Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists elated over NDC manifesto

Daniel Opare
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The sole professional body for the practice of Medical Laboratory Science in Ghana, the Ghana Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists (GAMLS), has expressed gratitude to the major opposition party for recognizing the need for the establishment of a Medical Laboratory Science Council (MLSC) to regulate the practice of the profession in Ghana- a proposal that has been on the table since 1973.

The establishment of a Medical Laboratory Science Council was captured in the National Democratic Congress (NDC’s) People’s Manifesto, which was launched on Monday, September 7th 2020.

According to the GAMLS, it believes having the Council in place is the only way to ensure that Ghanaians benefit most from the services that Medical Laboratory Science Professionals provide in the country’s healthcare delivery system.

The professional body also commended the NDC for its plans to establish two National Infectious Disease Centres and to develop strategies to reduce the cost of health care by promoting local production of pharmaceuticals, medical devices and diagnostic test kits.

Below is a statement:

GHANA ASSOCIATION OF MEDICAL LABORATORY SCIENTISTS   

               IN CASE OF REPLY THE NUMBER AND                                                             NATIONAL SECRETARIAT                    

       DATE OF THIS LETTER SHOULD BE QUOTED                                                               P.O BOX   KB 144                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

                                                                                                                   KORLE-BU, ACCRA                                                                     

Our Ref…GAMLS/NS//PR/15/20                                 Cell: (+233) 050144300(0/1/2/3)                                                      

                                                                                                                                                      Tel/Fax (+233) 030 2680011                                                                           

Your Ref………………………………….                   E-mail:[email protected]                                                                             

                                                                                                                                                 Website: www.gamls.org

                                                                                                                                10th September, 2020

GAMLS APPLAUDS THE NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC CONGRESS (NDC)

PARTY ON MANIFESTO PROMISE TO SET UP A MEDICAL LABORATORY SCIENCE COUNCIL

The sole professional body for the practice of Medical Laboratory Science in Ghana, the Ghana Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists (GAMLS),  has welcomed the National Democratic Congress (NDC)’s Manifesto promise to establish a Medical Laboratory Science Council in Ghana, when it comes to power. 

GAMLS wishes to express its gratitude to the major opposition party for recognizing the need for the establishment of a Medical Laboratory Science Council (MLSC) to regulate the practice of the profession in Ghana- a proposal that has been on the table since 1973. 

The Professional Association believes, having the Council in place is the only way to ensure that Ghanaians benefit most from the services that Medical Laboratory Science Professionals provide in the country’s healthcare delivery system. 

An MLSC will offer the required independence, as suggested and presented in the Scheme of service developed for Health laboratory services by the Head of Civil Service as far back as 1989 when Dr. (Mrs.) Mary Grant was the Deputy Secretary for Health under the PNDC (OHCS HLS/Est.-48). This initiative is also in sync with international best practice. 

The need for a Council to govern the practice and operations of the sector has been a source of agitation among medical laboratory scientists and for which GAMLS has embarked on industrial actions in recent times. Therefore, we welcome the creation of a Medical Laboratory Science Council. 

The professional body also commends the NDC Party for its plans to establish two National Infectious Disease Centres and to develop strategies to reduce the cost of health care by promoting local production of pharmaceuticals, medical devices and diagnostic test kits.

On page 64 (Section 7.1.3) of the NDC Manifesto titled: Jobs, Prosperity and More: The People’s Manifesto, 2021-2025, launched last week, the Party promised, among other plans for the health sector, that it will establish a Medical Laboratory Science Council should the party win the 2020 National Elections.

GAMLS wishes the NDC Party well.

Kind regards,

Dr. Dennis Adu-Gyasi, FWAPCMLS (Immunol)

GAMLS, PUBLIC RELATIONS, 10th September 2020

Ghana| Atinkaonline.com

Pay no heed to noise, we have an election to win – Ursula charges electoral area campaign team

Daniel Opare
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The Member of Parliament for the Ablekuma West Constituency, Mrs. Ursula  Owusu-Ekuful has urged members of the NPP electoral area campaign team and other party activists in the constituency to remain resolute in localising their campaign messages.

