Champion Mental Health at Workplaces-CHAG

With increasing cases of mental health related illnesses in the country, the Christian Health Association of Ghana (CHAG), is urging organisations to take a critical look at mental health and promote it at their workplaces.

Dr. James Duah

Dr. James Duah, Deputy Executive Director of CHAG touched on the relevance of metal health at the work place in order to ensure productivity of the employees, adding that poor performance of worker who hitherto were at their peak, could be related to Mental Illness.

He made the appeal at the St. Joseph Hospital, Effiduase, Koforidua, during a CHAG/UKAID Training Workshop on the Management of Mentally Ill Persons for Faith-Based/Prayer Camp Leaders and Traditional Healers in the Eastern Region.

The Deputy Executive Director, stated that delusions, depression, suicidal tendencies, isolation or quietness, hallucination and one’s inability to cope with the normal daily stress of life, as well as hampered ability to relate well with others, were some symptoms that suggests that people were suffering from mental illness.

Noting that one out of four (4) persons in Ghana were at risk of being mentally ill, Dr. Duah, observed that society was becoming chaotic because we often fail to detect the symptoms of mental illness in people.

He also noted that the burden of mental illness in Ghana was 13%, adding that about 41% of Ghanaians were having one psychological problem.

In managing the cases, Dr. Duah, called on Ghanaians to support the treatment of persons suffering from mental illnesses, stressing that a lot of mental health issues needed physical therapy and psychosocial support.

He noted that the Faith based groups, traditional healers, prayer camps leaders and other stakeholders could help in reassuring and counselling patients, as well as refer them to health facilities for them to be attended to.

The Deputy Executive Director in acknowledging the enormous challenge mental illness poses to everyone in the country, urged Ghanaians to focus on it, since it affected everyone.

Rev. Br. Johannes Torwoe, Superior of the St. John of God Brothers at Koforidua, who chaired the function, encouraged Ghanaians to undertake regular health check, be prayerful, not to drink when faced with problems, love one another, and be each other’s keeper.

He urged people to also watch out for the early warning signs of mental illness, and connect to care or refer them to health facilities.

Dr. Duah addressing the participants

Mr. Victus Kwaku Kpessese, Executive Secretary of Health for the Koforidua Diocese and the Local CHAG Chairman, urged participants to work together to promote mental health in the Eastern Region.

He suggested the creation of a platform to address the challenges and question bothering on mental health or those that may arise during care provision.      

About 500 participants attended the training workshop, sponsored by the UKAID. Among them were operators of Prayer Camps and Traditional Healers in rural areas; Mental Health Nurses and Chaplains drawn from CHAG facilities in the Eastern Region, as well as some managers of the health facilities.

The participants shared some experiences and expressed their gratitude for the knowledge learnt, which they say would go a long way to impact on their operations.

At the programme, Dr. Duah, also launched the Golden Jubilee of CHAG, while paying glowing tributes to the founding members of the Association and commending their commitment and sacrifices in living their roles that has contributed to the success of CHAG.

Collective efforts needed to manage e-waste

Logo of the Project

Ghanaians were entreated to support Caritas Ghana’s initiative to manage electronic waste in the country in order to curtail the toxic generated in the process and preserve our environment for future generation.

Mr. Kenneth Ashigbey, out-going Managing Director of the Graphic Communications Group Ltd, made the appeal at the launch of the project in Accra and challenged Ghanaians to do their little best to save the earth from destruction.

He expressed worry about the way greed and avarice was driving people to destroy our water bodies and environment, stressing the need for all to work together to save it from further destruction.

Mr. Ashigbey, said the tag of Agblogbloshie as the dirtiest place on earth, was a great indictment on Ghana. How did we get there? How did we allow ourselves to get into this abyss? He questioned

Stating that Caritas Ghana was offering Ghanaians the chance to address the e-waste menace, the Managing Director said it was a good project that provide our people in rural and peri-urban areas access with clean water supply, as well as solar lamps for use.

He called for collective efforts to turn the tide around, in the proper management of electronic waste, whilst leveraging the gains to support the poor.

With the launch of the project, Caritas Ghana and its partners will focus on collecting, managing and selling e-waste by-products to curb the poison emitted into the environment, and support livelihoods of poor in the rural areas by providing clean water and renewable energy source.

Shedding more light on the project, Mr. Samuel Zan Akologo, Executive Secretary of Caritas Ghana and Department of Human Development of the National Catholic Secretariat(NCS), noted that his outfit will undertake advocacy for adequate policy response to “address looming health and environmental calamity of e-waste”.

