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Ghana To Use Drones To Distribute Blood, Drugs – Dr Bawumia

Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has disclosed that government will soon utilize drone technology in the country by September, this year.

According to the Veep, government will use drones to distribute blood supplies and essential medicines to remote communities.

He disclosed that government will sign a Memorandum of Understanding with a health service provider this week to effect this initiative.

“By the grace of God; there are ongoing discussions, we are looking at innovative ways to deliver blood supplies as well as essential medicines to remote areas. As the rains come in, some areas are going to be cut off… Do we allow mothers to die because we can’t have blood supplies or essential medicines? Ghana this week will be signing an MOU and by the middle of this year or by September, we will join Malawi and Rwanda with using drone technology to deliver blood supplies and essential medicines. So we are going to do that this year.” He said.

Dr Bawumia was speaking at the opening of the Annual Health Summit organized by the Ministry of Health, in Accra.

The meeting which came off on Monday was on the theme: ‘‘Achieving Universal Health Coverage-Using Innovative Approaches’’.

Dr Bawumia explained that this is part of the government’s effort to ensure quality healthcare delivery.

‘‘We don’t have to allow our mothers to die because we can’t have blood supplies and essential medicines sent to them,’’ Dr Bawumia said.

He also said that the system of delivering blood supplies and essential drugs was being implemented in some African countries. He cited countries such as Malawi and Rwanda.

The Vice President did not give full details about this development. However, he maintained that government is willing to introduce other innovations to boost the country’s health sector.

Ghana To Ban Shisha Smoking By June-July This Year

The Ghana Health Service(GHS) has revealed that it is working to put a ban on the smoking of Shisha and electronic cigarette by middle of this year.

The GHS says it is doing this in collaboration with the Ministry of Health.

It will also partner with the Food and Drugs Board to make stiff laws that will fast track the process of the ban.

The Principal Research Officer at the Service, Divine Darlington Logoh disclosed this at the World Conference on Tobacco held in South Africa.

Speaking at the conference, Mr. Logoh noted that it was important to ban the smoking of shisha as the trend was becoming alarming. He said research on the smoking of the minted tobacco had revealed that one puff from a shisha tube equaled the smoking of an entire cigarette.

He however admitted that, currently, there are no laws governing shisha in the country and his outfit is working with the Food and Drugs Authority to correct that.

Mr. Lokoh speaks;

“All the effects of smoking are in shisha and electronic cigarettes. The FDA does not have the regulation right now to control the smoking of shisha and electronic cigarette.” Mr Darlington lamented.

“However, we’re working with the Ministry of Health to ban shisha and electronic cigarette. Shisha use is more harmful than cigarette. If you puff one from that tube it’s equal to one full cigarette that is smoked. It is more dangerous than cigarette. So with that alone as well as public health is concerned we’re using that to ban it outright in Ghana. By the middle of this year, that surely has to be done,” he said.

It has been revealed shisha smoking is 5.3% higher than traditional tobacco use. This includes; cigarette which is 2.8%.

According to Mr. Divine Darlington Logoh, a new research conducted by his outfit identified a switch from smoking traditional cigarette to electronic cigarette and and the minted tobacco.
Just like smoking herbal or natural cigarettes, herbal Shisha exposes the smoker to tar and carcinogens as it contains nicotine.

Just like smoking herbal or natural cigarettes, herbal Shisha exposes the smoker to tar and carcinogens as it contains nicotine.