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Ghana Health Awards and Honors Launched

Ghana Health Awards and Honors Launched

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Akoma Productions on Wednesday, 30th November, 2022 launched the  maiden edition of the Ghana Health Awards and Honors.

The graceful event which took place at the premises of the Medical Training and Simulation Centre, Legon in Accra saw in attendance invited guests, media and dignitaries including; Rev. Prof. Patrick F. Ayeh-Kumi, Dr Abena Engmann ( Board Chairperson of Ghana Health Awards & Honors) ,Dr Solomon Brookman ( Head, General Surgery Dept, UGMC), and  Dr Darius Osei ( Chief Executive Officer of the University of Ghana Medical Centre Limited) who gave an opening remark to commence the event.

The Ghana Health Awards and Honors is dedicated to the Ghana Health industry recognizing individual and organizations making positive impact in the health sector in Ghana.

Speaking at the press soirée,  Mrs Nana Adwoa Konadu Dsane,  the founder of the Ghana Thyroid Foundation and the Ghana Health Awards and Honors reiterated that, health workers mostly boil the ocean to save lives hence the need to acknowledge their sacrifices.

” Though people have had bad experiences when it comes to their healthcare providers,  there are some who are  doing so well and would even not go home when there’s a life to save. I’ve come across a lot of them because of the Thyroid Ghana Foundation. Especially during the COVID-19 time, some stayed away from their families for 2 weeks without their families seeing them.Dont you think they deserve some recognition? I think this is long overdue! ” : She added.

The Ghana Health Awards and Honors themed ” Our Health, Our Heroes ”  is scheduled to take  place in March 2023 at the Medical Training and Simulation Centre, Legon in Accra.
To nominate, visit http://www.akomaproductionsgh.com

Among the list of categories are:

The Outstanding Award category:

Outstanding Best Health Worker

Healthcare Administration Awards

Best CEO

Best Hospital Administrator

Best Human Resource Director

Best Internal Audit Director

Best Finance Director

Healthcare (Professionals)

The Healthcare (Professionals) category consist of the following sub-categories:

Best Surgeon

Best Emergency Medicine Consultant/Specialist

Best Endocrinologist

Best Pediatrician

Best Obstetrics/Gynaecologist

Best Psychologist

Best Urologist

Best Neurologist

Best Neurosurgeon

Best Dentist

Best Rheumatologist

Best Radiologist

Best Ophthalmologist

Best Dietician

Best Occupational Therapist

Best Physician Assistant

Best Radiotherapist

Best General Nurse

Best Theatre Nurse

Best Midwife

Best Nurse in Research

Best Midwife

Best Public Health Nurse

Best Health Innovationist

Best Physiotherapist

Health Facilities Category

Listed Below are some the Health Facilities  award categories

Best Pharmacy

Best Pharmaceutical Company

Best Laboratory Facility

Best Emerging Laboratory

Best Private Health Facility

Best Public Health Facility

Best Dental Facility

Best Eye Facility

Best Fitness Center

Best Physiotherapy Centre

Best Healthcare Insurance Provider

Best Company with CSR practices in Health
Best Herbal Facility

staffGhana Health Awards and Honors Launched
Nana Adwoa Konadu Dsane – Feature on Humble Beginning Stories website

Nana Adwoa Konadu Dsane – Feature on Humble Beginning Stories website

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Tell us about your journey. Inspire someone.

By mid-2017, I had returned to Ghana from the United States (US) after birthing my third baby. I had a pre-labour Spontaneous Rupture of the Membranes (SRM) prior to delivery and was given infusions to provide me with the needed fluids while being advised to opt for a caesarian section (c-section) which I stubbornly declined. Before giving birth, I had done all my prenatal tests, so I knew I did not have any medical conditions prior to the delivery. So, when I started experiencing severe abdominal pains several weeks after I was back in Ghana, my natural conclusion was that the discomfort was an after-effect of the SRM prior to delivery. This mindset prevented me from being too worried.

