By Charles Tawiah
Kumasi, March 31, GNA – Nana Afua Adutwumwaa Adjetey, the Programmes Manager of the Christian Health Association of Ghana (CHAG), has appealed to the media to intensify public awareness on clubfoot and its treatment in the country.
Clubfoot is a birth defect where a baby’s foot is twisted inward and downward, causing the toe to point towards the opposite leg.
On average, about 180,000 children are born with clubfoot annually around the globe and if not treated, this leads to disability.
According to Nana Adutwumwaa Adjetey, CHAG had provided free treatment to 8,632 affected children in addition to financial and material support to 100 families since 2008.
She was closing a two-day free maternal and child screening on the disease alongside an identification, detection and referral training for selected nurses and mothers of the treated babies at the Seventh Day Adventists (SDA) Hospital in the Kwadaso municipality.
It was organised by the CHAG and supported by Hope Walks and Brazza Foundation International, a United States (US) based Christian non-government organisations (NGOs) and the SDA Hospital.
The aim was to treat the affected children as part of the association’s campaign activities on the disease.
She appealed to the Government and other stakeholders in health for more financial and material support to enable them to achieve their ongoing awareness creation target this year.
Dr. Prosper Moh, an orthopaedic surgeon of Saint John of God Hospital at Duayaw Nkwanta in the Ahafo Region and Medical Director of CHAG, said free treatment and counselling were given to over 70 persons within the two days.
He urged the public to avoid stigma and wrong misconceptions about the disease, saying that it was a common birth deformity.
“Clubfoot has no known cause, not caused by evil spirits, not the parents’ fault or a result of any parental action and nothing can be done to prevent it but to begin treatment soon after birth,” he noted.
GNA
YI/BM
31 March 2025
NHEL002
Health NCDs NoP
Integrating NCD into NoP is a necessary strategy for comprehensive health delivery
By Albert Allotey
Accra, March 31, GNA – The Mental Health Authority says integrating NCD and mental healthcare into the Network of Practice (NoP) framework is a desirable and necessary strategy for comprehensive health delivery.
It stated that the co-occurrence of mental health conditions like depression, anxiety, and substance use disorders with NCDs like diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease is well-documented.
“Individuals diagnosed with NCDs frequently experience psychological challenges due to the chronicity of these NCDs. Similarly, individuals with mental health conditions are at an increased risk of developing NCDs due in part to poorer lifestyle choices, medication side effects and difficulty accessing preventive care.
“These comorbidities significantly impact treatment outcomes and healthcare costs and reduce the quality of life,” the Authority said.
Dr Edward Appah, Specialist Psychiatrist, Technical Division, Mental Health Authority made the statement at a stakeholders’ validation meeting on the Ghana NCD Alliance position paper on the integration of NCD services within the NoP.
He noted that the integration would help in screening and detection, developing patient-centred care plans, and education and health promotion at the community level.
Others would be the establishment of clear referral pathways between mental health services and primary healthcare, and equipping health personnel with the knowledge and skills necessary to recognise and address NCD risk factors and provide essential support for NCD management.
Dr Appah said in integrating the NCD into the NoP there was the need to continue with the collaborative efforts in providing adequate resources to strengthen mental health infrastructure and services at the primary healthcare level.
He recommended investment in training programmes for mental health professionals and primary healthcare providers on integrated care approaches for NCD prevention and management and promote mental health awareness.
Dr Appah stated that, “By adopting these recommendations, we hope to move towards integrated and holistic approach to healthcare, improving the lives of people with mental health conditions and NCDs.
“We believe that prioritizing mental health within the NCD framework is a sound investment in public health and economic prosperity.
“The mental health authority is not just proposing these changes but remains fully committed to collaborating with all stakeholders to achieve this vision and provide reassurance and confidence in the proposed changes,” he stated.
GNA
GRB
March 31, 2025
Picture attached
NHEL 003
Health Clubfoot Awareness
Media urged to intensify public education on clubfoot disease
By Charles Tawiah, GNA
Kwadaso (Ash) March 31, GNA – Nana Afua Adutwumwaa Adjetey, Programmes Manager of the Christian Health Association of Ghana (CHAG) has appealed to the media to intensify public awareness on the clubfoot disease and treatment in the country.
She said, about 180,000 children are born with clubfoot disease annually around the globe and if not treated, could lead to disability.
Nana Adutwumwaa Adjetey said CHAG, as part of efforts to combat the disease, had offered free treatment to over 8,632 affected children and provided financial and material support to over 100 families of children with the disease since 2008 when it started its advocacy and awareness creation programme on the disease in Ghana.
She was speaking at the closing of a two-day free maternal and child screening on the disease alongside an identification, detection and referral training for selected nurses and all mothers of the treated babies at the Seventh Day Adventists (SDA) Hospital at Kwadaso, in the Kwadaso Municipality of the Ashanti region.
It was organised by the CHAG and supported by Hope Walks and Brazza Foundation International, a United States of America (USA) based Christian Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs) and the Kwadaso SDA Hospital.
The aim was to treat children with the disease and create awareness as part of the Association’s advocacy campaign activities on the disease.
She appealed to the government and other health stakeholders for more financial and material support to enable the Association to achieve its goals.
Dr Prosper Moh, the Orthopaedic Surgeon of the Saint John of God Hospital at Duayaw Nkwanta in the Ahafo region and Medical Director of CHAG said, free treatment and counselling were given to over 70 persons within the two days.
He urged the people to avoid stigma and wrong misconceptions about the disease though it was a very common birth deformity that turned one foot or both feet inward and downward.
“Clubfoot has no known cause, not caused by evil spirits, not the parents’ fault or a result of any parental action and nothing can be done to prevent it but to begin treatment soon after birth,” he stated.
He commended the organizers for the exercise since the beneficiaries also reported different diseases for treatment and referral to the related health facilities.
GNA
KOM/LAA