News
MPA PARTNERS GHS TO LAUNCH A PAPERLESS HEALTH DECLARATION FORM AT THE AIRPORT
MILLENNIUMPROMISE ALLIANCE (MPA) has partnered with Ghana Health Service (GHS) to launch a real-time, electronic version of the Health Declaration Form at the Kotoka International Airport with the commencement of flights to the country.
The Paperless Health Declaration is used to obtain passengers travel history and signs and symptoms in relation to COVID- 19. The systems has already been deployed since the resumption of operation of the country’s Airport.
MPA developed Mobile and Web Health Declaration Applications to replaces the paper-based version that was used prior to the closure of the country’s borders. The App makes it possible for passengers to conveniently fill up the Form; whilst its decision support algorithms and analytics helps the Port Health team to speed up decision making and follow-up.
Travelers can access the Health Declaration App on their mobile phones, tablets or computers through the Ghana Health Service website using the link https:/www.ghs-hdf.org/hdf/.
Additionally, all passengers will have their temperatures screened through the MPA Porthealth Thermocheck booths.
“COVID 19 has ushered in a lot of homegrown ideas and domesticated technological advancements of which I’m Grateful to God to have been useful in such a competitive era together with my MPA team. The project has added a boost to Ghana’s preparedness to open its airports for international flights. I am very proud to leverage on our long-standing partnership with the Ghana health Service to bring this project to life” Chief Nathaniel Ebo Nsarko, Executive Director of Millennium Promise Alliance said.
He added that “due to COVID-19, Technology is being deployed at such a dizzying pace in recent months that it has transformed our world in ways that we least imagined. Coming up with this innovative idea started out to be difficult, if not impossible — and almost certainly up for fierce debate as we have always believed in foreigners than ourselves. Nevertheless, we gave it a shot and here we are, purely Ghanaian but of international standards; proudly Ghanaian.”
This collaboration is part of MPA’s agenda of mobilizing science and cutting-edge technology towards sustainable development and to improve the health and well-being of the population in Ghana.
Millennium Promise Alliance is an International NGO with a vision to eradicate extreme poverty, hunger, and preventable diseases especially in deprived communities.
MPA operates in twenty (20) countries including Ghana and believes in working with country systems and government agencies to empower the rural poor, promote rapid socio-economic development and accelerate the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
In Ghana, MPA provides technical support for school health screening, community health workers program, rural diagnostic laboratory services, personal protective equipment for frontline healthworkers among others.
MPA appreciates funding support from the Sergei Brin Family Foundation and GSK; as well as strategic and policy advisory from the Founder and Board Chair Prof. Jeffrey Sachs.
News
Craze for x’mas shopping: Crowded markets, low patronage
Vendors of food and other wares associated with the Christmas celebration have expressed surprise at the low patronage despite the increased number of visitors to some of the major markets across the capital.
Four days to the celebration(Christmas), the markets are filled with various products ranging from food, clothing, livestock and many other stuff, but according to the vendors, patrons are doing more ‘window’ shopping.
The Spectator on visits to some of the markets in the capital, notably the Odawna, Makola, Accra Central Business District, New Town and others made similar observations as shoppers crowd them but did little in terms of purchases.
The paper also observed that majority of vendors, originally selling other wares have switched to product related to the festive season.
What it means is that there are a lot more clothes, food and vegetables, livestock and poultry, toys, firecrackers, drinks of different types and many others on display.
The markets have also stretched to the pedestrian pavement, leaving very narrow spaces for commuters to move about freely.
That, in addition to a few of the female vendors dressed in coloured attires to reflect the occasion, has heightened the euphoria, leaving the low sales as the only headache for the vendors.
Speaking with this paper, they sounded very optimistic, believing that sales would improve in the last few days to the yuletide.
According to them, there was the opportunity to sell beyond Christmas as the New Year celebration offers similar opportunity to trade the same wares.
They urged patrons to throng the markets to shop since prices were quite moderate and products affordable for all.
News
Retirement service for Elder John Ackom-Asante,3 others
Retired Deputy Editor of The Spectator, Elder John Ackom-Asante, was last Sunday honoured by the Church of Pentecost Windy Hills District in Kasoa in the Central Region, with a retirement thanksgiving service, after serving for 26 year as an Elder of the church.
He was honoured with a citation and certificate of service along with three other elders who served in the capacity for various years.
Elder Ackom-Asante was baptised at the Darkuman Central Assembly in 1979 and ordained as an Elder in 1997.
The citation read “Your selfless service, zeal, willingness to relate wholeheartedly and your desire to effect change has gone a long way to shape the lives of many people in the church and the nation over the 26 years of your dedication to the service of the Lord.”
Elder Ackom- Asante held many positions at the Darkuman Central Assembly, Obuasi in the Ashanti Region and Tema, serving in various capacities as youth and evangelism ministry leader and marriage counsellor.
He was the founding member of the Darkuman Christian Fellowship, a member of the Greater Accra Christian Fellowship; member of Bible Society of Ghana; founding member Obuasi Chapter Full Gospel Businessmen Fellowship International and founding member of New Times Corporation Christian Fellowship and Chaplain, Methodist University Tema Campus 2009- 2010.
As a professional journalist, Elder Ackom-Asante combined effectively and efficiently his duty as a member and elder of the church and the demands of his profession, with admiration from the church, kith and kin, till his retirement on December
From Alhaji Salifu Abdul-Rahaman, Kasoa