Some weeks prior to the abdominal pains, I had also experienced a recurrent sore throat which persisted even after I had taken medications prescribed from our staff clinic. I am one person who will always run to the clinic with something as common as a sore throat because I do not believe in self-medication. However, even though I took the right steps, my sore throat would heal after each dose of treatment and come back a few days later.

The abdominal pain I mentioned earlier started almost after the sore throat had subsided, and I immediately informed my Gynaecologist. He was aware of my delivery conditions because I was communicating with him from the United States of America (US), and he also had my medical history as he attended to me during my second pregnancy. He likewise thought the pain might have been because of my experience in labour and requested an ultrasound (abdominal and pelvic scan) to confirm his suspicion. The ultrasound, however, showed no infection whatsoever. “All is well and normal,” my doctor had said and had proceeded to prescribe pain relievers to help with the abdominal discomfort.

The pain gradually returned a week after I had completed the dosage, even though I did not miss a single dose. At this point, my body was probably getting used to the pain relievers, so I thought I might have to cope with the pain for a little while, as I was optimistic it would eventually go away. Three full weeks passed, and yet the pain had only gotten worse and unbearable.

I am providing vivid details of my medical history because it is relevant in understanding how secretive the nature of a thyroid disorder can sometimes be, especially during its early stages. Bear in mind that I have always been concerned about my health, so apart from avoiding any harmful substance, I was also making it a point to undergo yearly medical checkups with my family. Except for my anaemic and ulcer issues, we all checked out fine.

I have reasons to believe that I was living with this thyroid disorder for many years before being diagnosed. In 2002, after conceiving my first son, I was told I had become anaemic and was put on regular medication to restore my Haemoglobin levels. I was attending the clinic at the same place where I used to work, the Haematology Department of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital.

I received the best of attention from the consultants and doctors and was seen on schedule, yet my situation barely improved. Long before I was diagnosed with anaemia, I had also been battling with a severe case of ulcer and food allergies from my Senior Secondary School days and had been taking antacids and antihistamine to manage my symptoms. Interestingly, after I was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism and was put on treatment, my Haemoglobin level never dropped to the level of an anaemic, nor did I have any ulcer episodes. This led me to conclude that my thyroid problems may have started way longer than I thought.

I established the Thyroid Ghana Foundation following the battle with hyperthyroidism with took almost 8 months before I was properly diagnosed and I was working in one of the biggest hospitals in Ghana for over 16 years and had not heard anything called hyperthyroidism, left alone graves’ disease. Also, within these months, I had lost almost 25kg, my joints became weak by day.

I felt within my spirit that something needed to be done to let people know about this invisible yet serious condition which much awareness is not made. Further, my symptoms made me believe that my mom might have died of undiagnosed thyroid disorder as prior to her death she had almost all my symptoms. This gave birth to the launch of Thyroid Ghana Foundation three months after I had undergone a thyroid surgery successfully.

The foundation seeks to create awareness of the Thyroid disease in Ghana and beyond and to bring affordable treatment to those affected by it. As part of its action plan, the Foundation seeks to establish a state-of-the-art health center for the treatment and care of thyroid patients.

What were the biggest initial hurdles and how did you overcome them?

The biggest initial hurdles were getting affected persons to accept their condition (stop living-in-the-state-of-denial) to take appropriate steps to overcome the numerous symptoms of the condition and getting funds to support the needy ones. Also, getting institutions (hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, laboratory and imaging organizations) involved in the care of thyroid disorders to give discounts and other support to help relieve some of the financial burdens of affected persons. Finally, getting family and institutions that affected persons work with to understand how serious the condition is and to provide the affected person with all the love and support needed to be able to overcome the symptoms.

These hurdles, though not totally overcome, has been lessened as the foundation had put in place programs that support the affected person to feel belonging to a family (the WhatsApp support platform – where affected persons are allowed to post their thyroid related issues for help form medical practitioners) and the thyroid patients forum – where thyroid specialists and caregivers are gathered to answer questions of affected persons, general public and media which has given affected persons more knowledge about the condition, how to overcome their symptoms, and which symptoms require the attention of a caregiver. The awareness drive has gone far with the help of some media houses that granted the foundation the opportunity to use their platforms (TV, Radio, and the other social media handles), this has made families, institutions and society knowledgeable about the condition and are supporting affected persons.

