News
Low COVID-19 mortality in Africa has no correlation with hot climate – UG don
Prof Gordon Awandare (2nd left) being congratulated by some of his colleagues
The Pro-Vice Chancellor of the University of Ghana in-charge of Students and Academic Affairs, Prof Gordon Awandare, has said that the relatively low COVID-19 mortality recorded in Africa, has nothing to do with the hot climate in Africa, as some people suggested.
Making reference to a research conducted by his team, he observed that the rate of COVID-19 infections among Ghanaians was less, due to frequent exposure to malaria fight from childhood.
Professor Awandare was speaking during his inaugural lecture at the University of Ghana, last Thursday, on the topic: “How our Immune System Acquired Tolerance to Malaria and Helped us Survive COVID-19.”
According to him, the immune system of Ghanaians became tolerant to malaria parasites thereby “protecting them from the severity of the pandemic.”
He again stated that patients, who were infected with malaria parasites but showed no symptoms, had the capability of tolerating malaria parasites.
“Such people are asymptomatic patients and most of them live in malaria endemic areas thus their tolerance for the parasites intrigued my team and I,” he added.
He further noted that children and persons who hadn’t been exposed to malaria before were likely to have severe symptoms of malaria such as headache and little bit of fatigue.
This was also backed by a study he had undertaken in three key areas namely Kintampo, Navrongo and Accra on the differences in transmission rates within the country.
His study observed that despite having “lower parasite levels,” children in Accra were prone to higher fever than those at Kintampo who had huge parasite level.
Professor Awandare, who is also the Founding Director of the West Africa Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens (WACCBIP), said that COVID-19 showed that African scientists were competent as their counterparts abroad, saying “this is because here at WACCBIP, we were able to sequence and test the virus as others did, thus understanding the virus.”
Professor Awandare stressed the need for the country to position itself towards developing vaccines locally instead of relying on foreign donors, and tasked Ghanaians to continue to support institutions like WACCBIP in order to train more scientists and build capacity.
Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Nana Aba Appiah Amfo, also underscored that diverse significant roles played by several units of the university during the pandemic, contributed to understanding the pathogens, biology and disease mechanism to generate knowledge for the development of diagnostics, vaccines and drugs.
The inaugral lecture formed part of an exhibition of scholarly works by the renowned professor at the Balme Library, which had begun on Monday.
By Yunusah Essandoh
News
Craze for x’mas shopping: Crowded markets, low patronage
Vendors of food and other wares associated with the Christmas celebration have expressed surprise at the low patronage despite the increased number of visitors to some of the major markets across the capital.
Four days to the celebration(Christmas), the markets are filled with various products ranging from food, clothing, livestock and many other stuff, but according to the vendors, patrons are doing more ‘window’ shopping.
The Spectator on visits to some of the markets in the capital, notably the Odawna, Makola, Accra Central Business District, New Town and others made similar observations as shoppers crowd them but did little in terms of purchases.
The paper also observed that majority of vendors, originally selling other wares have switched to product related to the festive season.
What it means is that there are a lot more clothes, food and vegetables, livestock and poultry, toys, firecrackers, drinks of different types and many others on display.
The markets have also stretched to the pedestrian pavement, leaving very narrow spaces for commuters to move about freely.
That, in addition to a few of the female vendors dressed in coloured attires to reflect the occasion, has heightened the euphoria, leaving the low sales as the only headache for the vendors.
Speaking with this paper, they sounded very optimistic, believing that sales would improve in the last few days to the yuletide.
According to them, there was the opportunity to sell beyond Christmas as the New Year celebration offers similar opportunity to trade the same wares.
They urged patrons to throng the markets to shop since prices were quite moderate and products affordable for all.
News
Retirement service for Elder John Ackom-Asante,3 others
Retired Deputy Editor of The Spectator, Elder John Ackom-Asante, was last Sunday honoured by the Church of Pentecost Windy Hills District in Kasoa in the Central Region, with a retirement thanksgiving service, after serving for 26 year as an Elder of the church.
He was honoured with a citation and certificate of service along with three other elders who served in the capacity for various years.
Elder Ackom-Asante was baptised at the Darkuman Central Assembly in 1979 and ordained as an Elder in 1997.
The citation read “Your selfless service, zeal, willingness to relate wholeheartedly and your desire to effect change has gone a long way to shape the lives of many people in the church and the nation over the 26 years of your dedication to the service of the Lord.”
Elder Ackom- Asante held many positions at the Darkuman Central Assembly, Obuasi in the Ashanti Region and Tema, serving in various capacities as youth and evangelism ministry leader and marriage counsellor.
He was the founding member of the Darkuman Christian Fellowship, a member of the Greater Accra Christian Fellowship; member of Bible Society of Ghana; founding member Obuasi Chapter Full Gospel Businessmen Fellowship International and founding member of New Times Corporation Christian Fellowship and Chaplain, Methodist University Tema Campus 2009- 2010.
As a professional journalist, Elder Ackom-Asante combined effectively and efficiently his duty as a member and elder of the church and the demands of his profession, with admiration from the church, kith and kin, till his retirement on December
From Alhaji Salifu Abdul-Rahaman, Kasoa
