Issues

Malaria: Focus on Prevention and Get the African Privileged Engaged

by Dr. K Amponsah-Manager

I have written on malaria in the past. Since then, much has changed and nothing has changed.

There are more than 400 million cases of malaria annually. Most of malaria infections and deaths occur in Sub-Saharan African where the most vulnerable are infants, pregnant mothers and seniors. In fact, it is estimated that 90% of malaria-related deaths occur in sub-Saharan Africa.

Significant progress has been made in the fight against malaria as more effective drugs are made available. At the same time, challenges emerge as the plasmodium parasite develops resistance towards existing drugs. For instance, chloroquine which in the past used to be the most commonly prescribed medicine against malaria, even though is still used to treat and prevent malaria, is no longer as effective against the disease because the parasite developed resistance to the drug. There is currently no effective vaccine against malaria but there may be one in the horizon.

Even though malaria has not received global attention required for a killer of such profile, wealthy foundations, some private companies, and smart governments across the world are beginning to wake up and make malaria a priority. One of such foundations is the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Malaria can be defeated, albeit, not overnight. The funding available for anti-malaria campaigns, and research and development is tiny compared to the challenges.

While governments, Foundations and private institutions work towards eradication and prevention, it is important for private citizens to join the partnership especially in efforts towards preventing malaria.

In the long run, I believe that prevention of malaria is the cost-effective route to take rather than treatment of the disease. However, for preventive measures to make a dent, individual participation and community involvement would have to be spurred up. Continue reading “Malaria: Focus on Prevention and Get the African Privileged Engaged” »

Nyerere by Dr. Tunde Oseni

Nyerere
By Tunde Oseni

The Philosopher-King of Africa
Who made equality of men and women a priority
‘Our poverty threatens your prosperity’
Nyerere told the West with all sincerity

Writing was a skill
Speaking was a gift
Churning out ideas was a talent
For the man of the people
Who cherished morality over feferity

Tributes cannot be enough
Thanks cannot fill the tank
For the integrator of our culture
And the binder of our boundaries

Nyerere, the Great mind
The Ujamaa you espoused
Is not yet in our land
It is not yet uhuru
Even under Kenyatta, the Uhuru

Peace in Our Time, by Dr. Tunde Oseni

Peace in Our Time
By Tunde Oseni

How many times will we go to war
When peace is what must be won
Peace in our time
Repeat: peace in our time

How many lives will we cut the short
Up the North and down the South
Peace in our time
Repeat: peace in our time

How much tears must we shed again
Because of lives that are shred without a gain
Peace in our time
Repeat: peace in our time

How long will we need to shout
For the extremists in our midst to rethink their bout
Peace in our time
Repeat: peace in our time

What has become of Christianity in beloved Ghana?

By Rev. Dr. David Kwaku Hormenoo, PhD.

Yes, we all need good physical, spiritual and emotional health to live life in this world. But at times it seems as if the physical and the emotional override the spiritual and the spiritual is corrupted. Look at any corner of any city, town or village in Ghana. You will

see structures of churches under trees and large worship centers all aimed at worshipping the one true God. The socio-economical problems encountered by most Ghanaians have forced them to seek spiritual help in mushroom churches. They are following signs, wonders, and miracles to make their living situations better. I do not blame them. Self-styled pastors and so-called bishops have taken advantage of the plights of Ghanaians and are exploiting them for their own selfish purposes.

Most Christians have trusted and placed their faith in these pastors and bishops instead of in God and in the power of the Lord Jesus Christ. A recent incident throws more light on this issue. “This tragic incident occurred after a stampede ensued at the church Sunday during the distribution of free holy water. Four people died instantly and some 13 persons were also severely injured during the incident. The incident happened around 8:30 am shortly after the announcement that the holy water was going to be distributed for free.” Christians struggling to receive holy water and stampeding each other resulting in deaths and injuries! What has become of biblical prophecies and teaching of the Bible? Can Christians not pray for themselves at home for God to intervene in their lives? Do they need holy water blessed by a bishop or an overseer? Continue reading “What has become of Christianity in beloved Ghana?” »

World Health Gap Narrowing But Challenges Remain, WHO Data

The World Health Organization’s annual statistics show progress is being made around the world in cutting child mortality – but it will miss its target of a two-thirds reduction by 2015.

The number of under-fives dying fell from 12 million in 1990 to less than seven million in 2011, the data shows.

But that will not be enough to reach the 2015 Millennium Development Goal.

The WHO says the health gap between countries is narrowing, but there are continuing inequalities in health care.

