KATH Cares For HIV/AIDS Patients

Thursday, 17 May 2012 09:36

Written by Ghanaweb Health

Dr Anthony Enimil, a pediatrician at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi, has called for stepping up of public education on HIV and AIDS to give more protection to the youth.

He said young people needed to be assisted with information about the deadly virus to discourage them from sex adventurism and promiscuity.

He was speaking at a day's training workshop for selected health workers engaged in the care for adolescent HIV and AIDS victims in Kumasi.

They were drawn from KATH, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi South, Manhyia, Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) and Suntreso hospitals.

It was held under the auspices of the KATH HIV and AIDS Clinic.

The goal was to aid them to have better understanding of the psyche of the infected adolescent so as to improve their treatment and management.

The training also provided the platform for the participants to discuss and explore ways to minimise the spread of the virus.

Dr Enimil said the nation could not afford to see the youth ruin their lives through unprotected sex and that an increasing number of adolescents were getting infected with the virus mainly through sexual intercourse.

Added to this was the risk of exposure to sexually transmitted infections (STIs) like gonorrhea and syphilis, he said.

He appealed to parents to spend quality time with their teenage children and do more to dissuade them from early sex.

GNA

Provide periodic information nation's blood stock - Prof Armah

Thursday, 17 May 2012 04:38

Written by Ghanaweb Health

Accra, May 16, GNA – Professor Kwaku Armah, Dean of Graduate Studies and Research at the African University College of Communication (AUCC), on Wednesday called for the provision of periodic information on the existing stock of the nation's blood banks.

He said having enough blood at the blood banks was important as it serves as a critical component in the health delivery system and in the prevention of casualties that may occur as a result of loss of blood.

He said “we need to inculcate into the people the act of donating frequently and freely so as to save lives”.

Prof Armah said this during a Lecture on Kidney diseases and a blood donation and breast cancer screening exercise organized by the AUCC as part of activities marking its tenth anniversary celebrations.

The event was on the theme “Education in an age of globalization and convergence - AUUC at 10”.

He said the event was to create awareness on the increasing rate of breast cancer and kidney related diseases as well as to educate the students on the need to have regular screening and donations.

He said as human beings we need to take good care of our bodies, since it could collapse at any time if proper care was not given.

Prof Armah appealed to the general public to be mindful with the intake of foods and avoid unhealthy environments.

Mr Ato Amoaning –Annan, Vice President Administration, AUCC, said the exercise forms part of the institute's corporate social responsibility and also to make students aware and understand the need to give back to the society.

He said “it was important for individuals to reach out to societies and also support hospitals by donating to the blood banks and help save lives”.

Mrs Evelyn Amma-Essiew, Senior Nursing Officer of the Accra Ridge Hospital, said due to the nature of food we eat, most people lack adequate blood to function properly so it is important for people to participate in blood donation exercises in order to save the lives.

She said the initiative of the school was a laudable one saying as a nation it is very important to enrich the blood capacity of our hospitals and urged all Ghanaians not to be afraid but make it a point to donate once a while to save the life of someone somewhere.

GNA