He said Caritas Ghana will also embark on nation-wide public education ad sensitisation for behavioural and attitudinal change on disposal of e-waste, as well as set-up actual collection ccetres of e-waste for proper recycling. 

To this end, Mr Akologo stated that Caritas Ghana and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) signed a Memorandum of Intention for Technical Support to build capacity of people to be engaged in the collection and recycling of e-waste.

Besides “a number of Companies, by their sponsorship of this programme and other on-going discussions, are willing to and have actually signaled their support for this cause” he stated.

By the project, the Executive Secretary declared the intention of Caritas Ghana, “to set-up the e-waste management as a social enterprise venture whereby the collection, management and sale of the by-products from e-waste will generate income to support other social needs of very deprived communities and the poor”.

He explained that proceeds of the sale of e-waste by-products would be used to purchase water purification systems for improved sanitation in rural and peri-urban communities for the poor and needy; particularly children and women, and to provide solar lamps for rural communities, without electricity which replaces harmful toxic fumes from kerosene lamps.

Mr Markus Spitzbart, Head of Programme, Sustainable Management and Disposal of E-Waste at the GIZ in Ghana, stated that the social recycling business that Caritas Ghana seeks to set-up will provide an ideal institutional and company framework, where eco-levies charged to the manufacturers and importers, could be used to ensure environmentally sound e-waste recycling.

He however, appealed to the Ghana Government to establish legal framework to ensure the proper working of the recycling fund.

At the launched, renowned Gospel Artiste Mary Ghansah, performed a song for the programme, that rallies support from people to embrace the call to save our environment from destruction.  

Ambassador Kabral Blay Amihere, Chairman of the launch, urged Ghanaians to perform good works, by preserving our water bodies and protecting our environment.

Whilst commending Caritas Ghana for starting this initiatives, he challenged the media to join the campaign in promoting the enterprise, and appealed to the Government to reduce taxes on materials to be used in the production of filters for portable water and renewable energy sources.

Present at the functions were Very Fr. Lazarus Anondee, Secretary General of the National Catholic Secretariat (NCS), Rev. Frs. Wisdom Larweh, and Duiedonne K. Davor, Assistant Secretary General and the Executive Secretary of the Department of Social Communications respectively at the NCS, as well as sponsors and partners of the project.    

NCHS celebrates Bishop Afrifah-Agyekum

The thunderous applauds by dignitaries and participants signified the cheerful approval of Most Rev. Joseph Afrifah-Agyekum’s steadfast commitment and remarkable service to the advancement of the National Catholic Health Service (NCHS).

As Bishop responsible for Health, for the past seven years, he undertook several initiatives and championed efforts to improve quality and affordable healthcare delivery to Ghanaians.

For his efforts, the NCHS honoured him with a plaque and a gift, at the just ended 15^th Annual Conference held at Sunyani in the Brong Ahafo-Region.

The prelate, who also heads the Catholic Diocese of Koforidua, worked tirelessly to promote and advance the work of the NCHS in many areas.

According to Mr. George A. Adjei, Director of the NCHS, the Bishop did a lot to improve the work of the NCHS in the past seven years he served as Bishop Responsible for Health.

He commended him for his efforts in visiting many NCHS facilities in some parts of the country, and expressed gratitude to him for his willingness to promote health delivery in the country.

Similarly, Most Rev. Emmanuel Kofi Fianu, new Episcopal Chairman for Health, extolled Bishop Afrifah Agyekum for his support and dedication to the growth of NCHS for the past seven years.

Bishop Fianu acknowledged his predecessor for his work in health care delivery and “also for agreeing to a slow handover process of this portfolio”.

In a valedictory remark, Bishop Afrifah-Agyekum reminisced moments when he was first appointed the Episcopal Chairman for Health, by the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference (GCBC), stating that “I thought I was in a wonderland.”

But after seven years he noted that “it has been both eventful and a rare experience” and thanked the frontline staff of NCHS, working in remote areas, for braving the odds to work and making the best out of difficult situations.

During his tenure, the Prelate paid a duty tour of NCHS facilities in nine Arch/Dioceses and observed the limited resources at the disposal of health facilities and the circumstances some of the staff were working under. “The learning experience is so phenomenal” he said. 

