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Specialist’s advice: Allow couples to have children at their convenience
● Dr. Francisca Tshitenge Bwalya
The decision to meddle in people’s marriages with specific demands or directives that sometimes result in breaking up marriages has done more harm to society than good.
While some have quietly gone through promptings and insults, others could not withstand the pressure and have died.
The decision by a couple not to have children or to wait for a convenient time to do so should be respected by society, according to consultant psychiatrist Dr. Francisca Tshitenge Bwalya.
She observed that, sadly, people ask questions even a month after marriage and comment on physical changes in women, the most prominent of which is a weight gain.
Dr. Bwalya noted that this behaviour, whether known or unknown to those who do so, puts a lot of stress on women, which has also extended to men.
“Usually the comments from such persons are very touching and degrading,” she said.
Dr. Bwalya said the external interference with time reduced the self-esteem of people, made them feel like failures, caused depression and guilt, developed fear and anxiety, and other negative tendencies that could even affect them later in life when they are ready to conceive.
She made the statement at a virtual health training for the media organised by the Merck Foundation in partnership with the First Lady, Mrs. Rebecca Akufo-Addo, an Ambassador for the Merck Foundation’s “More than a Mother” campaign, and the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA).
The training was aimed at emphasising the important role the media plays in influencing society to create a cultural shift with the aim of breaking the stigma of infertility, among other issues.
The Consultant Psychiatrist said it was about time people appreciated that having a child was a huge responsibility and so needed preparations that included psychological, physical, and financial considerations, among others, and that these should ideally be the sole decision of a couple and not the society.
She observed that the thought of voluntary childfree status was not culturally accepted, but there was a need for the discussion about such decisions to be given much attention, as people deserved to be accorded the needed respect when they made such choices.
Dr. Bwalya said it was worth highlighting that women had a lot in them to contribute in diverse ways to building society, and so they should not be reduced to just having babies.
She said if a woman could not have a baby, she should not be seen as a failure by her community, but the value she was adding to society should be given much attention and celebrated.
Dr. Bwalya, therefore, called on the media to champion the campaign to change the narrative.
By Dzifa Tetteh Tay.
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Cervical Cancer alert: Avoid sex at early age
The Programmes Manager of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr Mary Efua Commeh, has advised young girls to avoid sex at an early age.
This, she explained, will give the cervix the opportunity to mature before they become sexually active.
“You need to delay what we call the first sexual intercourse as much as possible to give the cervix the opportunity to mature before the person becomes sexually active,” she said.
Dr Commeh stated this in an interview with The Spectator in Accra on Tuesday as a part of the Cervical Cancer awareness month.
According to her, cervical cancer was the second leading female cancer in Ghana with a total of about 3,072 cases annually, and out of that, 1,815 deaths are recorded, representing more than 50 per cent.
She indicated that “If young girls are going to be sexually active, then you need to talk to your parents about being vaccinated.”
She explained that vaccinating young girls against human papillomavirus (HPV) has been found to be a very effective way of preventing cervical cancer.
“There are countries that started HPV vaccination years ago and they are not seeing any cervical cancers now because they would have eliminated most of the high-risk HPVs in their women. So if the high-risk HPV is not there, then obviously the results on cervical cancers are going to go down,” she added.
Dr Commmey said the HPV vaccination is recommended for young girls aged nine to 14 years, adding that it had been found to be highly effective, not just for cervical cancers but for other HPV-related cancers, such as anal cancers, cancers of the vagina, genital warts, amongst others.
She further elaborated that the idea is to put up a barrier before the HPV comes in and that once a young female encounters it, she is already protected.
She also mentioned that for cervical cancers, the main cause is called HPV infection, saying generally, all sexually active women acquire HPV at some point in their lives.
However, the Programmes Manager of NCDs at the GHS mentioned that the body has a way of clearing the HPV, explaining that it is a natural mechanism that goes on, unfortunately, there are a few women whose HPV persists.
Moreover, she noted that the numbers for Cervical Cancer tend to be much higher because at times, clients would wait, and try all sorts of medications before they finally report to the health facility saying “we actually lose some women before they get to the hospitals with over 75 per cent of the cases coming in its third and fourth stages.”
Dr Commey, therefore, called for public awareness while ensuring the availability of information for prevention and control.
By Jemima Esinam Kuatsinu
Entertainment
Maxi Sway teams up with Kweku Darlington on ‘Efie Bayie’
One of Ghana’s fastest-growing musicians, Maxi Sway known in private life as Alex Bonsu, has teamed up with music sensation, Kweku Darlington on ‘Efie Bayie’.
The song is off his new External Play (EP) dubbed, ‘Love and Life’ which is made up of five songs.
The EP written and performed by Maxi Sway, drew inspiration from real life situations.
According to Maxi Sway, ‘Efie Bayie’ was inspired by something unfortunate which happened in the life of his producer Ssnowbeatz.
He revealed that “some years back as it was almost close to the B.E.C.E examinations, Ssnowbeatz fell sick and had to write the exams at the hospital with a few Security Personnel around.”
“Ssnowbeatz told me it was a very difficult time because he was out of school for a while and had no time to even revise or prepare for the exams. He failed the papers because of his health and even didn’t go for the results,” he said.
According to him, after hearing the story of Ssnowbeatz, “It got me thinking and it inspired the song Efie Beyie.”
The video was directed and shot by Mista Morgan.
The songs on the EP include, Meganja, Efie Bayie, Wayo Love, Come Closer and Seke.
The songs making waves were produced by Klassic Beatz and Ssnowbeatz.