Also, in terms of getting institutions involved in the care of affected persons, with the help of the Board Chairperson of the foundation, proposals were sent to organizations and affected persons now gets discounts with 3 of the biggest laboratory and imaging organizations in Ghana, offering discounts between 10-30% on investigations done with them. Also, the foundation has collaborated with the University of Ghana Medical Centre – where I work, since May 2021, to provide thyroid surgeries at a subsidized fee of (1/3) of the full cost to affected persons who require the thyroid surgeries and are finding it difficult to raised funds to pay as the surgery is expensive.

For those who are unable to afford the subsidized fee of the (1/3), the foundation came up with a strategy to go to the places of religious worship of such individuals as an awareness creation drive and also use the opportunity to appeal for funds in support of the person’s care at no cost. Finally, we also from time to time gets pharmaceutical companies donating drugs to be shared for affected persons.

What books are you currently reading?

I always read thyroid related research-based articles to get information on current trends of discoveries in this area to be able to support thyroid affected persons. Also, I check on the activities of other thyroid support initiative groups and organization to see the kind of support they’re providing to the thyroid families so as to see where possible collaboration could be generated. I also love to read leadership, empowerment and organizational citizenship books and articles as that is where my PhD thesis is on.

What advice would you give to an upcoming youth or talents locally and internationally?

To take care of their health, by being more intentional about it. That is paying more attention to our well-being as I always say, if you have good health, you have wealth. Not to be selfish to share health information with those that needs it and not to be biter if you’re diagnosed with any health condition but to rather accept it and seek the appropriate health intervention required.

Let’s not attribute every health challenge to some ‘witches’ and be ignorant about seeking medical interventions. Yes, it’s great to pray but let’s back our prayers with the needed action, for the bible says, “faith without works, is dead, being alone: James 4;17”.

staffNana Adwoa Konadu Dsane – Feature on Humble Beginning Stories website
The Launch of the 14th World Thyroid Awareness Week Celebration.

The Launch of the 14th World Thyroid Awareness Week Celebration.

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The Launch of the 14th World Thyroid Awareness Week Celebration. Theme: “Thyroid and Communication – It’s Not You, It’s Your Thyroid” in collaboration with the University of Ghana Medical Centre Ltd (UGMC) the 2nd phase of the subsidized thyroid surgeries project for thyroid patients due for surgery at UGMC

staffThe Launch of the 14th World Thyroid Awareness Week Celebration.
THYROID DISEASE AND CORONAVIRUS

THYROID DISEASE AND CORONAVIRUS

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It is very understandable that during this period of global fear and panic most thyroid patients would be extra worried about their health with regards to their chances of contracting the coronavirus, managing both an infection and their thyroid disease, and the risk involved in attending hospitals  and taking thyroid medications. These concerns came about due to the information that people with some underlying health conditions will be at higher risk of contracting the virus and experience difficulties in managing their infection. The thyroid Ghana Foundation has compiled information to help patients during this pandemic by addressing some frequent questions that have been raised by our members on the coronavirus outbreak and thyroid disease.

Here are some questions, answers and guidelines to help thyroid patients stay safe during this pandemic.

Are individuals with autoimmune thyroid disease at risk of COVID-19 infection?

COVID -19 is a new virus, so there is currently no information on how it affects individuals with thyroid disease.  However thyroid disease is not known to be associated with increased risk of viral infections in general, nor is there an association between thyroid disease and severity of the viral infection. We know there have been several tests and observations that have been made after the outbreak of the virus and yet none have isolated thyroid patients as a group of interest. This could be due to the fact that an autoimmune thyroid disease does not make one immunocompromised. The part of the immune system that’s responsible for autoimmune thyroid conditions is separate to the immune system that’s responsible for fighting off viral infections, such as COVID-19.  Patients who are classified as having a weakened immune system (immunocompromised) are typically those with conditions such as leukaemias, HIV and AIDS, or who are on medicines such as high-dose steroids, immunomodulatory drugs for rheumatoid arthritis or multiple sclerosis, cancer chemotherapy or following organ transplantation.