Mrs. Ekuful noted, it will be relevant to talk about developmental projects embarked on in individual electoral areas than using developments in a different electoral area to campaign to enable the inhabitants of such areas to resonate with and appreciate the issues.

“We have done a lot and we need to tell our stories. This is not the time for complacency. We are going to work hard, efficiently and effectively to stay in government and continue developing our nation. We shall segment our messages and sell it appropriately” she charged members.

The Ablekuma West NPP on Wednesday and Thursday inaugurated campaign teams in the following electoral areas: 

Orisco Nasrawa, Mampong Okai, Opetekwei, Ga Manye, Shiabu, Glefe, Gbebu, Mansralor, Otojor, and Zodiac/ Akoko photo. 

Speaking at the inauguration, Mrs. Ekuful was optimistic the NPP has done far better than the erstwhile Mahama administration and therefore deserves to be retained in office.

“Pay no heed to distortions, focus on propagating the good messages to the people. We have an election to win hence we shall give no room to noise” she said.

Ghana | Atinkaonline.com

Hannah Bissiw accused of misappropriating Bird Flu cash in 2015

Daniel Opare
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Excellent Ghana, a civil society group, has accused National Women’s Organiser for the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) and former Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr. Hannah Louisa Bissiw of misusing funds meant to compensate farmers whose birds were affected by the outbreak of Bird Flu in 2015.

The group says it has been observing with keen interest, the matters and issues arising from the outbreak of Bird Flu (Highly) Pathogenic Avian Influenza HPAI H5NI) in Ghana since 2015.

It added that while commending government for adopting tough measures to contain the bird flu outbreak, the Civil Society Organization said it is shocked, at the revelation by Mr. Victor Oppong, President of the Ghana Poultry Farmers Association that, majority of their members whose birds/farms were destroyed owing to the Bird Flu outbreak are yet to be compensated five solid years after their livelihoods have been destroyed.

The CSO, said, it is appalled by the explanation from the then Deputy Minister of Agriculture in charge of Livestock, Dr. Louisa Hannah Bissiw, that monies allocated for the compensation of poultry farmers whose farms were affected by the disease, had been used for logistics and administrative expenditure notwithstanding the government’s initial purchase of six vehicles, 20 motorbikes and the establishment of laboratories to help contain the bird flu disease outside the amount received for compensation.

“In performing our proper role and constitutional duty of demanding accountability and transparency, it is our conviction, that, her farcical and ludicrous position confirms that Dr. Louisa Hannah Bissiw (Deputy Minister of Agric – as she then was) neglected her duty of care and still appears unrepentant in helping the farmers receive compensation but is rather adding insult to injuries”, President for the group, Carl Addo, said in a statement copied to  Atinkaonline.com.

The group has called on Hannah Bissiw to tell Ghanaians, among other things, how much funds was entirely devoted by the John Dramani Mahama government and other bodies for the containment of bird flu between 2015-2016.

Read full statement below

TO ALL MEDIA HOUSES

EXCELLENT GHANA GRILLS DR. HANNAH BISSIW OVER BIRD FLU COMPENSATION

BIRD FLU COMPENSATION DIVERTED?- Excellent Ghana asks Hannah Bissiw

Did you superintend over corruption? Excellent Ghana asks Dr. Hannah Bissiw

Accra, September 9TH 2020:- Excellent Ghana has been observing with keen interest, the matters and issues arising from the outbreak of Bird Flu (Highly

Pathogenic Avian Influenza HPAI H5NI) in Ghana since 2015. While commending government for adopting tough measures to contain the bird flu outbreak, the Civil Society Organization says it is shocked, at the revelation by Mr. Victor Oppong, President of the Ghana Poultry Farmers Association that, majority of their members whose birds/farms were destroyed owing to the Bird Flu outbreak are yet to be compensated five solid years after their livelihoods have been destroyed.

