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UWR school heads raise concern over reopening of schools
Head teachers of some Educational Institutions in the Upper West Region have expressed concern over the possible ‘importation’ of the coronavirus into the region with the reopening of schools for final year students.
They expressed the fear that the schools had students across the country with some residing in areas designated as hotspots for the CODVID-19 infection, and could transport the virus to the schools in the region.
They, have therefore, called for precautionary measures to be put in place prior to the possible reopening, including testing of students before allowing them into the school premises.
The concerned head teachers made this appeal when they took their turn to speak during a stakeholders’ consultation meeting on the integration of the COVID-19 protocols into the school system as the institutions prepared to reopen for final year students.
The meeting which brought various players in the education sector together to consolidate ideas on the safe reopening of the schools saw some institutional heads raise issues about the absence of testing for the students as part of the safety measures.
Some of the head teachers also requested for the allocation of health personnel to the institutions to attend to students who may fall sick to prevent them from going out of the school’s premises.
The Regional Director of Education, Mr Godfrey Dongyeru outlined some of the measurs put in place to ensure that students and members of the school community were safe.
The measures, he explained, included the provision of Veronica buckets, nose masks, hands gloves, hand sanitisers and others to be implemented to prevent the spread of the virus.
He, therefore, pleaded with the school authorities not to give out their school premises for religious gathering or other social events.
FROM LYDIA FORDJOUR AND RAFIA ABDUL-RAZAK, WA
News
Minister of Health appeals to Tamale Teaching Hospital striking doctors
The Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh has appealed to the striking doctors at the Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH) to calll off the suspension and come to the negotiation table.
However, he refused to apologise as demanded by the striking doctors.
The doctors after a meeting yesterday have withdrawn emergency services following the dismissal of the Chief Executive Officer of the hospital.
This follows an unannounced visit to the hospital by the Minister on Tuesday.
The Minister made the appeal when addressing the media in Accra on Today, April 24 2025.
According to him, dialogue is the only way out to resolve the issue, adding that he was ready collaborate with them.
“I am prepared for us to come around the table and discuss whatever we need to discuss,” Mr Akandoh said.
“My humble appeal to my wonderful medical doctors and health professionals at Tamale Teaching Hospital is that I am the first person to take care of your interests. Therefore, let’s call off the strike and let’s all regroup and strategise going forward,” he concluded.
News
Health Minister donates medical equipment to Tamale Teaching Hospital, pledges commitment to reforms
The Minister for Health Kwabena Miintah Akandoh has reiterated government’s commitment to address long-standing challenges in the health sector, describing the health system as one that requires urgent reform and collective responsibility.
He made these remarks during a donation of some essential medical equipment and supplies to the Tamale Teaching Hospital on behalf of the Ministry of Health.
The donation included a wide range of equipment such as ECG machines, ICU ventilators, cardiac monitors, anesthesia machines, infant incubators, and essential
Consumables amounting to about 35 items.
Among the items highlighted were
Emergency Health Equipment (EHE) sets, nebulizer sets, and medical-grade towels.
The Health Minister acknowledged the difficult working conditions health professionals continue to endure and emphasized that government efforts alone would not be enough to resolve systemic issues.
He called for unity across the health sector and urged all stakeholders, including medical doctors, nurses, and pharmacists, to work together to ensure that the country’s limited resources are used efficiently.
He noted that the wellbeing of the ordinary Ghanaian should be central to healthcare delivery, cautioning against practices that marginalize the underprivileged due to resource scarcity. According to him, every Ghanaian life is valuable, and the system must reflect that belief in both policy and practice.
Mr.Akandoh stressed that his leadership approach is rooted in humility, collaboration, and respect for all health workers. While acknowledging that change may come with challenges, he maintained that cooperation is key to achieving lasting improvements in the sector.
The Minister pleaded with health professionals in the Tamale Teaching Hospital to call off the strike and regroup to strategize on more effective ways to address their concerns through dialogue and collaboration with relevant authorities.
The donation to the Tamale Teaching Hospital forms part of a broader national initiative to modernize medical infrastructure and enhance service delivery in Ghana’s healthcare.