Many people in low- and middle-income countries have insufficient access to medicines in the public sector, meaning they rely on the private sector, where prices can be up to 16 times higher, says the WHO.

In these countries, an average of only 57% – and in some cases as little as 3% – of selected generic non-branded medicines are available in the public sector, according to data compiled by the global health body.

The World Health Statistics 2013 report compares progress made by countries with the best health status and the worst status over two decades, from 1990.

The statistics are compiled from many sources, including government birth and death registrations, hospital records, household surveys and research projects.

“Our statistics show that overall the gaps are closing between the most-advantaged and least-advantaged countries of the world,” said Dr Ties Boerma, director of the Department of Health Statistics and Information Systems at the WHO.

“However, the situation is far from satisfactory as progress is uneven and large gaps persist between and within countries.”

The gap in child mortality fell, from 171 deaths per 1,000 live births in 1990 to 107 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2011, according to the latest statistics.

Global statistics on the number of women dying in childbirth have also improved, but the WHO says the global decline in maternal deaths (3%) will have to double to meet the goal of reducing maternal deaths by three-quarters.

Commenting on the report, the charity Save the Children said that as well as improving access to healthcare for the poorest families, the world must redouble efforts to tackle hunger, which contributes to a third of child deaths.

“We have made incredible progress in cutting the numbers of children who die every year by improving treatment of preventable diseases and making vaccines available to the poorest children,” said Brendan Cox, Save the Children’s director of policy.

“But unless we tackle hunger, we risk losing this momentum, and children will continue to die needlessly.”

Key trends in the report

• Preterm birth is the leading global killer of newborn babies and the second most important cause of death (after pneumonia) in all children aged under five years
• Every year about 15 million babies are born before 37 weeks of pregnancy – one million die
• Almost 10% of the world’s adult population has diabetes

Credit: The BBC News

“Happy” World Malaria Day

Today is April 25^th. It is designated as World Malaria Day. Unlike other celebrated days like New Year, Valentine, Independence, today is meant to remind us of the scourge of a pernicious disease that kills a child every 45 seconds.  Malaria Day commemorated with speeches, seminars, symposiums and workshops that are meant to petition all us to put out collective effort together in the fight against malaria.

As a result of the efforts by civil society, foundations and non-governmental organizations, governments around the world, remarkable progress has been made in the assault against malaria. The situation looks more hopeful today than it looked a few years ago. Presently, 9 African countries are on target to achieve 75% malaria cutback by 2015 as a result of effective national policies and preventive actions.

Many challenges remain such as cut back in funding for research from advanced nations due to austerity measures. But the progress happening on malaria in Africa shows that when private citizens, non-profits, NGOs and governments pursue common goals with a common understanding, the results can be amazing.

As a society, when we set simple, specific, measurable goals against malaria and have everyone play their part, we can be hopeful that malaria will be history in our lifetime.

Do we ever say ‘Happy Malaria Day’?

“Enormous opportunity” for ending hunger in Africa

Proposed new partnership will build on successes, political commitment

22 April 2013, Rome – Ministers and senior delegates from five African Nations met today with FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva ahead of a High-Level meeting of African and international leaders in Addis Ababa next June  set to create a renewed partnership for intensifying efforts to end hunger in Africa.

“There is an enormous window of opportunity,” for eradicating hunger in the continent, Graziano da Silva told a side-event organized during a week-long Session of FAO’s governing Council here. The key lies in capitalizing on the successes of the many African countries who have already found solutions for food insecurity and malnutrition.

“By building on these experiences we can eradicate food insecurity and malnutrition in Africa. Together we can stop the suffering of the estimated 23 percent of all Africans who remain undernourished, and 40 percent of children under five who are stunted or malnourished,” he said.

One reason for optimism is the unprecedented political commitment of governments and the African people to end hunger. An example is the decision of FAO’s regional Conference for Africa to set up an Africa Food Security Trust Fund.  The Republic of the Congo, Angola and Equatorial Guinea have already announced they will contribute. Continue reading ““Enormous opportunity” for ending hunger in Africa” »

Wake up, Nkrumah, by Dr. Tunde Oseni

Dr Kwame Nkrumah. the father of African independence

The Gladiator of no distant past

Who fought for liberation with a distinction pass

Wake up now, and resurrect in our land

Before things degenerate beyond our hand

Nkrumah, the father of independence

Now is the time for your kind of intelligence

Wake up now and resurrect in our land

Before we bite more than we can chew

The shining star and the golden voice

Your type is what we crave as an urgent choice

Wake up now and resurrect in our land

Our continent needs an urgent fix