Wednesday, 1st June, 2022

Page 8
Dr Emmanuel Kofi
Dzotsi, the Upper
East Regional Director
of the Ghana
Health Service (GHS)
has called on managements of
health training institutions in
the region to sack non-performing
nursing trainees to cleanse
the health system of poorly
trained nurses and midwives.
He said the situation, where
students were pushed through
the system even though they
The Medical
Practitioner, Dr
Florence Koryo
Akumiah, has said that
a multi-disciplinary
approach is required to manage
diabetes in adolescents and
children effectively.
According to her, diabetes
in children and adolescents
may expose them to psychiatric
factors such as depression,
stress and anxiety, which can
negatively affect the overall
management of the disease.
Dr Akumiah made this
known on the multiple
award-winning health and
wellness programme, Vodafone
Healthline.
Speaking to host Frema
Asiedu on ‘Diabetes in
Adolescents,’ she explained:
“The management of diabetes
requires a multi-disciplinary
approach. It is not just
the physician. Sometimes
psychologists, dieticians,
physical therapists and other
doctors may be required. So,
there is a need for a multidisciplinary
team.”
The doctor also highlighted
the need for parents to be
involved in the management and
treatment process. She suggested
parents should educate their
children on the disease and its
treatment so that the children
can accept and comply with the
management and treatment of
the disease.
Meanwhile, Dr Akumiah
has advised parents to lessen
the stress on their children for
optimal diabetes management.
“Adolescents come under a
lot of stress because of activities
Health
Dr Emmanuel Kofi Dzotsi
could not pass their semester
examinations was unacceptable,
and insisted that any nurse or
midwife trainee who could not
make the required pass mark,
must not be considered.
Addressing nurses and midwives
at the regional launch of
the International Nurses Day
celebration in Navrongo, Dr
Dzotsi said human life was precious
and must not be entrusted
in the hands of people who were
not serious during their train-
DAILY ANALYST Wednesday, 1st June, 2022
Non-performing nursing
trainees must be sacked
– GHS UER Director
ing, but found their way out as
nurses and midwives.
He observed that during
clinical sessions, where nursing
and midwifery trainees visited
various hospitals to gain practical
experience, some trainees
absented themselves.
“So, if they don’t visit the
hospitals, how can they gain
practical experience,” Dr Dzotsi
asked, and said, “we need quality
and well-trained nurses and
midwives to care for the sick in
this Region.
“We cannot compromise on
quality.”
Dr Dzotsi described as alarming
the rate at which health
professionals in the region,
especially nurses in uniform
rode motorbikes without crash
helmets and cautioned them to
desist from such acts.
He disclosed that the GHS in
the Region lost four nurses to
motorbike accidents who prob-
Vodafone Healthline Doctor profess best
ways to manage diabetes in children
in school, house chores or the
constant stress from social
issues. The hormone produced
when you feel stressed, cortisol,
is the counter-hormone to
insulin. Having a high cortisol
level makes glucose control poor.
Stress is also one precipitant of
hyperglycaemia. So, we try as
much as possible not to make
life more difficult than it already
is for them.”
Subtle diabetes symptoms
parents should look out for
Dr Akumiah explained
diabetes is a chronic disease
that affects how your body
manages food by converting food
to energy. She notes that the
principal forms of this disease
are Type I and Type II.
She continued by saying,
while the former can occur
spontaneously in children and
adolescents, the latter could
occur because of family history.
According to her, children
with Type I diabetes may lose
weight even though they may
have an appetite for food,
whereas children with Type II
diabetes gain weight. However,
the common symptoms may
include frequent urination,
increased thirst and water
intake, and risk of infections.
The doctor thus advised
parents to frequent their
medical centres with their
children for regular check-ups.
Vodafone Healthline is
Vodafone’s flagship corporate
social investment project that
gives all members of the society
equal access to relevant and
credible health information.
The telecom giant has
also established the Vodafone
Healthline Call Centre, which
can be reached toll-free via 255
for Vodafone customers and
0509999255 on other networks.
ably could have survived if they
had crash helmets on.
“We need you alive to care for
patients in the hospitals so try to
stay safe on the road and always
put on crash helmets,” the Director
advised.
Touching on the desire of
nurses and midwives seeking
postings outside the region, the
director said about 90 per cent of
them want to leave.
“If you all leave, who will
work, Please, I want to appeal to
you to stay so we can improve the
system,” he appealed.
He called on government
and other stakeholders to invest
in healthcare delivery in the
Region, and said nurses and
midwives who agreed to work in
rural areas of the Region would
be qualified for study leave with
pay after two years of service.
Mr Thomas Lambon, the
Regional Chairman of the Ghana
Registered Nurses and Midwives
Association (GRNMA) appealed
to the Regional Health Directorate
to liaise with the Controller
and Accountant General’s
Department to address issues
Mr Padmore Yaw
Nti-Gyebi, the
Bodi District
Manager for
National Health
Insurance Authority (NHIA), has
appealed to Health Providers
to desist from charging holders
of active NHIS cards who
patronised their facilities to
access healthcare.
He said the practice was
a breach of the contractual
agreement between such
facilities and the National Health
Insurance Authority.
Mr Nti-Gyebi who was
speaking at the 2022 Second
Quarter provider review meeting
at Sefwi-Bodi, also advised the
of unavailability of bio-data of
GRNMA members on the electronic
pay slip platform.
“We also take this opportunity
to make a passionate appeal
to the people of Bawku to give
peace a chance so that health
care delivery can return to normalcy,”
the GRNMA Chairman
said
Ṫhe launch, organised by
the regional leadership of the
GRNMA was specially observed
around the world on May 12,
every year, to mark the birth
day of Florence Nightingale, the
“Mother of Nursing.”
The celebration brought
together nurses and midwives
across the Region including
retirees of the profession to celebrate
the birth, and acknowledge
the contributions of Florence
Nightingale, regarded as Mother
of Nursing.
The celebration was on the
theme “Nurses and Midwives, a
Voice to Lead: Invest in Nursing
and Respect the Nurses and Midwives’
Rights to Secure Global
Health.”
NHIA sensitise health
facilities in Bodi on
new processes
Health Providers to submit
their claims on time for prompt
payment.
The Authority also used the
opportunity to sensitise the
providers on how to link their
card to the Ghana card to access
Heath Care.
The District Chief Executive
of the area, Mr Ignatius
Akwasi Amankwah, urged the
providers to operate within
their mandate and deploy the
needed technology for real time
response.
The former District Chief
Executive for Bia District, Mr
John Koah also graced the
occasion.