The CSO, says, it is appalled by the explanation from the then Deputy Minister of Agriculture in charge of Livestock, Dr. Louisa Hannah Bissiw, that monies allocated for the compensation of poultry farmers whose farms were affected by the disease, had been used for logistics and administrative expenditure notwithstanding the government’s initial purchase of six vehicles, 20 motorbikes and the establishment of laboratories to help contain the bird flu disease outside the amount received for compensation.

In performing our proper role and constitutional duty of demanding accountability and transparency, it is our conviction, that, her farcical and ludicrous position confirms that Dr. Louisa Hannah Bissiw (Deputy Minister of Agric – as she then was) neglected her duty of care and still appears unrepentant in helping the farmers receive compensation but is rather adding insult to injuries.

Excellent Ghana therefore calls on our venerable Dr. Hannah Bissiw (being directly in charge then) and indeed the government to assuage our fears by clearly telling our suffering poultry farmers and Ghanaians;

1. How much funds was entirely voted by the John Dramani Mahama government and other bodies for the containment of bird flu between 2015-2016?

2. How much of the released amount was actually paid to affected poultry farmers?

3. An account of the how these monies were expended notwithstanding any report from PIAC?

4. Under what circumstances and under whose control was the amount released for the COMPENSATION of farmers affected by the bird flu disease, disbursed?

5. What provisions and procedures were followed in disbursing the funds released for compensation if due diligence was firstly done at all?

6. Has Ghana suffered any financial loss/ misappropriation from the use of released monies for the compensation of poultry farmers, with regards to the Bird flu outbreak in 2015 and if so, are there grounds to charge anyone with the offence of “causing financial loss”??

7. Were these said monies underutilized” through negligence, criminal activity or any other illegal or wrongful act, and if so, who was responsible for it?

8. How come about 36 bird flu affected Poultry farmers remain uncompensated if they were to be covered by the total monies received for the bird flu compensation?

9. Where are the separate cars Dr. Bissiw claims the compensation monies was used to buy, and in what state are these vehicles?

Especially when our further checks reveal, that, the Ministry of Agriculture, received GHc7 out of the 11m requested from government, (forming more than half of the requested amount) but failed to compensate even half the total number of affected farmers.

In creating this problem, has our former Deputy Minister of Agric Dr. Louisa Hanna Bissiw not increased the chances of individuals/ farmers getting dishonest and nicodemously selling off any infected farm produce in the future, for fear of suffering losses?


Yours in perpetual service to God and country

Ghana | Atinkaonline.com | Vivian Adu Boatemaa

WHO and Africa CDC launch Covid-19 laboratories network

Daniel Opare
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The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Africa Centres for Disease Control (CDC) have launched a new laboratory network that will reinforce genome sequencing of coronavirus in Africa.

The initiative seeks to study the possible mutations of the virus in order to prepare better responses in public health.

Experts from the WHO and the Africa CDC believe that the move will help countries understand the different strains of the SARS-Cov-2 virus, in order in improve the countries’ responses, treatments or possible vaccines and make them more relevant to the continent’s population.

Twelve specialised laboratories will join the network in Africa. Ten different lineages have been identified so far in the continent.

This move comes after the Africa CDC said that early reports were showing that the Covid-19 curve was flattening in Africa, which has a significantly lower number of cases and deaths because of the virus when compared to the rest of the world.

But the WHO has cautioned against any premature celebration as African nations are also testing their populations much less than the rest of the world.

BBC

2020 BECE: GES,WAEC promise to ensure sanctity of examination at all times

Daniel Opare
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The 2020 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) will start from Monday, September 14th 2020 to Friday, September 18th 2020 at all designated centres throughout the country.

The Ghana Education Service (GES) has therefore urged all candidates, Directors of schools and invigilators to take note of the dates.

It has also cautioned students to desist from all forms of examination malpractice during the period.

Meanwhile, the Management of GES in collaboration with WAEC have stated that it will ensure sanctity of examination at all times, ensuring that students who engaged in any form of malpractices are dealt with accordingly.

