Conectar
by Mary Yeboah, Richard Abeiku Bonney, Loretta Adu-Boahemaa Antwi, Pius Amponsah Anane, Obed Kwabena Offe Amponsah, Peter Agyei-Baffour
BackgroundNon-communicable diseases (NCDs) cause 74% of global deaths, disproportionately affecting LMICs like Ghana. Chronic treatment remains hindered by medicine shortages and high costs, consuming over 50% of the minimum wage incomes. Despite Ghana’s NCD policies, supply chain gaps and price inflation persist. This study assesses access to medicine, operationally defined as availability and affordability, in three municipalities to inform reforms for Universal Health Coverage and achieve SDG 3.4 targets.
MethodsThis cross-sectional mixed study assessed the availability and affordability of NCD medicines in three municipalities in Ghana using WHO/HAI methods. Data on 62 medicines were collected from nine health facilities, supplemented by interviews with pharmacy managers.
ResultsThis study assessed access to NCD medicines across three municipalities in Ghana, revealing stark disparities. Availability varied significantly by location (Oforikrom 70% vs. Juaben 48.6%, p Conclusion
This study highlights inequities in access to NCD medicines in Ghana, with stark gaps in availability and affordability, especially in underserved areas. Findings reveal high costs, stock-outs, and geographic disparities as key factors, underscoring the need for supply chain reforms, price regulation, and municipal oversight to advance equitable, sustainable, universal health coverage.
by Ralph Kwakye, Grace Boakye, Bright Yaw Vigbedor, Albert Aniagyei, Bernard Owusu Asimeng, Boniface Yeboah Antwi, David Neglo, Salifu Nanga
Zeolite X was synthesized from kaolin and then modified using (Azadirachta indica) neem together with silver nitrate solution by ion exchange. X-ray diffraction confirmed a highly crystalline FAU framework characterised by a low angle reflection, which showed that silver incorporation did not alter the zeolite structure. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) revealed a well-defined polyhedral crystal for zeolite X, whiles the Ag-zeolite X exhibited increased surface heterogeneity and agglomeration. Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) and Raman Spectroscopy further confirmed framework retention, with band broadening attributed to the partial substitution of Na⁺ by Ag+ within the zeolite lattice. The antimicrobial activity of zeolite X, Ag-zeolite X, were evaluated against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterococcus faecalis, Candida albicans, Aspergillus niger strains by Minimum Inhibition Concentration (MIC) and Minimum Bacterial/fungal Concentration (MBC/MFC) Assays. The antioxidant properties were evaluated using 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2’-Azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothialine-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) radical scavenging assays. The unmodified zeolite X showed weak activity (MIC, MBC, MFC > 1 mg/mL, R > 4) whilst the Ag-zeolite X showed strong antimicrobial activity (MIC = 0.5–1.0 mg/mL, MBC, MFC = 0.5–2 mg/mL, R ≤ 4) across all tested strains. Antioxidant activity assessed using DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging assays showed significantly enhanced antioxidant performance for Ag-zeolite X compared to unmodified zeolite X, particularly in the ABTS assay. These findings demonstrate that neem-assisted silver modification enhances the bioactivity of kaolin-derived zeolite X while preserving its crystalline framework, supporting its potential application in biomedical, food packaging, and water treatment systems.To evaluate the performance of Ghana’s environmental surveillance (ES) system for poliovirus (PV) detection from 2018 to 2022 using standardised indicators developed by the WHO and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
A retrospective performance evaluation using 10 key indicators benchmarked against global targets for PV surveillance.
Seven regions across Ghana, participating in the national ES programme implemented under the Global Polio Eradication Initiative.
Wastewater sampling was conducted at designated ES sites, supported by field collection teams and laboratory personnel responsible for sample acquisition, processing and reporting of PV detection results.
Detection rates of PV and non-polio enteroviruses (NPEVs), timeliness of sample collection and reporting, data quality and system stability.
A total of 738 wastewater samples were collected. The system demonstrated high sensitivity, detecting circulating vaccine-derived PV type 2 in 51 (6.9%) of samples, Sabin PV types 1 and 3 in 61 (9.5%) and 114 (17.8%), respectively, and NPEVs in 491 (66.5%) of samples. Over 80% of samples met the recommended 21-day collection-to-reporting time frame. Data quality exceeded the ≥80% threshold, and workflows remained stable throughout the evaluation period.
Ghana’s ES system for PV was found to be flexible, stable and effective in generating high-quality data for early detection and public health response. These findings underscore the system’s critical role in supporting polio eradication efforts and highlight its potential as a model for surveillance in similar settings.
There is a pressing need for effective interventions that can support healthcare workers and caregivers in the challenging yet crucial task of disclosing the HIV status to infected children and adolescents. Previously, we developed and tested a successful disclosure intervention called Sankofa in Ghana. In an ongoing 5-year follow-up study, Sankofa 2, we aim to build on the successful Sankofa trial by testing the intervention on a larger scale.
This study is a pragmatic, stepped-wedge cluster randomised trial.
It is being conducted in 12 HIV paediatric clinics in Ghana to examine the effectiveness, health benefits, cost and implementation of the Sankofa intervention. Caregiver–child dyads (n=700) will be enrolled. Evaluation of effectiveness, health benefits, cost and implementation of the Paediatric HIV disclosure intervention, Sankofa 2, is posed to offer valuable insights for scale-up and sustainability.
Ethical clearance has been obtained from the Ghana Health Service Ethics Review Committee, the University of Ghana Ethical and Protocol Review Committee, the Committee on Human Research Publication and Ethics of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, the Johns Hopkins Medicine Institutional Review Board and the Yale School of Medicine Human Investigation Committee. The clinical trial was registered on ClinicalTrials.gov on 5 March 2021. All caregiver participants are required to provide written informed consent and the children assent before enrolment. If either the child or caregiver says no to the study, the dyad is not eligible for the study. No study-related procedures are performed until consent is obtained. The results of the trial will be added on ClinicalTrials.gov, published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at international conferences.
FreshRSS 