News
‘Don’t withhold information on children from doctors’
A Paediatrician and the Chief Executive Officer (C.E.O) of babychildandco, Dr. Seyram Wordui has advised parents not to keep quiet but ask questions when they visit a Paediatrician with their children to seek medical care.
“At the end of the consultation, ask what your child’s diagnosis is. Then you can research on it if you would like to, or so that you could understand your role in helping your child to recover, including follow-ups” she said.
In an interview with The Spectator about what parents should do when they visited hospitals to ensure they got the best of treatment, Dr. Wordui said that asking questions was an opportunity to learn about the child’s body and what to expect from it.
She said it was also important for parents to be truthful with the Paediatrician and give the right information as this was critical in arriving at the right diagnosis”.
She said “withholding information out of fear or because a parent feels when he or she gives details that would seemingly amount to irresponsibility was wrong and could be dangerous.
The Paediatrician said that, for instance, if a parent had started some medications on his or her child’s symptoms before going to the hospital, it was important to tell the doctor and even bring the drugs along with any additional information such as doses.
“Imagine being prescribed the same medication you have at home just because the doctor did not know, or the intervention in a situation of accidental poisoning being delayed because the doctor did not know what the poison was”, she said.
Dr. Wordui stated that parents must make it a priority to be part of the examination of their children by fully concentrating on activities in the consulting room without distractions.
“Watch as the doctor examines your child and ask if he or she has found anything interesting. If your child has a chronic illness you should ask if there are any simple examination techniques you should learn” she advised.
She said for instance if a child had sickle cell disease, there was the need for a parent to learn how to feel for the spleen “so ask your child’s doctor to show you how”.
She said good record keeping of a child’s health information was key to the development of a child and, therefore, parents must always ensure they went to the hospital with the child’s record book especially when the child was younger.
She said the record book has information such as his or her immunisations and growth over time, it may also have information about pregnancy and delivery of the mother which are necessary for the child’s Paediatrician to come to an accurate conclusion of his or her health.
“You could take the opportunity to ask for explanation of anything in it that you do not understand,” she said.
Dr. Wordui said visiting a Paediatrician was one of those things a parent would have to do and should not be “an anxiety-provoking exercise”.
She gave an assurance that the doctors were not there to judge parents but to help in ensuring the good health of their children and so they should always give them the right and relevant information.
From Dzifa Tetteh Tay, Tema.
News
NPP condems arrest of Okatakyie Afrifa Mensah
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has condemned the arrest and detention of Okatakyie Afrifa Mensah by operatives of the National Security.
In a statement signed by the General Secretary, Justin Kodua noted that “This unlawful action by the marauding operatives of the National Security is the latest installment of the ongoing series of state-sponsored attacks on the media by the NDC government, in their desperate attempt to silence the media and curtail press freedom.”
According to the him, “The Party condemns in no uncertain terms this state-sponsored lawlessness and commends the many well-meaning Ghanaians who spoke loudly against this shameful conduct by the National Security. We also commend the young people and the team of lawyers who stormed the National Security Secretariat this evening to see to the release of the abducted journalist.”
“The NPP wishes to remind President Mahama and his government that the Ghana that was bequeathed to them on January 7, 2025, was a free country. It was the bastion of democracy, underpinned not only by the existence of functioning democratic institutions but also by our unflinching commitment to upholding press freedom as enshrined in Chapter 12 of the 1992 Constitution,” they added.
Read the full statement below
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MARCH 19, 2025
*NEW PATRIOTIC PARTY CONDEMNS THE UNLAWFUL ARREST OF VETERAN JOURNALIST, OKATAKYIE AFRIFA MENSAH BY NATIONAL SECURITY OPERATIVES*
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) condemns the unlawful arrest and detention by operatives of the National Security, of Okatakyie Afrifa Mensah, a veteran journalist, who has been critical of the John Mahama administration.
This unlawful action by the marauding operatives of the National Security is the latest installment of the ongoing series of state-sponsored attacks on the media by the NDC government, in their desperate attempt to silence the media and curtail press freedom.
The Party condemns in no uncertain terms this state-sponsored lawlessness and commends the many well-meaning Ghanaians who spoke loudly against this shameful conduct by the National Security. We also commend the young people and the team of lawyers who stormed the National Security Secretariat this evening to see to the release of the abducted journalist.
The NPP wishes to remind President Mahama and his government that the Ghana that was bequeathed to them on January 7, 2025, was a free country. It was the bastion of democracy, underpinned not only by the existence of functioning democratic institutions but also by our unflinching commitment to upholding press freedom as enshrined in Chapter 12 of the 1992 Constitution.
In line with this commitment, the country also went through the painstaking process of repealing the Criminal and Seditious Libel Law in 2001, a process that was spearheaded by the immediate past President, H.E Nana Addo Akufo-Addo, who was then the Attorney General of the Republic.
It is therefore completely repugnant and unacceptable for the John Mahama administration to be using State Security to intimidate political opponents as well as media personnel in a bid to silence all critical voices This, in fact, is an egregious affront to our democratic and constitutional tenets.
We call on the Ghana Journalist Association, the Media Foundation of West Africa, Civil Society Organizations, and all stakeholders to join us in demanding an immediate cessation of this tyranny and growing culture of state-sponsored attacks on the media.
Enough is enough.
…Signed…
JUSTIN KODUA FRIMPONG
GENERAL SECRETARY
News
We have built enough buffers to pay all DDEP obligations – Finance Minister Ato Forson
Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson has assured banks that the government has built sufficient financial buffers to meet all Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP) obligations this year.
Speaking at a high-level meeting with over 22 Managing Directors of banks, he reaffirmed the government’s commitment to fiscal responsibility and restoring confidence in the financial sector.
“We do not intend to default,” Dr. Forson declared.
“All outstanding holdouts have been paid, and we have put in place the necessary buffers to ensure that every single DDEP obligation for this year will be met.”
The Minister explained that these buffers were created through fiscal discipline, strategic investment cuts, and prudent resource allocation.
As part of this approach, the government has reset goods and services expenditure to 2023 levels and is working to achieve a primary surplus of 1.5% to sustain economic stability.
He also announced plans to submit a fiscal responsibility rule to Parliament, which will set a debt ceiling that the Ministry of Finance cannot exceed.
This measure aims to prevent excessive borrowing and reinforce financial discipline.
Beyond ensuring timely DDEP payments, Dr Forson revealed that the government is taking deliberate steps to reduce reliance on the Treasury bill market.
By improving coordination between fiscal and monetary policies, the government aims to stabilize interest rates and ease liquidity pressures on the banking sector.
Source: Myjoyonline.com