Does medication for my thyroid disorder suppress my immune system?

Neither levothyroxine, nor carbimazole nor propylthiouracil, are immunomodulatory therapies. i.e. they do not change nor weaken your immune system. However, some patients with thyroid eye disease will be on high doses of steroid medication which can suppress the immune system

What happens if I am on steroid medication for my thyroid eye disease?

Discuss your treatment with your doctor. Depending on your medication, dosage or severity of your condition it may be necessary to suspend treatment for your thyroid eye disease until the pandemic is over.

Are patients who have had radioiodine therapy or thyroid surgery at higher risk of COVID-19 infection?

There is no evidence to show that radioiodine therapy or thyroid surgery for benign (non-cancerous) thyroid disease would put a patient at higher risk of COVID-19 infection. However, rules for staying safe during this period must be strictly adhered to both prior  and post thyroidectomy. It would be very difficult for a patient to manage a COVID-19 infection while recovering from thyroid surgery, especially if the infection brings symptoms such as cough. This may affect the healing process and cause the patient a great deal of pain. Patients who are scheduled for thyroidectomy who contract COVID-19 may be prevented from undergoing the procedure since they may not get clearance from the cardiovascular unit.

In some countries with high COVID-19 infections, hospitals have been instructed to postpone all non-urgent surgery during the outbreak to focus resources on fighting the pandemic and to prevent new infections by those visiting the hospitals for unrelated illnesses. But that is not the case in Ghana now. The Surgical department of the Korle-Bu teaching hospital will carry out scheduled thyroid surgeries till otherwise instructed by the Ministry of Health. However, patients in recovery would be required to adhere strictly to the guidelines for preventing corona virus infection as for the reasons stated above.

Is it safe to visit the endocrine clinic during this pandemic?

Visiting the hospital may not be too safe for now.  However, the Endocrine clinic at the Korle-Bu teaching hospital has put in the necessary infection control measures to ensure staff and patient safety during this COVID-19 period. The Clinic still runs on Tuesday mornings with the added option for telephone consultations for patients who are unable to visit the premises. If you are feeling well, then please don’t contact your endocrinologist as they may be busy attending to COVID-19 patients. However, if you are feeling very unwell even prior to a scheduled visit, then please do not hesitate to call the clinic  for advice. Please make sure you have all you need, blood tests, etc. before your hospital visit to avoid multiple trips to the clinic on the same issue. Patients who attend their clinics elsewhere should call the hospital to find out if there are special arrangements for the period. Also ensure that you always wear face masks when visiting the hospital.

Is it safe for thyroid patients to wear face masks?

There are different types of face masks. (medical and non-medical). The medical type are designed to be worn by health care professionals who are at a greater risk of exposure to the virus and are to be worn for a specific period. These are different from the non-medical ones which the general public are encouraged and expected to wear which are not associated with oxygen/ hypoxia problems.

Face masks (non medical) are generally safe for thyroid patients and would be effective in preventing spread of infection from wearers to others and vice versa. Please ensure you were them appropriately in public areas and also avoid touching them.

Safety Guidelines for Thyroid Patients

Thyroid patients should adhere to all the rules for staying safe during this period.  However, patients especially those who experience shortness of breath must regulate the wearing of face masks.

In addition, all thyroid patients must:

  • Ensure they take their medication and manage their condition properly.
  • Ensure they do not run out of medication which could lead to trips to the drug store especially during a lockdown.
  • Only take your thyroid tests at standardized laboratories which adhere to COVID-19 safety guidelines.
  • Ensure you visit the clinics on time for your appointments and carry along all your required lab results.
  • Take medications exactly as prescribed.
  • If experiencing symptoms such as fever, cough, shortness of breath, kindly contact the COVID-19 hotline and the endocrine clinic.
  • Kindly disclose your thyroid condition when speaking with the COVID-19 response team

References

Excerpts of articles from:

British Thyroid Foundation

Thyroid Foundation of Canada

Hospital for Special Care

Reviewed by:

                                                       Dr. Mrs. Josephine Akpalu

                                                       (Head, Endocrine Unit, KBTH)

staffTHYROID DISEASE AND CORONAVIRUS
Message From The Federal President | Covid-19

Message From The Federal President | Covid-19

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In this tough and unprecedented time, there is vast amounts of information circulating about COVID-19, which may be overwhelming and confusing.  Some thyroid patients have questions on how does this impact them. There is no evidence that patients with thyroid issues have something more to worry as compared to the rest of the population. What each one of us can do is take proper recommended measures that are advocated by the WHO and Health Authorities in each of your countries. Maintaining safe distance (i.e. Social distancing), wearing face-mask, hygienic lifestyle i.e. thoroughly washing hands will minimize the chances of exposure. Best is not to take any chances of socializing outside your house. When going out for groceries please take all the precautions and keep a safe distance from others. Also being honest with yourself when and if you think there are symptoms to isolate yourself from others will be a key to containing the spread of the virus.

We also want thank and salute the amazing healthcare and medical providers who have been working tirelessly in response to this pandemic – we appreciate your efforts to keep the people of your countries safe during this pandemic.

Governments the world over have taken measures to stop the spread of COVID-19 by temporarily closing down places and traffic where people could come in contact with each other. Please strictly adhere to the advice on ‘social distancing’, its better to NOT take any chances. Scientific communities are still discovering more about the virus each day.

You will find the following guidance most commonly seen on professional websites, please do follow this guidance:

  • Avoid close contact with people and strangers not known to you.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.
  • Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
  • It is especially important to clean hands after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after coughing, sneezing or blowing your nose.
  • Avoid traveling if you are sick and also avoid crowded places.

We understand this is a tough time for people all over the world, including our thyroid community. To ensure you have access to the right information, we have provided a few sites below, for your reference.

https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public
https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public/myth-busters

Please ensure you follow the guidance of your federal and state governments and health authorities to help contain the spread of the virus. Be sure to follow appropriate hygiene precautions and social distancing, while observing advice about self-isolation and quarantining, should you come into contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19.

Please keep and stay safe in these difficult times.

Ashok Bhaseen, M.Pharm, MMS
President Thyroid Federation International

staffMessage From The Federal President | Covid-19
Thyroid Ghana Foundation Holds Maiden Patients Forum

Thyroid Ghana Foundation Holds Maiden Patients Forum

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The Thyroid Patients Forum is a Thyroid Ghana Foundation initiative which aims to give thyroid patients an opportunity to interact with Consultants and Specialists from the College of Health Sciences and Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital who are involved in the diagnosis, management and treatment of thyroid cases.

 

The Founder and President of the Foundation, Mrs. Nana Adwoa Konadu Dsane, who had undergone surgery for a thyroid problem, chose to organize the maiden edition of the Thyroid Patients Forum on her birthday, 20th October, 2018 to share the special day with patients under the Foundation’s Patient Support Programme. On the importance of the forum, Mrs. Dsane explained that the foundation realized that there is very little information on thyroid disorders out there and this can cause a lot of panic among patients who already experience anxieties due to their condition and desperately need to know what steps to take to relieve the stress associated with the disease. She noted that patients who visit the clinics for treatment do not get enough opportunity to ask questions relating to their condition mainly because, the clinics are very busy and time allocated per patient is very limited. She added that it was necessary to host the forum not only in English but also some local languages to cater for a wide category of patients.

 

The Forum was chaired by Rev. Prof. Patrick F. Ayeh-Kumi, Provost of the College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana and Chairman of the Management Board of the Thyroid Ghana Foundation. He said at the beginning of the forum that the programme has to be very informal in order to encourage participants to ask questions especially those who may feel intimidated to do so. He proceeded throughout the programme to translate all discussions by the consultants in Ga and Akan for the benefit of the participants.