Bishop Afrifah-Agyekum who doubles as the Bishop of Koforidua commended the Director of the Directorate of Health at the NCHS and his team, Members of the Medical Ethics Commission, past and present members’ representative of the Bishops’ Conference on the Christian Health Association of Ghana (CHAG) Board, the Health Service Managers. “You were my Teachers and you guided me throughout my tenure” he observed.     

He entreated his successor to ensure the continuity of initiatives such as the Pool Procurement Programme, started in 2011 and the sustenance of the Catholic Medicines Centre at the National Catholic Secretariat, as well as the improvement in the management of NCHS facilities throughout the country.

He urged the NCHS to develop and register as a Trust with its own governance body that reports to the GCBC, which will enable the centralization of some major policies, so that with the approval of the Conference decisions and policies will become binding on all NCHS facilities in the country.

The registration of NCHS as a Trust, will “promote our unity and get our managers to comply with decisions and directives of the Conference” Bishop Afrifah-Agyekum argued.

Whilst pledging his resolute support to the work of the NCHS, the immediate past Bishop Responsible for Health expressed appreciation to all those who hosted them during their visits to NCHS facilities in the nine Arch/Dioceses.

Dr. Akrofi-Mantey, others honoured

The National Catholic Health Service (NCHS) has recognised Dr. Ebenezer Akrofi-Mantey, Principal Medical Officer at the St. Joseph Hospital, Effiduase, Koforidua in the Eastern Region, for his long outstanding service to humanity.

The award was conferred on him as the Best Worker, Senior Category at the 15^th NCHS Annual Conference at Sunyani, alongside others, for his dedicated service to NCHS for the past 26 years.

Born in 1956, Dr. Akrofi-Mantey completed the University of Ghana Medical School, Legon with a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MB. ChB) Degree in 1987.

He was first appointed to the Effia-Nkwanta Government Hospital, Takoradi, as Medical Officer between 1989 and 1991, after successfully completing an internship at the Paediatrics and Surgery Unit of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital between 1987 and 1988.

With an aura of simplicity and simplicity, awardee was noted for his dutiful and enthusiastic service at the Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Surgical and Casualty Departments of the Effia- Nkwanta Regional Hospital, with exceptional selflessness.

He was nicknamed ‘One-man Station’ during his seven years work as the Medical Officer in-charge (1991-1998) at the Fr. Alan Rooney Memorial Hospital at Asankragwa; where he was reputed to have discharged responsibilities of leading general administration, performed basic general surgeries and obstetric and gynaecological procedures.

Dr. Akrofi-Mantey, also served as a Senior and later as Principal Medical Officer at the St. Joseph Hospital, Koforidua with a great sense of volunteerism, he took relieving duties in affiliate facilities of the St. John of God Brothers in Africa.

To this end, he offered a three-month medical assistance at the St. John of God Hospital, Nguti, Cameroun in 2001, and also served at the St. John of God Hospital, Sefwi-Asafo.

The Awardee trained at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine in 2004, where he earned a Master of Tropical Paediatrics and was also awarded a certificate in the World Health Organisation course management of malnutrition in hospitals.

His strong leadership skills transformed and developed the newly established Obstetrics and Gynaecology unit at the St. Joseph Hospital during he served as the Medical Superintendent at the St. Joseph Hospital from 2008 and 2015.

As a professional who dedication offers inspiration for sustainability of health care delivery, he was adjudged the Best Senior (2016) at the St. Joseph Hospital and the Best Koforidua Diocesan Staff, Senior Category Excellence Award in February 2017.

Likewise, Mr. Jude Napaala, an Anaesthesia Assistant, who has worked with the NCHS for the past 17 years was adjudged the Best Worker, Junior Staff Category, for his dedicated services.

He was first employed as a Night Watchman at the Fr. Thomas Alan Rooney Memorial Hospital, Asankragwa in 2000 and by dint of hard work, management appointed him a Hospital Orderly in 2002. 

With unwavering commitment to duty, Management again upgraded his position to Health Assistant/Senior Health Assistant in 2004 and 2010 respectively.

In recognition of discipline, honesty and passion to work, the Hospital Management approved of your readiness to train as Anaesthetists in 2010 when there was shortage of Anaesthetists at the facility.

He is on record to have distinguished himself in his training and for assisting in the performance of 568 procedures in 2012, including laparotomies, caesarian sections and hernias.

The NCHS also awarded Dr. Felix Ahorsu, Eye Specialist and Medical Superintendent at the St. Patrick Hospital at Offinso in the Ashanti Region for his dedicated and meritorious service in the healthcare delivery.

