News
AMIC to offer free pre-screening for knee and hip
African Medical Information Center (AMIC), working through AMIC Medicare Diagnostic Centre is to offer free pre-screening for knee and hip, which would also serve as a significant step forward in enhancing healthcare in Ghana.
The comprehensive free pre-screening camp, scheduled for June, July, and final surgeries in August, aims to revolutionise healthcare in Ghana.
“Early detection and treatment can prevent minor issues from becoming major problems, and screening can identify risk factors and enable preventative measures. This will position Ghana as a medical tourism hub,” Mr. Jignesh Viradia, Chief Executive Officer of the African Medical Information Center (AMIC-www.amicafrica.com), revealed at the weekend.
Mr. Viradia said the ground-breaking health project seeks to offer affordable and discounted premium Total Knee Replacement (TKR) and Total Hip Replacement (THR) surgeries to those in need.
“The surgeries will not only transform the lives of those suffering from knee and hip conditions but also provide local medical professionals with the opportunity to receive training and enhance their skills,” he said.
“Knees and hips are the foundation of one’s mobility and wellbeing, but unfortunately, many take them for granted until problems arise. Knee and hip issues can lead to chronic pain, limited movement, and a reduced quality of life,” the AMIC CEO stated.
He noted that World Health Organisation (WHO) data indicates that approximately 1.5 billion people worldwide suffer from chronic musculoskeletal disorders, with knee and hip problems being among the most common.
In Ghana, he noted that the prevalence of knee and hip problems is significant, with a recent study indicating that over 20 per cent of adults experience chronic knee pain.
Mr. Viradia therefore stressed the need for proper management and screening, which would help individuals prevent or manage these problems.
“Knee and hip health are crucial for our overall wellbeing. Regular screening and management can make a significant difference in preventing and treating problems,” he stated, stressing effective pain management.
“These camps were organized on various verticals, like transplants for kidney, liver, and pancreas-cochlear implants for the deaf; neurosurgeons for tumours and brains; Onco-surgery for cancer; orthopaedics for bones; and complex surgery,” he noted.
He said AMIC, along with AMIC Medicare Diagnostic Centre is collaborating with AIMS Hospital, Wisconsin University, with support from the Dental Medical Council and other public health directorates, along with strategic stakeholders in the health sector, to offer free prescreening for knee and hip. The camp emphasizes only TKR-THR (knee and hip).
The camp will begin with free prescreening camps in June and July until the first week of August, followed by the surgical camp at the end of August. A team of experienced surgeons from India and local doctors will perform the surgeries, along with hands-on training and CPD, while also providing live training sessions for local medical professionals.
He said, “We are committed to providing quality medical care and empowering local doctors with the latest techniques and expertise,” he said, stressing that “this initiative is a game-changer for Ghana’s healthcare landscape, and we are proud to be a part of it.”
He said that for over a decade, AMIC-Africa Medical Information Centre has been a leading healthcare information provider in Ghana, dedicated to providing quality and affordable healthcare.
He recommended regular exercise, maintaining a healthy weight, proper footwear, and ergonomic furniture to help prevent strain on these joints.
News
Swallowed by the Sea! …Keta’s coastal lines, landmarks, efforts to preserve heritage
The Atlantic Ocean is no longer a distant blue horizon for the people of Keta.
It now circles around their doorsteps, uninvited, unrelenting, pulling down walls and other structures, erasing memories, and threatening lives.
Hovering precariously between the restless sea and the Keta Lagoon, this once-thriving coastal town is slowly being obliterated.
Salt water has become both a physical and metaphorical threat, dissolving the town’s past as fast as it claims its future.
Madam Aku Atitso, 62, lives in a crumbling former Prisons Service quarters – one of the few structures still standing on the eroded stretch of Queen Street.
She sits quietly at the entrance, preparing a modest breakfast for herself and her granddaughter.
The air is thick with salt and silence. “The sea took everything,” she says softly. “My husband’s nets, our mattress, our memories all gone overnight.” Her voice trembles. “This place too is dying. But it’s the last place with a roof over my head.”
A few metres away, Aunty Esinam, 79, watches the sea from a low stool beside a wooden shelter. Her eyes do not blink. “That spot,” she points, “used to be someone’s living room, a whole family lived there”.
It’s not just homes that are vanishing. Landmarks that anchored Keta’s cultural identity are disappearing one after another. The once-imposing Fort Prinzenstein, a haunting relic of the transatlantic slave trade is now more of a ruin than a monument.
the encroaching waters along Keta’s
coast.
encroaching waters along Keta’s coast
The colonial-era Bremen factory, the old cinema where generations of children once laughed at flickering black-and-white films is also gone.
Queen Street, once the town’s bustling backbone, is now a watery corridor choked with debris.
Standing atop a section of the sea defence wall, 69-year-old retired teacher Efo Kwasi Agbeko surveys what remains.
“The first police station is mostly gone,” he says, gesturing part of the building stuck in the sea sand, only ruins and a few rooms remain.
“This town is fighting, but the sea is winning,” he said.
Even the Cape St. Paul Lighthouse, Keta’s historic sentinel, leans perilously toward the water, and fishermen say holes in the shore are opening more frequently, sometimes every week.
That leaves a thick cloud of uncertainty hanging around the historic town of Keta.
Once upon a time, it was a vibrant town noted for business but currently left with ruins with a few of the residents watching in awe the sea’s devastation.
From: Geoffrey Kwame Buta, Keta, Volta Region
News
Ghanaians climax Easter with fun-filled activities
Christians around the world and other faith based groups last Monday climaxed the Easter celebration with a number of fun-filled outdoor and indoor activities.
With streets empty, fun seekers stormed church premises where picnics were held while others partied in many ways.
Others spent the day at the various beaches and music and film shows occupying the others.
velleyball competition
at the Laboma Beach
Church in Tema Community 8 engaged
in a number of activities including the
popular draught competition
At the churches, participants engaged in bible reading, football, volleyball, playing cards, table tennis, horse racing, bouncing castles, swimming and oware.
one of the picnic venues
Others played ludo, tag of war, lime and spoon, draught, music competitions among others.
The Spectator captured some of the exciting scenes around Accra-Tema for the benefit of readers.
Story & pictures by Victor A. Buxton
