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‘Don’t use COVID-19 as excuse to stop attending child welfare clinics’

Following the outbreak of COVID-19 and the rising number of cases in the country, health experts say there has been a decline in the number of nursing mothers who are supposed to attend child welfare clinics.

According to practitioners, some mothers say they fear exposing themselves and their babies to the virus, hence the slow patronage in routine services.

However, the Head of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at the Accra Regional Hospital, Dr Nana Okai Brako, believes mothers should not put up such excuses for themselves.

The paediatrician, speaking to The Spectator, said that different forms of post natal care remained an essential part of a child’s wellbeing, therefore, mothers should not use coronavirus as a cover up against attending child welfare clinics.

He maintained that mothers could still observe the necessary health protocols and take good care of their children in the wake of the pandemic.

Touching on jaundice as one of the common diseases in babies, he said that the disease still accounted for a chunk of out-patient admissions at the pediatrics department.

The month of May each year is set aside to create awareness on jaundice in newborn babies.

Though statistics were not readily available, Dr Brako noted that the effect of neonatal jaundice in babies could still be dire if not detected and treated early.

He explained Neonatal jaundice as the “yellowing of the eyes or the skin of a baby which is caused by increase in a substance known as “bilirubin” in the baby’s bloodstream.”

He noted that the condition occurred within the first 28 days after a baby is born, adding that, the disease had varied effects on babies, including visual and hearing impairments as well as brain disorders.

“The first two weeks is very critical when it comes to detection and treatment of neonatal jaundice and it is one of the conditions mothers must look out for,” he said.

Differences in blood group between the mother and baby, infections and the use of camphor by some mothers, he noted, were among the causes of jaundice in babies.

Dr Brako, also the Focal Person of New Born Care in the Greater Accra Region, therefore advised mothers to always bring their babies out to properly lit areas for early signs of neonatal jaundice.

He further urged mothers to ensure their children were vaccinated against preventable diseases at the hospitals and child welfare clinics.

“Mothers should try to keep their babies warm at all times and also abide by the exclusive six months breastfeeding guideline as recommended.

“Babies should only be separated from their mothers only when mothers, due to a peculiar condition, are too weak to handle them,” he stressed.

Mothers, he said, should expect that they would be admitted at the hospital when they came to hospital with signs of jaundice in their babies.

Dr Brako insisted that nursing mothers should follow appropriate safety precautions and continue to breastfeed their babies as efforts were being made to combat the pandemic.

By Ernest Nutsugah

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Communication Ministry To Train 3000 Girls This Year Under The Girls-In-ICT Initiative

The Ministry of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations is set to train 3,000 girls under this year’s Girls-In-ICT Initiative.

The 2025 edition of the programme will expand its footprint to three key regions: Volta, Upper East and Upper West, with each region hosting 1,000 girls for in-person training sessions.

This marks a significant increase in reach and impact compared to previous years, where only 500 girls received face-to-face training while an additional 500 participated online.

By offering full in-person training to all participants this year, the Ministry aims to provide a more immersive and hands-on experience in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) education.

The Minister, Samuel Nartey George (MP) revealed this when a team from TATA Consultancy Services (TCS) paid a courtesy call on him today in his office and expressed interest in supporting the Girls-In-ICT Initiative.

During the meeting, the TCS team led by the President-MEA, Sumanta Roy commended the Ministry for its efforts in promoting digital inclusion and bridging the gender gap in technology through the Girls-In-ICT programme.

They emphasized the alignment of the initiative with TCS’s global corporate social responsibility agenda, which includes advancing education, promoting digital skills, and empowering underrepresented groups, especially young women in the tech industry.

The Honourable Minister welcomed the interest shown by TCS and noted that strategic partnerships like this are essential to the sustainability and expansion of the initiative.

The Girls-In-ICT Initiative, one of the Ministry’s flagship programs, seeks to equip young girls with practical digital skills and introduce them to the vast opportunities within the ICT sector.

The initiative also aims to address gender disparity in STEM fields and encourage greater female participation in Ghana’s digital economy.

Hon. Samuel Nartey George (MP) speaking about the 2025 rollout, stated: “This year’s program represents our commitment to building inclusive digital skills and creating future leaders in tech.

By expanding in-person sessions to all participants, we’re ensuring that every girl has the opportunity to learn, engage, and grow with hands-on support from professionals and mentors”.

Participants in this year’s training will receive instruction in coding, basic computer operations, cybersecurity and creative digital tools.

The programme also features mentorship sessions with women in tech, ICT competitions and career development workshops designed to build confidence and spark innovation among the girls.

According to the Minister, empowering girls today with ICT skills will transform communities and drive national development. The initiative is a key part of Ghana’s broader digital transformation agenda, which emphasizes equitable access to digital tools and education for all citizens.

About the Girls In ICT Initiative:

The Girls-in-ICT (GIICT) Initiative was introduced in Ghana in 2012. It is an initiative by the International Telecommunications Union to create a global environment that empowers and encourages girls and young women to consider studies and careers in the growing field of ICT.

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GEXIM deepens relations with US EXIM Bank

A management team of the Ghana Export – Import Bank (GEXIM) led by the Acting Chief Executive, Sylvester Mensah met with the leadership of the Export–Import Bank of the United States (US EXIM) on Wednesday April 23, 2025 in Washington DC, United States of America.

The Acting President and Chairman of US EXIM, Mr. James C. Cruse and Vice President, International Relations, Ms. Isabel Galdiz received the GEXIM delegation, which included Deputy CEO for Banking, Mr. Moses Klu Mensah and Head of International Cooperation, Mr. Jonathan Christopher Koney at the headquarters of US EXIM.

The meeting offered the GEXIM team the opportunity to share the strategic direction of the Bank in line with the resetting agenda of the President of the Republic, His Excellency John Dramani Mahama for the repositioning of the Ghanaian economy into an export-led one by providing the requisite investment to Ghanaian businesses.

Mr. James C. Cruse expressed US EXIM’s eagerness to deepen its existing relations with GEXIM and proposed the signing of a new Cooperative Framework Agreement following the expiration of a Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2019 to utilize US EXIM’s medium term loan guarantees to procure machinery by GEXIM for qualified Ghanaian Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs).

Mr.Sylvester Mensah thanked the Acting President and Chairman of US EXIM for hosting the GEXIM delegation and reaffirmed the Ghanaian government’s commitment to strengthening trade and investment between Ghana and its global partners for economic transformation of Ghana with GEXIM playing a pivotal role.

The two teams will be meeting on the sidelines of the 2025 US EXIM Annual Conference on 29th and April 30, 2025 to explore possible areas of collaboration and matching Ghanaian businesses to American companies. The meeting ended with an exchange of gifts.