A voluntary blood donor, Mr. John Degraft Daiden who had donated blood since 1977 was also honoured for his dedication in saving lives at the Conference.  

‘Take Patients’ safety seriously’

Health care providers in the country were entreated to ensure safety of patients at all times by observing health safety regulation in the discharge of their duties.

Bishop Fianu

Most Rev. Emmanuel Kofi Fianu, Episcopal Chairman for Health at the National Catholic Secretariat, urged health managers and workers, particularly those within the National Catholic Health Service (NCHS) to exercise circumspection in their work to prevent causing harm to patient seeking healthcare.

In order to reduce and avoid the incidence of injury and death of patients in the course of treatment, Bishop Fianu who doubles as the Catholic Bishop of Ho, noted that “any health system that fails to take its regulation seriously is headed for patient safety compromises, including irreparable harm and loss of life, which society will not accept”.

The Bishop made the call at the opening of the 15^th Annual Conference of the National Catholic Heath Service at Sunyani in the Brong Ahafo Region, on the theme: “Policy and Regulations on Patient Safety in Ghana-Current and Future Outlook”.

He noted that regulation may be simple protocols of dos and don’ts of workplace and service delivery, and may be complex mechanisms for explaining diagnostic results among others.

He observed that that the importance of regulations which could be a source of promoting good practice, assures patients, who entrusts their whole being to the care of another in the hope that an intervention will not harm them.

In calling on policy makers to ensure even application of rules irrespective of ownership of health facilities, Bishop Fianu, stressed the need for effective supervision and monitoring to ensure that health workers complied with the rules governing their work.

The Bishop advised the Ministry of Health to rope in more health sector workers under the various councils or laws, in order to effectively regulate the activities of those health workers who fall outside the remits of the rules for health workers.

In a remark, Most Rev. Matthew Kwasi Gyamfi, Bishop of Sunyani, who chaired the opening, observed that patient safety was crucial in the healthcare system, urging Health Providers to ensure the safety of unborn babies.

He entreated health workers to be diligent in the provision of patient safety, since the patient were becoming aware of their rights in the area of health care.

He said the era where nurses looked on unconcerned when patients visited their facilities, whilst they were on busy with their mobile phones ‘whatsapping’ and chatting with friends was over, calling for more supervision to curtail these trend.

Mr. Peter K. Yeboah, Executive Director of the Christian Health Association of Ghana (CHAG), noted that with the commitment of the country in universal health coverage, national health insurance system and community health planning and services, there was the need for a robust and responsive patient safety oversight system at both policy and regulatory levels. 

He said Policy and regulation on patient safety in Ghana constituted a call to action to improve the quality of clinical care and strengthening the performance of health system.

He stated that “safe and quality healthcare delivery can be guaranteed when the right health commodities, in the right quantities, in the right condition are delivered to the right place at the right time for the right cost.”

Similarly, Rev. Msgr. George Kwame Kumi, Vicar General of Sunyani Diocese urged health providers to give serious attention to patient safety, stating that statistics about patients who suffer injury during the cause of receiving treatment were frightening and disturbing.

He called for the fixing of CCTV cameras in all facilities and behavioral change among health practitioners to ensure reduction in the incidence, adding that the disregard of patients’ safety has fatal consequences for both the healthcare provider and the clients.

Also, the immediate past Episcopal Chairman for Health, Most Rev. Joseph Afrifah-Agyekum Immediate Past Bishop commended the current Government for making efforts to pay part of the National Health Insurance Scheme’s (NHIS) indebtedness to health facilities, urging it to expedite action to settle the remaining debts.

He expressed the hope that the Church will make strong input, in the event of re-introduction of the Capitation policy so that the NCHS Clinics operating in the hard to access areas were not short changed in the process.

In his address, Mr George A. Adjei, Esq., Director of the NCHS, noted that they were strategising to create centers of excellence to leverage on technology in health service delivery.

To this end, he observed that the NCHS was nurturing opportunities for using telemedicine and information technological tools to improve health care delivery in the country.

He also announced that the service would soon constitute a National Advisory Body on Biomedical Engineering Services and another on Waste Management to undertake assessment of basic and essential equipment in use at the various NCHS facilities in the country and advice on what policy should be in place.

Whilst commending St. Patrick and St. John of God Hospitals at Offinso and Sewi-Asafo respectively for their exceptional performance on the Pool Procurement Programme, the Director reported that the programme detected some counterfeit drugs which had since been withdrawn from the system and the suppliers blacklisted.

