The Eastern Regional Minister Hon. Seth Kwame Acheampong (with his back to the camera) in a ceremonial immunizilization of a child at the programme.
The Ghana Health Service (GHS) has launched an ambitious campaign to cover over six and a half million children across the country in the polio vaccination campaign, in an effort to eradicate the wild poliovirus in the country.
According to the Director-General of GHS, Dr. Kuma-Aboagye, the detection of an environmental polio virus was a warning that polio might be circulating silently within communities in Ghana, despite the fight that had been waged against it for years.
He revealed that the poliovirus could survive in sewage, water systems and other environmental reservoirs, posing an ongoing risk, especially to unvaccinated populations with its corresponding deaths and physical deformities.
The Director-General of Ghana Health Service Dr. Kuma-Aboagye speaking with the media at the second launch of the 2024 National Polio Immunization Days Campaign in the Eastern Region
Speaking at the second launch of the 2024 National Polio Immunisation Days Campaign in the Eastern Region, Dr. Kuma-Aboagye said that the prevention efforts by the government formed part of the country’s broader strategy to close the immunity gaps that allowed poliovirus to persist.
“With enhanced environmental surveillance, consistent and continuous routine immunization, and targeted risk communication and education, we can stop polio at its source and prevent its resurgence,’’ he said.
He urged all caregivers of children under five years to look out for the vaccination teams and ensure that their children are vaccinated.
Dr. Kuma-Aboagye enjoined the media to use their platforms to provide accurate information about polio, the benefits of vaccination and the importance of immunizing every child.
“This campaign will not succeed without the involvement of every community member. We must work together to educate, raise awareness and build trust in vaccines.
“I call on parents to ensure their children receive all scheduled polio vaccinations as well as the one being provided during this campaign,’’ he said.
Dr. Winfred K. Ofosu, the Eastern Regional Director of Health Service articulated that the campaign was part of the broader efforts to strengthen the health system in Ghana and to build resilience against preventable diseases.
He added that Ghana was at a critical stage in fighting against polio, a disease that once struck fear into the hearts of families around the world.
“In Ghana, we have made remarkable progress through the tireless efforts of health professionals, dedicated volunteers and our development partners. We have significantly reduced the burden of polio.
“However, we are not yet at the finish line. As long as there is a single case of polio anywhere in the world, every child remains at risk. It is for this reason that this campaign is so crucial,’’
Dr. Winfred Ofosu indicated that the National Polio Immunization Campaign is not just another health initiative, but a bold statement of Ghana’s commitment to protect future generations.
The Eastern Regional Minister, Seth Kwame Acheampong, hinted that Ghana has made tremendous strides in eradicating this deadly and crippling virus as he praised the Ministry of Health, GHS and other partners who have worked tirelessly to develop and implement robust immunization programs aimed at protecting every child from vaccine-preventable diseases.
Seth Acheampong assured that the region would continue to support the Ghana Health Service, local health workers, and community leaders to ensure the vaccine reaches every child in every corner.
Dr. Frank John Lulu, Officer-in-Charge of the World Health Organization (Country Office in Ghana) urged districts and facilities to leverage the polio campaign to integrate routine immunization.
Police and other security forces arrested the suspect in Bernau
A Libyan national with suspected ties to the ISIL (ISIS) group who was planning an attack on the Israeli embassy in Berlin has been arrested in Germany, the authorities said.
Police and other security forces arrested the man on Saturday evening in Bernau, a town just outside the capital, Berlin, and searched his home, the Federal Prosecutor’s Office said in a statement on Sunday.
The prosecutor’s office identified the 28-year-old man only as Omar A in keeping with Germany’s strict privacy laws.
“He intended to carry out a high-profile attack with firearms on the Israeli Embassy in Berlin,” the statement said. “The accused exchanged information with a member of [ISIL] in a messenger chat.”
Security forces also searched the home of another person near the city of Bonn, who was considered a witness but not a suspect, the statement said.
German newspaper Bild said the Libyan man was believed to have entered Germany in November 2022 and to have made a request for asylum the following January, which was rejected in September 2023. Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said German security authorities “struck in time to thwart possible plans to attack the Israeli Embassy in Berlin”.
The suspect is expected to be brought before an investigating judge at the country’s highest court, the Federal Court of Justice in Karlsruhe, on Sunday, the prosecutor’s office said.
The authorities acted after receiving a tip-off from an unspecified foreign intelligence agency, local media reported, with a heavily armed elite police unit storming the suspect’s home in Bernau.
A Palestinian man from Gaza has told the BBC that the house the former Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar was killed in was his home for 15 years before he had to flee in May.
Ashraf Abo Taha said he was “shocked” as he identified the partially destroyed building in Israeli drone footage of the incident as his home on Ibn Sena street in Rafah, southern Gaza.
Sinwar, the key figure behind the 7 October attacks on Israel, was killed by Israeli troops on Wednesday.
The Israeli military released drone footage that it said showed Sinwar in a partially destroyed house before he was killed.
Mr Abo Taha told BBC Arabic’s Gaza Lifeline that he had left his home in Rafah for Khan Younis on 6 May, when Israel ordered evacuations and began an operation against Hamas fighters, and had not received any news of his house until now.
Mr Abo Taha said his daughter first showed him the footage purportedly capturing Sinwar’s last moments on social media, saying it depicted their house in Rafah. He initially didn’t believe her, he said, until his brother confirmed the house was indeed his.
“I was like ‘yes this is my house’ and I saw the pictures and here I was shocked”, Mr Abo Taha said.
He said he had no idea why Sinwar was there or how he got there.
“Never ever did me and my brothers and sons have anything to do with this,” he said.
The BBC has verified that pictures and videos provided by Mr Abo Taha of his home match imagery of the house where Sinwar was killed.
BBC Verify compared and matched images of the home’s window archways, external decorations on doorways, shelves, and armchairs from the footage.
The BBC cannot independently verify that Mr Abo Taha owned the home.
Moldova President Maia Sandu (right) is running for re-election
The sniffer dogs at Chisinau Airport have been working extra hard in recent months, searching for money that might be evidence of Russian meddling in Moldovan politics.
Ami, a black retriever, gives every suitcase that rolls in on the baggage claim belts a good sniff on all sides. If she detects cash, she will freeze. Back in May she was doing that a lot.
That is when customs officers began finding large amounts of money on passengers arriving via connecting flights from Moscow. People who had never left Moldova before were returning from a few days in Russia with wads of notes.
“Almost everyone had money: 2,000, 3,000, 7,000 euros”, the head of customs at Chisinau Airport, Ruslan Alexandrov, remembers. The amounts themselves were not illegal but the patterns were suspicious.
“There were certain flights: Moscow-Istanbul-Chisinau, Moscow-Yerevan-Chisinau,” the customs chief explains. “Normally people don’t come in with that much money. Not from Moscow.”
So police and prosecutors began seizing the cash. In one day alone they say they scooped $1.5m (£1.2m). No-one ever asked for their money back.
The authorities believe the cash mules were part of a major and ongoing operation to buy political influence run by a fugitive Moldovan oligarch named Ilan Shor. Convicted of major fraud in Chisinau, he is now resident in Russia which will not extradite him.
Ahead of two key votes this weekend, the capital’s airport is on alert. Flights from all “high risk” routes are met by sniffer dogs and at least half the passengers are pulled over for extra baggage scans.
Smoke billows up over Beirut's southern suburbs after an Israeli attack
Israel has launched several air attacks on Beirut’s southern suburbs after the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah fired volleys of rockets at northern Israel with one drone targeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu‘s holiday home.
Netanyahu’s spokesman said one of three drones launched from Lebanon hit Netanyahu’s residence in the town of Caesarea on Saturday, adding that he was not in the vicinity and there were no casualties.
The two other drones were intercepted, the Israeli military said, adding that more than 100 rockets were fired at northern Israel from Lebanon, killing one person and injuring at least 13.
“The proxies of Iran who today tried to assassinate me and my wife made a bitter mistake,” Netanyahu said.
Iran-aligned Hezbollah has been trading fire with Israel since October last year. The attacks on Saturday came a day after the group announced a new phase in the fighting.
Hezbollah did not claim responsibility for the Caesarea drone attack but said it carried out several rocket attacks on northern and central Israel.
Afrobeat and reggae artiste Luther Mac Larnyoh, popularly known as Luta Gh, has released of their latest single, ‘Somebody’, a captivating song that explores the universal quest for love.
‘Somebody’ resonates deeply with anyone who has ever longed for connection. Luta Gh’s soulful voice invites listeners into a journey of vulnerability, capturing the essence of longing and the hope of finding that special someone.
The single is produced by Jaemally, known for his works with top artists in the genre, and features an arrangement that highlights Luta Gh’s emotional delivery.
‘Somebody’ is not just another love song; it’s an anthem for those who dare to dream of finding love in a world that often feels disconnected. The lyrics encourage listeners to embrace their feelings, as they navigate the highs and lows of love’s pursuit.
About Luta Gh
Luta Gh born Luther Mac Larnyoh is a Ghanaian singer, songwriter, and performer, who identifies with afro-beats and reggae.
Born in the Greater Accra region of Ghana he began making music in his early school days and realised his talents and abilities as a lyricist and a songwriter with the versatile skill of jumping on any genre of music.
He studied at Pope John’s Secondary School where he obtained his High School Certificate and later continued his tertiary education at Ghana Telecom to earn a Bachelors degree in Info Tech.
Luta Gh is Known for his soothing vocals and melodic output and has many popular and trendy songs such as Slow Down, Ekiki Me, Scary, Bounce and a lot more.
Reggae musician and radio presenter Blakk Rasta has revealed that Stonebwoy’s hit song ‘Jejereje’ has lost popularity just one week after its release.
This statement follows an interview he had on Joy Prime TV with Roselyn Felli, where he expressed his view that artistes today prioritise trends over creating impactful music, using Stonebwoy’s ‘Jejereje’ as an example.
“With no disrespect, love, I mean Stonebwoy is my brother, I love him. He knows I love him. ‘Jejereje’ came out. We were all banging to it. I was in Nkroful when it came out. I said ‘wow’, this is a great song. I loved the song. After one week, ‘Jejereje’ has gone to sleep,” he remarked.
Blakk Rasta also referenced reggae legend Lucky Dube as a standard. According to the dub poet, the late Lucky Dube prioritised the message in his music and the impact it would have on people over following trends, yet his songs still became hits.
“I remember Lucky Dube once said he never went into the studio to make hits. He went into the studio to speak into the microphone and if the songs come out and they become hits because people resonate with the message, then it’s a different thing.”
Blakk Rasta is best known for his song “Barack Obama,” sung in honour of the first African-American U.S. President. He was then honoured at a special dinner with President Obama on July 11, 2010.
Rev. Dr. Edgar Collingwood-Williams Found and President of ELITE MENTORING PROGRAM
The Elite Mentoring Program (EMP) is gearing up to host a dynamic Youth Mentorship Conference, themed “BE BOLD,” on November 2nd, 2024, at the ALX Conference Room in East Legon, Accra.
This event aims to inspire and equip young professionals, university students, recent graduates, and aspiring entrepreneurs with the knowledge, skills, and networks necessary to excel in their chosen fields.
Organized as part of EMP’s broader efforts to empower the next generation of leaders, the Youth Mentorship Conference will focus on providing practical insights through mentorship, workshops, and panel discussions.
The conference will bring together a diverse range of industry experts from business, entrepreneurship, technology, and the creative arts, ensuring that participants receive well-rounded guidance on building successful careers. The theme, “BE BOLD,” encourages young people to embrace innovative thinking, leadership, and confidence as they navigate their professional journeys.
The program is packed with impactful sessions, including the Creative Arts Panel, Business and Entrepreneurship Panel, and a Career and Professional Technology Panel, designed to provide participants with a comprehensive understanding of their respective fields.
The event will also feature an awards session, recognizing exceptional young leaders, innovators, and individuals driving social impact. Categories include the “Young Leader of the Year,” “Innovator of the Year,” “Social Impact Award,” “Rising Star Award,” and the prestigious “Lifetime Achievement Award.”
Beyond the core discussions, the conference will offer networking opportunities, allowing attendees to connect with industry leaders and fellow participants. The program will also include an art gallery and fundraiser, reinforcing the intersection between creativity and social good.
EMP has a track record of success, having impacted over 4,000 young people through previous initiatives. This year’s conference aims to continue that legacy, contributing to sustainable development by aligning with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly in the areas of social inclusion and peacebuilding.
By empowering young people with the necessary tools and knowledge, EMP hopes to foster a generation of leaders who can innovate solutions to societal challenges.
The conference is open to all eligible young individuals, with scholarships available for underprivileged youth.
The Chief Executive Officer of EKK Foundation, Mr. Evans Kofi Kwafo, has appealed to philanthropists and charitable organisations to complement efforts by the government in addressing the educational needs of deprived/vulnerable communities.
Mr. Kwafo stressed the need for Ghanaians to support the provision of quality learning and teaching in remote areas.
Beneficiaries display their goodies
The occasion was when the CEO donated 50 bags of cement in aid of a six-unit classroom block, 1,500 exercise books, school bags, shoes, desks for teachers and other teaching materials to local schools at Mirekukrom in the Nsawora District in the Western North Region.
Mr. Kwafo expressed grave concern over the persistent challenges faced by schools in rural and remote areas where school children are left behind, cut off from opportunities because of poor roads, inadequate infrastructure and a lack of qualified teachers.
He noted that despite government efforts, many schools in deprived areas are faced with inadequate resources.
Mr. Kwafo emphasised the need for affluent individuals and organisations to step up and complement government initiatives to ensure equitable access to quality education.
Foundation members interact with the pupils
“We cannot expect the government to do it all,” he said, and stressed that “Private sector involvement is crucial to ensure improved living standards across Ghana in line with Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4), which seeks to ensure that all boys and girls complete free, equitable, and quality primary and secondary education by 2030.
The Odikro of Mirekukrom, Nana Kwadwo Tetteh, expressed appreciation to the EKK Foundation for the timely support.
Nana Tetteh also called on the government and other development partners to assist in infrastructural development in schools.
President Akufo-Addo officially commissioning the centre at Korle Bu
President Akufo-Addo has inaugurated a state-of-the-art Urology and Nephrology Centre of Excellence at Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, marking a major step forward in Ghana’s healthcare system.
The new Centre is set to provide critical care for patients suffering from Nrological and Nephrological conditions, offering advanced treatments that were previously unavailable in the country.
The facility is expected to reduce the need for patients to travel abroad for specialiSed care, while also positioning Ghana as a hub for medical tourism in the West African sub-region.
Dr Okoh Boye – health minister speaking at the ceremony
The Urology and Nephrology Centre of Excellence, constructed at a cost of €38 million was made possible through a credit facility provided by Raiffeisen Bank International AG of Austria, with insurance cover from OeKB Group.
The facility boasts cutting-edge technology and a wide range of services aimed at addressing the growing burden of kidney diseases and urological disorders in the country.
President Akufo-Addo described the commissioning of the Centre as a “considerable milestone” in Ghana’s healthcare journey, one that exemplifies the government’s unwavering commitment to improving healthcare infrastructure.
“This modern facility will provide advanced treatments for patients with chronic and acute kidney failures, as well as other urological conditions.
“The Centre is also positioned to offer life-saving services such as kidney transplants—helping to fulfill our national objective of achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC),” the President said during his speech.
The Urology and Nephrology Centre of Excellence is fully equipped to deliver comprehensive healthcare services. It includes a 30-suite dialysis station for patients with kidney disorders, a 70-bed unit for genito-urinary patients, an outpatient department and comprehensive diagnostic and treatment services.
The facility also has inpatient care services, administrative and management offices, public amenities and staff facilities.
In addition, it features medical and non-medical support services, a research facility and a three-year post-construction maintenance and training program to ensure the facility’s smooth operation in the years ahead.
With such state-of-the-art capabilities, the Centre will be able to serve not only Ghanaians but also patients from neighboring countries. This opens the door for medical tourism, which President Akufo-Addo emphasised as a potential revenue generator for the facility.
“The Centre will put Ghana on the map for medical tourism, providing services to patients from neighbouring countries and beyond. This will generate additional revenue for the facility, ensuring sustainability and continued expansion of services,” he said.
President Akufo-Addo’s government has long prioritised healthcare development as part of its broader goal of achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) for all Ghanaians.
The commissioning of the Urology and Nephrology Centre of Excellence is just one example of the many initiatives aimed at improving access to quality healthcare across the country.
During his speech, the President pointed to the significant strides his administration has made in healthcare infrastructure, citing the successful commissioning of the Bolgatanga Regional Hospital in August 2024 as a recent example.
By the close of 2024, the government expects to complete several additional healthcare projects, including the construction of 11 district hospitals and one polyclinic in the Ashanti, Eastern, Greater Accra and Ahafo Regions.
These projects are part of the government’s flagship “Agenda 111” initiative, which aims to build district hospitals in every district without one, as well as fully functional regional hospitals in each regional capital, particularly in the newly created regions.
President Akufo-Addo highlighted the progress of Agenda 111, noting that eight district hospitals are nearly completed, while the overall progress of the project stands at 69% as of September 2024. He expressed confidence that several of the facilities currently at over 90% completion would be finished before the end of the year.
“These projects represent the fulfillment of our commitment to achieving Universal Health Coverage and ensuring the delivery of more efficient healthcare services across the country,” the President remarked.
“Our healthcare infrastructure stands as one of the greatest legacies of my administration.”
In addition to expanding healthcare infrastructure, the Akufo-Addo government has focused on addressing the uneven distribution of healthcare workers, particularly in rural and underserved areas.
The new urology centre at Korle Bu
President Akufo-Addo urged the Ministry of Health to expedite the completion of a draft incentive package that would help ensure healthcare staff are placed where they are most needed. This effort is part of the government’s broader strategy to make healthcare services more equitable across the country.
“We remain steadfast in addressing the uneven distribution of healthcare workers,” the President said. “I urge the Ministry of Health to expedite the completion of the draft incentive package for government consideration, ensuring that healthcare staff are placed where they are most needed.”
As part of the government’s focus on sustainable healthcare infrastructure, President Akufo-Addo stressed the importance of maintaining the Urology and Nephrology Centre to ensure its longevity.
He called on the management of Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital to adopt a robust preventive maintenance strategy to keep the facility in optimal condition. The President also emphasized the role of community involvement in holding healthcare managers accountable for the proper utilization of the facility.
“It is critical that we implement a well-thought-out maintenance plan,” President Akufo-Addo said.
“I call on the management of the Urology and Nephrology Centre of Excellence to adopt a robust preventive maintenance strategy to ensure the longevity and effectiveness of this facility.”
The President extended his gratitude to all who contributed to the project’s success, including the financiers, contractors, consultants, and healthcare professionals. He also acknowledged the dedication of international partners and stakeholders, including Messrs Vamed Engineering and their Ghanaian technical consultants, who delivered exceptional work.
As Ghana continues to make strides in healthcare development, the inauguration of the Urology and Nephrology Centre of Excellence represents a significant achievement in the country’s pursuit of Universal Health Coverage. With this new facility, Ghanaians and patients from neighboring countries alike can now access world-class care for kidney and urological conditions.
“The President’s focus on sustainability, healthcare worker distribution, and ongoing infrastructure projects like Agenda 111 demonstrates the government’s long-term commitment to building a healthcare system that serves all Ghanaians.
In conclusion, President Akufo-Addo reaffirmed his administration’s dedication to delivering on its healthcare promises.
“Our progress in healthcare infrastructure is a proud legacy of this administration,” he said.
“We will continue to work towards ensuring that every Ghanaian has access to the quality healthcare they deserve.”
