News
Oral Health Education: Dr.Louisa Satekla pays courtesy call on Education Minister
Ghanaian Dental Surgeon and FDI Global Ambassador for World Oral Health Day, Dr Louisa Satekla paid a courtesy call on Haruna Iddrisu, Ghana’s Minister for Education at his office in Accra.
The meeting focused on fostering collaboration between the Ministry of Education and the World Dental Federation (FDI) to promote oral health education in schools across the country.
During the discussions, Dr. Satekla emphasized the urgent need to address oral health challenges among Ghanaian children, highlighting the prevalence of dental diseases such as dental caries and gum infections, which often affect students’ overall well-being.
She called for strategic interventions to integrate oral health education into the school curriculum, ensuring that children develop lifelong habits of proper oral hygiene.
Dr. Louisa also proposed the official recognition of March 20th as World Oral Health Day in Ghanaian schools, urging the Ministry of Education to promote classroom discussions, awareness campaigns, and interactive sessions with dental professionals.
She emphasized the need for practical oral health programs that engage students, teachers, and parents while ensuring schools have access to basic oral hygiene tools.
She also encouraged government partnerships with private organizations to provide resources and training for better oral health education.
Additionally, she advocated for a Sugar-Free School Policy to regulate snacks and drinks in school canteens, replacing sugary beverages with healthier alternatives like water and fruits.
In response, Hon. Haruna Iddrisu acknowledged that dental health and good oral hygiene practices do not receive enough attention in Ghana.
He expressed his commitment to exploring avenues for incorporating oral health education into Ghana’s education system. He recognized the importance of early preventive care and assured Dr. Satekla that the Ministry would collaborate with relevant stakeholders, including the Ministry of Health and the Ghana Dental Association, to implement sustainable oral health initiatives.
“The health of our children must be a top priority, and oral health plays a crucial role in their overall well-being. The Ministry of Education is fully committed to working closely with key stakeholders to integrate oral health education into our schools and ensure that every child has access to preventive dental care,” Mr. Iddrisu affirmed.
Mr. Iddrisu also took the opportunity to congratulate Dr. Louisa Satekla for making Ghana proud and reaching this significant milestone in her career.
He commended her dedication to promoting oral health awareness and her continuous efforts to improve global dental health standards.
Last month, the FDI World Dental Federation announced Dr. Louisa Satekla as its Global Ambassador for an unprecedented fourth consecutive year, ahead of the 2025 World Oral Health Day (WOHD) campaign.
She will lead efforts to amplify this year’s message that oral health is foundational to mental resilience and physical vitality.
As an Ambassador, she will also spearhead initiatives targeting underserved populations, reinforcing FDI’s mission to bridge global oral health disparities.
These initiatives will include educational programs, interactive community events, and social media engagement to spread accessible oral health practices.
News
Ghana-Colombia strengthens ties through diplomatic engagement
In an important diplomatic engagement, the Colombian Ambassador to Ghana H.E. Daniel Garces Carabali paid a courtesy call on the Minister for the Interior, Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, at his office in Accra to discuss some key areas of collaboration.
The meeting focused on pressing issues, including security, decongestion of Ghana’s prisons, prison reform programmes, training programmes, improving the welfare of prisoners and enhancing disaster management in the country.
The courtesy call underscores the growing bilateral ties between Ghana and Colombia, building on previous engagements, such as the visit of the Colombian Vice President to Ghana in 2023.
The meeting demonstrates the commitment of both nations to fostering cooperation and addressing shared challenges.
News
Ghana to host African Catholic Journalists from August 10
The Union Catholique Africaine de la Presse (UCAP), also known as the African Catholic Union of the Press, in collaboration with the Catholic Association of Media Practitioners-Ghana (CAMP-G), is set to host its prestigious Triennial Congress from August 10 to 17 August, 2025.
The programme would be held at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), Legon, Accra, Ghana.
This landmark event, the most significant gathering of Catholic journalists in Africa, will bring together media professionals, researchers, and experts in digital technology from across the continent and beyond.
The theme for the Congress is: “Balancing Technological Progress and the Preservation of Human Values in the Age of Artificial Intelligence.”
Congress Highlights
The UCAP Congress 2025 will feature discussions and deliberations on critical issues arising from or related to integral human development, particularly within the framework of Artificial Intelligence (AI).
Some of the key sub-themes to be addressed include:Corporate Social Responsibility in Managing the Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Human Values, Deploying AI in Eco-friendly Business Start-ups in Africa: Opportunities and Challenges, Technology and the Reprogramming of Social Reality, Distortion of Reality in Social and Digital Media, Ecological Education and Action Against Unsustainable Exploitation of Natural Resources, and Media and the Promotion of the Recommendations of the Synod on Synodality in Africa.
Participants will include media professionals from both ecclesiastical and lay organisations, media researchers and academics, representatives from the Vatican, government agencies, NGOs, civil society, and the digital technology sector.
Objectives of the Congress
The primary goal of this Congress is to strengthen the capacities of media professionals and educate the public on the necessity of preserving human values amid rapid technological progress. Specific objectives include; Training 100 media practitioners in Artificial Intelligence and emerging technologies, with a focus on balancing innovation and human values.
This will include promoting ethics and bioethics in technical research and technological innovations through media.
Advocating for human values such as respect for life, human dignity, charity, solidarity, and human rights and assessing the impact of technological progress to better understand the challenges, risks, and opportunities presented by AI will be part of the objectives.
UCAP is a continental organisation dedicated to promoting communication within the Catholic Church and its partners in Africa. With a mission to foster spiritual growth, collaboration, and responsible journalism, UCAP works to spread the Gospel, uphold human values, and support developmental initiatives across Africa and beyond.
UCAP is an independent, autonomous, non-political, and non-profit organisation comprising African Catholic journalists, communicators, academics, researchers, and institutions in various media fields.