Mr. Martin Obeng, DCE of Sunyani West District commended the Catholic Church for its role in the provision of health and Education in the country.

Dignitaries Present at the ceremony were Nana Nyaama ll Paramount Queen Mother of Sunyani, Nana Kwaku Sabin, priests and religious, political leaders and the All Saints Choir from the Christ the King Cathedral, Sunyani.

Thomas Aquinas Education Fund makes strides

A section of the Beneficiaries

Managers of the St. Thomas Aquinas Education Assistance Fund, recently posted an inspiring report about the support it had advanced to needy but brilliant students within the St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church, Cantonments in spite of inadequate funding.

In order to sustain the Fund, the Board of Trustees are examining plans and innovative strategies of fundraising activities to replenish it, so as to support more students.

So far, a total of 26 beneficiaries benefited from GHȼ 24, 550.00 bursaries disbursed since the inception of the Fund in October, 2013. In 2015, seven beneficiaries were awarded bursaries worth GHȼ 6,950.00, while nine beneficiaries received a total amount of GHȼ 8,700.00 in 2016; with another 10 beneficiaries accessing GHȼ 8, 900 this year.

Parishioners of the St. Thomas Aquinas Church, contributed to the Fund through the annual pledges and others. However, to augment the coffers of the Fund, a percentage of the Church’s 2016 harvest proceeds was used to support the fund, since the amount from pledge redemption was not much.

An 11-member Board of

Archbishop Palmer-Buckle with Board Trustees and some Beneficiaries

Trustees comprising the Parish Priests, the Parish Council (PC), the Youth and those with technical knowledge in education, administration and law was set up to oversee the management of the fund.

With the objective of supporting needy but brilliant students who face financial difficulties to continue their education, the St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church launched the Education Assistance Fund on Sunday, 16^th February 2014.

Through the Fund a lot of students were able to pursue their respective educational aspirations either at the Primary, Junior or Senior High Schools and at the Tertiary levels, from 2015 to 2017, with some beneficiaries completing the various levels of their education.

The disbursement of the 2017 coincided with the climax of the Pastoral visit of Most Rev. Charles G. Palmer-Buckle, Metropolitan Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Accra, on Sunday, 6^th of August, 2017, who urged the beneficiaries to study their books to justify the support they were receiving.

The current Board of Trustees has Rev. Fr. Benjamin Ohene, as the President, with Rev. Frs. David Andoh and Evans Halolo, as Vice Presidents; and Prof. Kojo Senah, as Chairman and Mr. Danso, as Vice Chairman. Other members are Mr. Frank Yankey, Legal Advisor; Mr. Adu Ameyaw - Financial Secretary and Mrs. Georgina Benyah, Secretary as well as Ms. Jessica Timbilla, Assistant Secretary and Mr. Emmanuel Dogodzi, Member. 

AWA support Centre of Hope

The HAINAN-AWA Foundation, the charity wing of the African World Airlines, recently donated more than GH₵ 3,000 and assorted items to the Centre of Hope at Abossay Okai, Accra.

The donation according to Madam Christabel Amegayibor, Head of Human Resource at AWA, was part of activities to commemorate the 5^th Anniversary of the operation of the airline in Ghana.

She said the gesture by the foundation which is support by the airline and through proceeds from appeals to passenger on the airline was to support the needy and the education of the marginalised.   

In all, the foundation presented five bags 25kilos of rice, 10 cartoons of biscuits, 2 cartoons of milk and Milo, a gallon of cooking oil, washing detergent, toys and books as well as 7 bags of used clothing.

The Mad. Amegayibor(R) presenting the Cheque Sr. Mwaakpaar

Madam Amegayibor, who recounted previous donations the foundation performed at the Osu Children’s Home and Frafraha Orphanage, expressed the hope that the gift would bring a smile on the faces of the Children.

A benefactress passenger Ms. Debbie Otong, who supported the foundation, urged the children to cheer up and take their studies seriously.

Present at the ceremony were some staff of the Africa World Airlines, the beneficiaries and some of their parents.

Rev. Sr. Colette Mwaakpaar, FMM, Administrator of the Centre who received the items, thanked the HAINAN-AWA foundation for the gesture and prayed replenish the amount spent. She said the donation came in handy and would go a long way to support the beneficiaries of the Centre.

As part of the brief ceremony, the beneficiaries recited poems, memory versus and songs to entertain the staff of the Africa World Airlines.