“Management of GES in collaboration with WAEC will ensure sanctity of examination at all times. All cases of reported examination malpractices will swiftly be investigated and dealt with decisively,” the GES stated.

Below is a statement:

Ghana| Atinkaonline.com| Porcia Oforiwaa Ofori

Kenya to take part in Oxford Covid-19 vaccine trials

Daniel Opare
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Kenya will participate in final clinical trials for a coronavirus vaccine being developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University.

It will be the second African country to be involved in the trials that were suspended on Wednesday after a participant had a suspected adverse reaction in the UK.

Already more than 1,000 participants have been enrolled in South Africa for the trials.

At least 400 healthcare workers will take part in the Kenyan trials that will be conducted in two coastal towns of Mombasa and Kilifi.

The two towns were in April classified as coronavirus hotspots by the government.

The AstraZeneca-Oxford University vaccine candidate is among nine other vaccine trials being tried in larger groups globally.

Participants will be given two jabs four weeks apart. They will also be allowed to carry on with their daily schedule. Exposure to the virus will not lead to removal from the trials.

The trials will determine the vaccine’s safety, ability to generate protection and effectiveness. Preliminary results of the findings will be out in November.

BBC

Video: Veteran actress, Grace Nortey in perspective

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AMV’s entertainment reporter, Nana Adwoa Nana, did a brilliant piece on the career of veteran actress, Grace Nortey for Atinka TV’s Throwback Thursday.

The report is captured in the video below:

Ghana | Atinkaonline.com | Nana Adwoa Annan

First Lady to partner Volta and Oti Queen Mothers to empower women

Daniel Opare
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The First Lady of the Republic, Mrs. Rebecca Naa Okaikor Akufo-Addo has called for collaboration between The Rebecca Foundation and Paramount Queen Mothers in the Volta and Oti Regions to empower young women in their communities, as part of a working visit to Ho in the Volta region.

The First Lady acknowledged the immense responsibility placed on Queen mother’s as mothers of their traditional areas and commended them on their contribution to the development of their communities.

She also acknowledged the challenges Queen mother’s face in addressing socio-economic issues like teenage pregnancy, unemployed or under employed young women and promised to provide skills training and business support to young girls and women in their communities.

The First Lady thanked the Queen Mothers for their continuous support for her husband, H.E. President Nana Akufo-Addo, especially in the implementation of various social intervention policies such as the Free SHS.

The First Lady urged the Queen mothers to continue to support the vision of H.E. President Nana Akufo-Addo and the NPP party by giving them four more years to do more, pointing out that with the strengthening of already existing social intervention policies like the NHIS , L.E.A.P and a significant increase in Basic school capitation grant, the Planting for food and jobs and the re-introduction of Nursing and Teacher training allowances, the Akufo-Addo led NPP government is poised to realise the vision of Ghana beyond Aid and put money directly into people’s pockets.

On behalf of the Paramount Queen mothers, Nana Otubea II Paramount Queen mother of Nkonya Traditional Area, expressed their profound gratitude to the First Lady and commended her on her many initiatives under The Rebecca Foundation which have positively impacted the lives of women and children in Ghana.

She assured Mrs. Akufo-Addo of their unflinching support in her quest to empower women and girls in both Regions and promised to support President Akufo-Addo to secure four more years to do even more for the people of the Volta and Oti Regions.

Ghana|Atinkaonline.com

NDC manifesto full of unrealistic promises- NPP

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The governing New Patriotic Party has described the NDC’s 2020 manifesto as one that is replete with unrealistic promises and plagiarized policies and programmes.

National Youth Organizer of the NPP, Henry Nana Boakye at the 11th edition of the “Youth Must Know Series” opined that the theme of the NDC’s 2020 manifesto,  “Jobs, Prosperity and More” is a contradiction of the kind of governance the NDC offered when they were in government.

He said, the former president and leader of the NDC, John Dramani Mahama at the time of his presidency said he was not a magician to create jobs for the teaming unemployed youths in the country and therefore should not be taken serious with any promise of job creation.

