AFRICA TRADITIONAL MEDICINE DAY

Today is Africa Traditional Medicine Day. The theme for marking the Day is “A Decade of Traditional Medicine Development: What Are the Impacts?”

Ghana has since 1991 followed a consistent policy of developing aspects of traditional medicine that has the potential of contributing immensely to healthcare in the country. The policy is backed by in-country needs as well as international health related policies such as the Alma Ata Declaration of 1978, the Ouagadougou Declaration on Primary Healthcare of 2001, at which community health seeking behaviours were to become key components in healthcare planning at the primary level. Traditional medicine constitutes some of the healthcare practices at the community level.

 In a press statement signed by the Alban Sumani Bagbin, Minister of Health to commemorate this day, he noted that for the past decade, Ghana has made some modest gains in its quest to develop traditional medicine.

Among these gains are the establishment of Council for Scientific Research into Plant Medicine (CSRPM) in 1975 which has since developed 35 well-researched products.

And KNUST which has since 2005 produced 150 BSc. Herbal Medicine graduates who are physicians’ Assistants with special knowledge in herbal medicine and designated as Medical Herbalists.

Hon. Alban Gbagbin added that the Ministry of Health is aware of the efficacy of herbal medicines the potential dangers that can arise from misapplication or abuse of herbal medicines. For this reason, a strong code of ethics of “do-no-harm” has been instituted to prevent excesses and hazardous practices that characterized unregulated forms of practice in the past and nothing would be done to jeopardize the beliefs, rights, businesses and health of individuals or any group under the pilot projects in the hospitals.

 He however implore all citizens, at their own will or when necessary, to call at the accredited hospitals for assessment check-up, counseling and education on what the new Herbal Medicine Unit stands for. The hospitals and their locations are as follows:

12 YR OLD BOY STARTS CAMPAIGN TO RAISE 100,000 PINTS OF BLOOD. FOR HOSPITALS IN ACCRA.

 

Andrew Adansi Bonnah, currently (12 years of age) and initiator of the Save Somali Children from Hunger Project that caused a ‘Global Stir’ in Africa and the world will on Thursday 23^rd of August 2012 has launched a national blood donation exercise at the Alisa Hotel in Accra.  

According to the young Ambassador for Girl Child Education in Africa, his new project will afford regional and district hospitals across the country adequate blood supply all year round to ensure emergency services are met timely.

“In this case, accident victims, maternal care, anemic patients and surgery activities would be undertaken without any difficulty” Andrew has stated

Andrew who is currently touring the Metropolitan City of Accra to ensure all is set for the take off of the national exercise has pledged to bring a new era of hope to the Ghanaian people as he did for the children and people of Somalia.

Andrew, who recently attended the funeral ceremony of Ghana’s All Time Statesman, and the Commander in Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces and the President of the Republic of Ghana, the late President Mills, said the late President was willing to work with him to make this project a success. According to Andrew, “the late President Mills was very passionate about maternal care” he remarked.

Andrew is supported by the National Blood Bank, Ghana Health Service, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Defense, Regional and District Hospitals across Ghana, GBC, Alias Hotel, the Country Awards Council Ghana, Universal Hospitals Group and other media partners.

The first phase of the exercise is expected to take place across 45 centres in Ghana within the next four (4) months.

MOTHER OF TWO ATTEMPTS SUICIDE.

Maame Aba on the ground before the ambulance arrived

A woman believed to be in her late 40s attempted suicide by jumping from a height of about 60 feet on top of the newly constructed interchange at Tantra Hill junction off the Achimota- Pokuase road in Accra yesterday. The incident according to reports gathered on the scene happened at about 4:15 in the evening.

Among the crowd gathered were two boys age 13 and 11 years (names withheld) who said the victim is their mother. According to the older boy their mother whom he referred to as Maame Aba was with them at home in the morning until the afternoon.

“ we were in the house this morning and she left  but she did not  tell us where she was going so someone came to call us that our mother has falling down.”

The boys who looked calm confirmed that they live close down the street and had contacted some of their relatives on the incident. 

When asked if her mother was mentally challenged as speculated by some people at the scene, he said that it is not true but rather admitted that she had suffered from some skin disease for the past three months.

Further checks revealed that Maame Aba was at the same place two weeks ago but was seen and drove away by some people. According to them,she  complained of neglect from her  family and financial difficulty.

Reaching the scene 30 minutes after the incident, eyewitness were spotted calling the police for response while pedestrians and motorist looked on to the woman who seemed dead in a poll of blood.

After breaking the News on Peace FM, an ambulance later arrived after waiting for over an hour.

WHEN THE AMBULANCE ARRIVED. 

At exactly 5:26, a help came for Maame Aba who was at the time, could be seen moving her hands on the ground. Luckly when the ambulance arrived, a private salon car also packed with two police officers and a military man joined the response team.

While the military man looked for polythine as an alternative for gloves, one of the police officer was also busily taking pictures with his camera phone.