 

The event was also attended by Dr. Alfred Tetteh (aka Prof T), Consultant Surgeon at Department of Surgery. Among other things Prof T provided detailed explanations on what goes into thyroid surgery, what patients are required to do prior to the surgery and what to expect after. Dr. Mrs. Josephine Akpalu, Consultant Endocrinologist and Head of the Endocrine Unit, Department of Medicine, was also present to provide an overview of the thyroid gland and thyroid disease problems. She charged participants to test for thyroid disorders and advised on what steps to take if the test results are unfavorable.

 

Dr. Naa Adorkor Aryeetey is a Radiation Oncologist at the National Centre for Radiotherapy and Nuclear Medicine and she was at the event to talk about thyroid cancers and the use of radioactive iodine to treat hyperthyroidism (Overactive thyroid disorder). She used the platform to encourage the general public to seek earlier treatments for thyroid diseases as this can be crucial in preventing thyroid cancers. Mrs Beatrice Williams, Clinical Psychologist, Department of Psychiatry took the patients through a quick counseling session to give them the needed mental support and encourage them to stay strong throughout their treatment. She noted that being a thyroid patient can be very disheartening due to the fact that the condition may require lifelong treatment. She added that patients in many cases can easily become depressed which is also a major health problem and can be very expensive to treat. She therefore encouraged patients to always concentrate on the positive side of life and to try as much as possible to avoid stressful situations. Her session was very interactive and the effect she had on the patients was almost instant.

 

Ms. Portia Dzivenu is a Dietician and Snr Research Assistant at the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, School of Biomedical and Allied Health Sciences. She gave a breakdown of foods that are healthy for both categories of thyroid disorders that is hypo and hyperthyroidism. She was on call to provide answers to all the patients’ dietary concerns. The forum was hosted by Ms. Janet Boateng, Host and Producer of “Campus 360 Live”.

 

During the programme Participants were given information sheets which covers all aspects of thyroid disorders and treatments. The programme ended with a celebration of the Founder’s birthday. She used the platform to encourage all participants to be ambassadors for thyroid health and also provided information on future projects under the Foundation’s Patient Support programme.

 

The Thyroid Patients Forum was proudly supported by Ernest Chemist, Kenzo’s Place, Bedita Pharmacy Ltd, The College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Chartered Institute of Leadership and Governance, Departments of Medicine and Therapeutics and Surgery of the College of Health Sciences, the Dsane, Kumahlor, Pinkran and Burah Families, Art TwoThings Media, Volunteers of the Thyroid Ghana Foundation and Mensdo Bissap Beverages.

staffThyroid Ghana Foundation Holds Maiden Patients Forum
How I battled cancer – Jeremie Van-Garshong reveals

How I battled cancer – Jeremie Van-Garshong reveals

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Radio and television presenter, Jeremie Van-Garshong cannot stop thanking God for healing her of the thyroid cancer she has been battling for the past 10 years. The Live FM presenter who has been off air for the past two months admitted that getting thyroid cancer has been the toughest challenge she ever had to face and fight for a very long time.

“But God used my toughest challenge to bring me my biggest testimony ever and I can’t wait to tell it all” she said as she narrated her ordeal to Showbiz in an interview on Friday, October 14.

Jeremie revealed that it was only her family and close friends who knew her struggle with cancer and how hard it was for her to pretend as if there was nothing wrong with her as she went about doing her duties as a radio and television presenter.

According to her, her biggest fear was when doctors told her she could lose her voice in an operation in Germany last two months because the surgery involved removing a tumor in her throat.

“I lost hope because that was my career hanging on the line but as the doctors wheeled me into the theatre, I remember feeling a hand gently take my hand and walk alongside my bed.

“And as the two nurses began plugging machines and tubes into my body, I started praying saying ‘Jesus stay with me and in my heart’. I knew it was His hands that held mine.”

She continued saying “After the surgery, my voice went for weeks and that got me scared because I thought I wouldn’t be able to speak again and that was the end of my career. But thanks to God, I started speaking again and completely healed in the name of the Lord.”

To her, the two months she was away in Germany has really brought her closer to God because she has come to accept that it is only God who can heal and not man.

