Bird Flu Surfaces In Ghana

Ghana's first case of the highly pathogenic H5N1 bird flu has been confirmed by local laboratories and a U.S. naval laboratory in Egypt, a World Health Organisation official said on Wednesday.
Some 1,600 birds had already been incinerated at the infected chicken farm 20 km (13 miles) east of the capital Accra near the port of Tema, Dr Harry Opata, WHO disease prevention and control officer.

Earlier this week, officials said they were investigating a suspected outbreak of the disease in birds around the prot city of Tema. Though H5N1 had been documented elsewhere in the region, Ghana had not previously had a case confirmed, said Dr. George Amofa, head of public health for Ghana's Health Ministry.

Sophia Twum-Barimah, a spokeswoman for WHO in Accra, said the virus was first detected by a Ghanaian lab and then confirmed by an Egyptian research center.
H5N1 has killed at least 172 people worldwide since it began its spread through Asian poultry in 2003, according to WHO. Most human deaths come from contact with infected birds, but experts fear H5N1 could mutate into a form that spreads easily among people.
Africa's most populous nation, Nigeria, was the first on the continent to report an outbreak of the disease last year. Outbreaks have also been reported in Cameroon, Djibouti, Egypt, Niger, Ivory Coast, Sudan and Burkina Faso.

Ghana had stepped up surveillance to try to prevent incursion of the disease: banning imported poultry and related products from Asia and some neighboring countries, including Nigeria and Ivory Coast.The virus is particularly worrisome in Africa, where poverty and poor health care means disease spreads quickly.In January, a young woman became the first Nigerian to die from H5N1. Djibouti and Egypt have also reported infections in humans and eleven people have died of the disease in Egypt.
Source:GHP

Ghana's May Day in Pictures

2006 HIV Prevalence rises

The 2006 National HIV Prevalence rate is 2.22 (3.2 per cent), an increase in the 2005's prevalence rate of 2.21 (2.7 per cent).A global decision by the United Nations Reference Group on HIV Estimates and Projections comprising WHO, UNAIDS, Future Institutes, United States Census Bureau and the World Bank indicated that a new methodology be used to find the national prevalence rate for HIV by putting together the Demographic Health Survey, Sentinel Survey and the Population Survey to arrive at the National Prevalence.

"With the new methodology, Ghana's HIV Prevalence rate for 2006 is 2.22", Dr Nii Akwei Addo, National Programme Manager of the National AIDS Control Programme said on Monday at the "National Dissemination of the 2006 HIV Sentinel Survey Report, Estimates and Projections of HIV/AIDS in Ghana".He noted that all countries, including Ghana would henceforth calculate their prevalence rate using the new model. The 2006 sentinel survey, saw Eastern region leading with 4.9 per cent followed by Western, Ashanti, Greater Accra, Upper East, Volta and Brong Ahafo with 4.3, 3.7, 3.4, 3.2, 3.0, and 2.8 per cents respectively.Northern region recorded the lowest of 1.3 per cent whilst Central and Upper West Regions recorded 2.5 each respectively.Agomenya, which recorded a decline in 2005 with 6.0 per cent, reverted to its position as the site with the highest prevalence with 8.4 per cent with Nalerigu recording the lowest with 1.0 per cent.

HIV type 1 has since the discovery of the virus in 1986 been the strain with the highest proportion of more than 90 per cent of the infections. HIV type 11 throughout the years has accounted for not more than 1 per cent but showed a slight increase in 2006 survey.The highest prevalence was recorded in the 25 to 29 year group with 4.2 per cent and 40 to 44 year group with 3.3 per cent. The 30 to 34 year group recorded the second highest level of HIV infection with 3.7 per cent with 15 to 19 year group recording the lowest HIV infection with 1.4 per cent.Dr Addo explained that the 15 to 24 age group alone contributed 30 per cent to the total HIV positive cases whilst persons below the age of 35 years contributed 88 per cent of the total positive samples. The new infections were mostly recorded in the 15 to 24 age group. He called for an escalation in efforts to reduce prevalence in the younger age group adding, "it will be the key to reducing the over all prevalence".

He noted the over all HIV prevalence could be said to be at the stabilisation stage with prevalence reverting to the levels recorded in 2004 having dropped for two continuous years at 3.1 and 2.7 in 2005 adding that "analysis by the sentinel sites showed that the prevalence at site level was far from being stable".Dr Addo explained that as access to treatment was increasing, prevalence would rise and said the prevention component of the national response be given higher attention to balance the effect.Mr Silas Quaye, Programme Officer of National AIDS Control Programme said Sexually Transmitted Infections, which had been identified as a co factor in HIV infection and testing for syphilis had been part of the HIV sentinel survey in Ghana since 2004.

