screening tool offered to men who are either at higher risk of prostate cancer or are showing symptoms.
Future studies will track men with high polygenic risk scores to see whether they go on to develop prostate cancer.
But it could be years before the spit tests become standard practice due to the logistics and cost of integrating them into the healthcare system, according to Michael Inouye, a professor of systems genomics and population health at the University of Cambridge who was not involved with the study.
“To me, the study really makes me start to believe that these investments are worth it,” he said.