Touching on the NDC’s promise to create 1 million jobs in the next four years if given the nod, the National Youth Organizer of the NPP said, the party that took Ghana to the IMF and the subsequent freeze on all public sector employment has no credibility to be trusted in the arena of job creation.

He urged Ghanaians to take a cue from the failed 10 billion Hope City project which never materialized.

In the area of education, the NPP said NDC can’t expand the free SHS programme to private schools as has been promised in the party’s manifesto. He said, while in opposition, the National Democratic Congress vehemently chastised the free SHS policy as “419” and therefore lacks the basic knowledge on the programme to expand it.

Henry Nana Boakye wondered why a party which could not pay Capitation Grant, teacher and nursing trainee allowances is now promising to pay 50 percent of fees by all tertiary students for the 2020/2021 academic year.

Ghana | Atinkaonline.com | Bernard Luv

Works on $1billion Pwalugu Dam progressing to help halt flooding from Bagre dam spillage-Bawumia

Daniel Opare
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The Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has reiterated the Akufo-Addo government’s commitment to ending the perennial flooding in the Upper East and North East regions.

Many communities in these regions have over the years suffered from devastating flood, as a result of the annual spillage of the Bagre Dam in Burkina Faso, and President Akufo-Addo promised to build a dam in Pawlugu to contain the situation.

This year’s havoc, which hit the regions this week,  has been more devastating as a result of combined factors of the Bagre Dam spillage in Burkina Faso and days of heavy downpour in northern Ghana, resulting in 10 people losing their lives and farmers losing their crops and animals.

Addressing the press during an assessment visits to the Kubore Zebila-Bawku road, which has seen parts washed away by the heavy flood on Thursday, 10th September, 2020, Dr. Bawumia said the flood has been devastating communities for years and there has to be a permanent solution to it, hence the Akufo-Addo’s government’s decision to invest massively in the Pawlugu Dam to help address the problem.

“At the end of the day, this is a problen that we have kept experiencing year after year and the question I am sure is in the minds of every Ghanaian is what are we doing about it?,” Dr. Bawumia said.

“We have basically understood that to deal with this problem fundamentally, we have to have a flood control in the context of the Pawlugu Dam.”

“That is the most important antidote to all of these. That is why we have moved to secure the Pawlugu Dam project, and this project is the biggest dam project we have in the northern region.”

“It is the single biggest investment in northern Ghana since independence; it is about $1 billion dollars and the contractors are on site.”

The Vice President said prior to the flooding, the contractors had already commenced work by clearing the site up to the river.

He added that with the flooding, the contractors would have to wait for the flood to subside and then they will divert the water for work to continue.

“On the washing away of the portion s of the Kubore road making it inaccessible, the Vice President said the Ghana Highway Authority is waiting for the water to subside before contractors move on site to fix the bridge and reconnect the road.”

Government sympathies to victims

Dr. Bawumia expressed the government’s condolences to families of the ten people who perished, and farmers who lost their livestock and crops.

“It is a disaster and a very sad situation. We have unfortunately lost lives, about ten people, I am told, have lost their lives. On behalf of the President, I express the government’s commiseration to families of the victims,” said the Vice President.

Dr. Bawumia added: “Many farmers have lost their livestock and crops. They have lost a lot of their crops and for farmers when you lose your crop, that is a year’s income so we have to find a way of cushioning these farmers. We have to find a way to provide relief for the farmers to help them.”

Dr. Bawumia is on a working tour of the northern regions of Ghana and he has halted his origional programme for his first day in the Upper East Region on Thursday September 10, 2020, to tour affected areas and people for first-hand knowledge on the extent of the disaster.

The Vice President was accompanied by the Upper East Regional Minister, Patience Tangoba Abayege, Minister for Interior Ambrose Derry, Deputy Minister of Roads and Highways Anthony Karbo as well as National and Regional Directors for NADMO.

Ghana | Atinkaonline.com

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