Initially, she did not want the story out but now Jeremie wants the whole world to know about her experience because she believes there is a true God who is always there for His children in times of need.

The outspoken presenter said she is done with a song she composed during her trying moments because it is not everyone who gets lucky with such surgeries.

“I am yet to give it a title. It will be out very soon and I am very sure it will change the lives of many who might be going through similar challenges”, she added.

The Touchdown presenter has also written a book titled Valley of the Shadow Of Death” explaining into details the struggles she went through battling with thyroid cancer and how she was finally saved by God.

staffHow I battled cancer – Jeremie Van-Garshong reveals
Thyroid Disorders in Central Ghana: The Influence of 20 Years of Iodization.

Thyroid Disorders in Central Ghana: The Influence of 20 Years of Iodization.

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Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Ghana began mandatory iodization of salt in 1996. This study compares the prevalence of thyroid disorders before and after the introduction of iodization.

METHODS:

This is a retrospective study of thyroid cases from the middle belt of Ghana between 1982 and 2014. To demonstrate a link between iodization and hyperthyroidism and autoimmunity, we compared the prevalence of hyperthyroidism and autoimmune thyroid disorders before and after the iodization programme.

RESULTS:

A total of 10,484 (7548 females, 2936 males) cases were recorded. The rate of thyroid cases seen was 343/100,000. Nontoxic nodular goiters (25.7%) and toxic nodular goiters (22.5%) represented the second commonest thyroid disorders recorded. The prevalence of hyperthyroid disorders seen after 1996 was significantly higher than the prevalence seen before the iodization (40.0 versus 21.1%, p < 0.001). The prevalence of autoimmune disorders recorded after iodization was significantly higher than that before the iodization programme started (22.3% versus 9.6%, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS:

This study has revealed a significant increase in thyroid admissions in Central Ghana over the decades. A connection between iodine fortification and iodine-induced hyperthyroidism and between iodine fortification and autoimmune thyroiditis has been shown in this study.

staffThyroid Disorders in Central Ghana: The Influence of 20 Years of Iodization.
Thyroid Disorders in Accra, Ghana: A Retrospective Histopathological Study at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital

Thyroid Disorders in Accra, Ghana: A Retrospective Histopathological Study at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital

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EM Der, SE Quayson, JN Clegg-Lamptey, EK Wiredu, RKD Ephraim, RK Gyasi

Abstract

There is a scarcity of data on thyroid disorders in Ghana. This retrospective study examined the spectrum and incidence of thyroid disorders by reviewing all thyroid disorders reported in the De-partment of Pathology, Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) between 2004 and 2010. Data was collected on the clinical and histological characteristics of all thyroid disorders reported during the study. 1300 (3.7%) cases were reported, representing an annual incidence of 185.7 cases. The ages ranged from 1-86 years with a mean of 41.5 (SD=13.9). Most [353 (27.4%)] of the cases were be-tween 30-39 years group. Majority, 1141(87.8%) were females. The top eight common thyroid dis-eases were; non-toxic multinodular goitre 1002(77.5%), follicular adenoma 86(6.6%), diffuse toxic goitre 42 (3.2%), papillary thyroid carcinoma 40(3.1%), thyroglossal duct cyst 35(2.7%), Hashimo-to’s thyroiditis 28(2.2%), lymphocytic thyroiditis 22(1.7%) and follicular carcinoma 17(1.3%). Sixty-six (43.4%) of the neoplastic thyroid disorders were malignant with a prevalence of 0.18 among thy-roid samples and annual incidence of 9.40 cases. The commonest thyroid cancer was papillary car-cinoma 40(60.6 %), with a mean age of 38.3 SD=16.1 years, majority, 34 (82.9%), were women. A wide spectrum of thyroid disorders exists in Ghana, with an annual incidence of 185.7 cases. The commonest malignant thyroid disorder was papillary carcinoma, though iodine deficiency is en-demic in Ghana and on this basis; one would have expected follicular carcinoma to be the com-monest thyroid cancer in Ghana.
staffThyroid Disorders in Accra, Ghana: A Retrospective Histopathological Study at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital