News
Cerebral Palsy not contagious – concerned parent
A 35-year-old mother of a cerebral palsy child has debunked the claims that people who help in taking care of children with such condition risked giving birth to same because such children are cursed either by the gods or evil spirits.
She says that cerebral palsy childfen are often referred to as “nsuo ba” or “water children” literally meaning their mothers went to a water deity for them.
“In my case I was blamed for not keeping myself away from evil spirits when I was pregnant” the worried mother said this on condition of anonymity in an interview with The Spectator on Wednesday.
She has a six-year-old daughter with cerebral palsy.
Cerebral palsy is a congenital disorder of movement, muscle tone or posture and is usually due to abnormal brain development often before birth but could also occur at birth or in early infancy. Meanwhile the cause, according to health personnel, is not known.
She said she was fortunate to have in-laws who understood the situation and helped her and the daughter.
“However, in her early years it was tough for me to find a person willing to take good care of her so I found myself stuck at home on many occasions and this affected my mental health, ” she disclosed.
The woman said such children took various medications, (needed therapy or even sometimes surgeries) to control seizures and other factors which were expensive, therefore, placing financial burden on parents and guardians of such children.
She said there was the need for the government to put some, if not all, of such medications on the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) to cushion parents.
She again said taking care of such children was emotionally draining and it was sad to note that society was not doing much to help parents and guardians of such unfortunate children by accepting them and offering the necessary support to ease their burden.
“There must even be centres where parents and guardians of such children could go for counselling to help their mental health” she said stressing that finding appropriate caregivers was also a major challenge.
On education, she expressed concern that children with cerebral palsy did not get basic education because majority of schools, (both public and private), did not accept them into their fold.
“Schools are not willing to put in the necessary structures which ensure that such children get education and therapy that meet their need or tailored to them.
“Even inclusive education as things stand now, only seems to be on paper but not actually practised. Government should show commitment by initiating measures to actualise the practice of inclusive education especially at the basic level, “she said.
She further advocated conscious effort to get an appreciable number of young men and women to read courses on Special Education to help with the overall care and management of such children.
From Dzifa Tetteh Tay, Tema.
News
Minister of Health appeals to Tamale Teaching Hospital striking doctors
The Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh has appealed to the striking doctors at the Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH) to calll off the suspension and come to the negotiation table.
However, he refused to apologise as demanded by the striking doctors.
The doctors after a meeting yesterday have withdrawn emergency services following the dismissal of the Chief Executive Officer of the hospital.
This follows an unannounced visit to the hospital by the Minister on Tuesday.
The Minister made the appeal when addressing the media in Accra on Today, April 24 2025.
According to him, dialogue is the only way out to resolve the issue, adding that he was ready collaborate with them.
“I am prepared for us to come around the table and discuss whatever we need to discuss,” Mr Akandoh said.
“My humble appeal to my wonderful medical doctors and health professionals at Tamale Teaching Hospital is that I am the first person to take care of your interests. Therefore, let’s call off the strike and let’s all regroup and strategise going forward,” he concluded.
News
Health Minister donates medical equipment to Tamale Teaching Hospital, pledges commitment to reforms
The Minister for Health Kwabena Miintah Akandoh has reiterated government’s commitment to address long-standing challenges in the health sector, describing the health system as one that requires urgent reform and collective responsibility.
He made these remarks during a donation of some essential medical equipment and supplies to the Tamale Teaching Hospital on behalf of the Ministry of Health.
The donation included a wide range of equipment such as ECG machines, ICU ventilators, cardiac monitors, anesthesia machines, infant incubators, and essential
Consumables amounting to about 35 items.
Among the items highlighted were
Emergency Health Equipment (EHE) sets, nebulizer sets, and medical-grade towels.
The Health Minister acknowledged the difficult working conditions health professionals continue to endure and emphasized that government efforts alone would not be enough to resolve systemic issues.
He called for unity across the health sector and urged all stakeholders, including medical doctors, nurses, and pharmacists, to work together to ensure that the country’s limited resources are used efficiently.
He noted that the wellbeing of the ordinary Ghanaian should be central to healthcare delivery, cautioning against practices that marginalize the underprivileged due to resource scarcity. According to him, every Ghanaian life is valuable, and the system must reflect that belief in both policy and practice.
Mr.Akandoh stressed that his leadership approach is rooted in humility, collaboration, and respect for all health workers. While acknowledging that change may come with challenges, he maintained that cooperation is key to achieving lasting improvements in the sector.
The Minister pleaded with health professionals in the Tamale Teaching Hospital to call off the strike and regroup to strategize on more effective ways to address their concerns through dialogue and collaboration with relevant authorities.
The donation to the Tamale Teaching Hospital forms part of a broader national initiative to modernize medical infrastructure and enhance service delivery in Ghana’s healthcare.
