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‘Africa achieves better-than-expected anti-epidemic results’

Africa’s confirmed COVID-19 cases surpassed the 250,000-mark to reach 251,866 with 6,769 deaths as of Tuesday afternoon, maintaining a mortality rate far below the global average, beating forecasts from experts.

   The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) in its latest update on Tuesday said that the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases across Africa rose from 242,105 on Monday afternoon to 251,866 as of Tuesday afternoon, while disclosing that the death toll from the pandemic also rose from 6,464 on Monday to 6,769 as of Tuesday.

   So far, Africa’s anti-epidemic efforts have achieved unbelievable positive results despite the rising figure of confirmed cases, thanks to strict preventive measures, a young population and COVID-19 cooperation with China.

   Amid the rising COVID-19 caseload across the continent, some 43 African countries are under full border closure due to the rapid spread of the coronavirus, according to the Africa CDC.

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   In addition to the 43 countries under full border closure, night-time curfew has been activated across 35 countries in an effort to halt the spread of the infectious virus, it was noted.

   The Africa CDC also noted that 54 African countries are practicing limited public gathering, some 38 countries have exercised country-wide closure of educational institutions, while limited prison and hospital visits has been also ordered across 20 countries.

   Some seven countries have imposed international air traffic closures, while two countries have imposed travel restrictions to and from specific countries, and two others have also activated entry/exit restrictions, according to the Africa CDC.

   When population is taken into consideration, Africa has a youthful population which makes the COVID-19 less catastrophic with comparatively mild symptoms to this population.

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   Africa’s more youthful population with a median age of below 20 years, when compared with Europe and the United States (median age above 38 years), may have contributed to the low numbers of severe COVID-19 cases and deaths, media reports quoted a paper authored by experts in Kenya and Britain as saying.

   China’s support also plays a key role for Africa to deal with the pandemic, given China and African countries have offered assistance to each other and joined hands in fighting COVID-19 since the outbreak of the pandemic. -Xinhua

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 GFP founder Akua Donkor passes on

• Akua Donkor

Akua Donkor

 The founder and leader of the Ghana Freedom Party (GFP), Madam Akua Donkor, has passed away.

She died at the Greater Accra Regional Hospital on Monday, October 28 at 72.

Reports gathered by The Spectator indicat­ed that she was diagnosed with respiratory issues at the Nsawam Government Hospital and was referred to the Greater Accra Re­gional Hospital where she died.

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Known for her spirited presence in Ghana­ian politics, Akua Donkor was a staunch advo­cate for the rights of farmers and women.

Her bold and outspoken demeanour en­abled her to capture public attention and significantly impact the grassroots communi­ties she aimed to represent.

Throughout her political journey, she distinguished herself by running for the presidency multiple ti mes, demonstrating remarkable resilience despite financial chal­lenges.

Akua Donkor was listed as the third can­didate on the ballot for the upcoming 2024 presidential election.

Her political career began with her elec­tion as the Assemblywoman for Herman in the Ashanti region, and she made her first bid for the presidency in 2012 as an independent candidate.

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She was, however, disqualified by the Electoral Commis­sion in 2012 and 2016 for the reason that she did not meet the eligibility require­ments.

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 Stop using breast enhancing creams …they expose females to breast cancer

Mrs Enyonam Abiti making a presentation

Mrs Enyonam Abiti making a presentation

 Women have been cautioned to stop using of breast enhancing creams which is said to contain estrogen, predis­posing them to the breast cancer disease.

Using such creams over time in­creases estrogen levels in patrons of such products thereby exposing them to the disease.

Estrogen is a type of sex hor­mone responsible for development and regulation of female repro­ductive system and secondary sex chart.

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Mrs Enyonam Abiti, a medical of­ficer at Madina Pentecost Hospital, said this at a day’s seminar and breast cancer awareness creation day at Sunyani in the Bono Region.

The programme, organised by the Bono Regional office of CO­COBOD, forms part of activities to mark this year’s World Breast Cancer Day celebrations held every year in October.

Some staff of COCOBOD and women in cocoa farming used the opportunity to have their breast screened.

Mrs Abiti during a presentation revealed that one in every eight women was diagnosed of breast cancer while 1 from 1,000 men contract the disease.

She noted that early detection and regular screening was the sur­est way to salvage the situation.

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She mentioned that habits such as excessive smoking and alco­hol intake predisposes women to breast cancer.

Moreover, she added that peo­ple advanced in age, past history, past ovarian cancer case as well as young girls that menstruate early, among others stands the risk of contracting the disease.

The Bono Regional Administrator of COCOBOD, Michael Paddy Kwesi Asumanu, stated that the decision to organise the breast screening was to ensure that women in cocoa farming were healthy at all times to go about their farming activities in order to increase productivity.

“We don’t want a situation where our women in cocoa farming are infected with breast cancer disease to jeopardise the cocoa sector,” he said.

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According him, the Regional Office of COCOBOD in partnership with the Bono Regional Teaching hospital would organised screening for about 4,000 women on Octo­ber 31, 2024 at Goaso in the Ahafo Region.

The move, he said, was part of their corporate social responsibil­ity towards women as the world mark breast cancer awareness creation this month.

Some of the women who spoke to The Spectator commended CO­COBOD for the gesture and called on other institutions of state to emulate the example.

The organisers later held a float on the principal streets of Sunyani to create awareness on the breast cancer disease.

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 From Daniel Dzirasah, Sunyani

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