He said syphilis prevalence for 2006 saw a decline from 3.6 in 2005 to 3.3 and 5.6 in 2004 with Asikuma Odoben Brakwa in the Central Region leading with 20. 8 per cent.Akim Oda, Assin Fosu, Cape Coast, Sewfi Asafo and Asunafo followed with 19.2, 18.5, 16.4, 16.4 and 12.0 per cents respectively. North Tongu (rural) for the second time has recorded 0.0 per cent. He said syphilis in rural areas were higher than urban areas whilst prevalence was higher in the older age groups of 40 to 44 year group representing 8.1 per cent than the younger age group of 25 to 29 representing 4.6 per cent.Central, Eastern, Western and Ashanti Regions have the highest syphilis prevalence in Ghana and said infection levels needed further investigation especially with its relationship with Yaws and HIV. 30 April 07

God will expose killers of Ya-Na -Kufuor

President Kufuor has repeated his innocence in the events leading to the death of the Overlord of the Dagbon Traditional Area, Ya-Na Yakubu Andani II and some of his elders.Speaking at the palace of the Regent of Gukpe-gu Ziblim Abdulai, Kufuor said he has not rested since the Dagbon crisis.

President Kufuor who is on a two-day visit to the northern region to assess the extent of the damage caused by last weekend’s rainstorm expressed regret that the murder of the Ya-Na has sown mistrust between him and some of his Dagomba friends.Ya-Na Yakubu Andani II and forty others died on March 2002.President Kufuor called on Ghanaians to “begin to trust each other and find a way forward for Dagbon.”“I am waiting for the day when God in his wisdom would expose those who committed the crime,” he declared.

The President’s comment followed an apology by the regent regarding the inability of the Andani family to visit him to show their gratitude for his role in the burying of the Ya-Na.Regent Ziblim Abdulai thanked the President for the numerous projects being carried out in the region and called for more.He asked President Kufuor to consider renovating the Tamale Teaching Hospital which is in dire need of help.In response, President Kufuor said the government has signed a 45 million euro contract with the Dutch government to rehabilitate the hospital. He disclosed that the hospital needs about 70 million dollars to have a facelift.

President Kufuor who described the hospital as a disgrace blamed successive governments for allowing it to degenerate to that level.He chastised the Tamale concerned citizens for embarking on a demonstration describing it as a pretence march conducted to score political points.
Source:JOY ONLINE

CJ Acquah Laid To Rest-Pix Account

Kufuor congratulates Nigeria's President-elect

President John Agyekum Kufuor on Thursday congratulated Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar'Adua on his election as the President of Nigeria.
"I have learnt that the appropriate electoral institution in Nigeria has declared you winner in your country's recent election.

Congratulation,"
President Kufuor said in the message. President Kufuor, who is the Chairman of the Africa Union, said he looked forward to welcoming the President-elect in to the fold the regional institutions - ECOWAS and the AU - with the strong hope that Alhaji Yar'Ardua would bring his sterling qualities to bear on the common pursuit of peace and stability in the sub-region and the continent as a whole.

He said he was particularly pleased about Alhaji Yar'Ardua's published appeal for national reconciliation and for all parties to avail themselves of the existing constitutional avenues to redress any grievances that might have arisen out of the elections.
"It is my hope that you will continue the on-going efforts to deepen democracy and constitutionalism both in Nigeria and in our sub-region," President Kufuor said.
Source:GNA

Heat energy being considered-Asamoah Boateng

The Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Environment is considering the production of heat energy through appropriate management of sewerage to augment the current power outage in the country. Mr. Stephen Asamoah-Boateng, sector Minister, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in an interview at Nkoranza that the heat energy could convert more than 53 megawatts of power to contribute to the national electricity grid.

He disclosed that his ministry was in consultation with 'Zoom Lion', a Chinese waste management and sanitation firm to release a number of motorcycles to replace the existing tricycles used for sanitation and waste management under the national youth employment programme. Mr. Asamoah-Boateng noted with concern that gathering, picking and conveying garbage with the tricycles posed a threat and was an inconvenience to the employees, hence the need to provide them with motorcycles to make their work easy and effective.

He bemoaned the rate at which refuse was managed and disposed nationwide and urged communities to ensure the proper approach to refuse disposal to help curtail the spread of communicable diseases.GNA