BackgroundSkilled birth attendance from a trained health professional during labour and delivery can prevent up to 75 % of maternal deaths. However, in low- and middle-income rural communities, lack of basic medical infrastructure and limited number of skilled birth attendants are significant barriers to timely obstetric care. Through analysis of self-reported data, this study aimed to assess the effect of an intervention addressing barriers in access to skilled obstetric care and identified factors associated with the use of unskilled birth attendants during delivery in a rural district of Ghana.MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted from June to August 2012 in the Amansie West District of Ghana among women of reproductive age. Multi-stage, random, and population proportional techniques were used to sample 50 communities and 400 women for data collection. Weighted multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with place of delivery.ResultsA total of 391 mothers had attended an antenatal care clinic at least once for their most recent birth; 42.3 % of them had unskilled deliveries. Reasons reported for the use of unskilled birth attendants during delivery were: insults from health workers (23.5 %), unavailability of transport (21.9 %), and confidence in traditional birth attendants (17.9 %); only 7.4 % reported to have had sudden labour. Other factors associated with the use of unskilled birth attendants during delivery included: lack of partner involvement aOR = 0.03 (95 % CI; 0.01, 0.06), lack of birth preparedness aOR = 0.05 (95 % CI; 0.02, 0.13) and lack of knowledge of the benefits of skilled delivery aOR = 0.37 (95 % CI; 0.11, 1.20).ConclusionsThis study demonstrated the importance of provider-client relationship and cultural sensitivity in the efforts to improve skilled obstetric care uptake among rural women in Ghana.

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The adult population (15-49 years) are the most productive and yet the most vulnerable to HIV infections in Ghana. A phenomenon that threatens the socio-economic growth of the country and the survival of its people. Poor knowledge, ill-informed attitudes, and risky lifestyles are the key factors that hinder the prevention of HIV spread among adults. The study’s aim was to explore knowledge, attitudes, and risky behaviours among adults which hinder the prevention of HIV/AIDS in Ghana. A case-control study of 362 adults was conducted in the Ahafo and Northern regions of Ghana in 2020. Descriptive and inferential statistics were significant at 1% and 5%. Results indicated that the majority of adults in Ghana are sexually active with limited education but high knowledge of HIV/AIDS. The study revealed significant levels of association between HIV infections and age, sex, marital status, sex with multiple partners, use of the condom, sex for money, sexually transmitted infections, alcohol or drug abuse, personal income, access to places where sex is traded, and migration. The study concludes that both cases and controls generally had good knowledge regarding HIV/AIDS but show poor attitudes towards PLHIV and also engaged in risky behaviours that might predispose others to HIV infections. Findings also highlight the need for culturally adaptive and age-specific HIV education for adults across all regions. Identified misconceptions on HIV/AIDS, poor attitudes of adults towards PLHIV, and risky behaviours of adults regarding HIV/AIDS need specific and targeted education towards behavioural change. Keywords: Attitudes, Adults, Behaviours, HIV/AIDS, Knowledge.

HIV/AIDS prevalence remains a major global public health and development challenge despite key interventions to curb its spread. Ghana, in particular, for a decade now, has experienced a persistent increase in the number of HIV new infections among adults, with the new infection rates varying across the administrative regions. The study examines socio-demographic, health, social, behavioural, and biomedical factors contributing to the spread of HIV among adults in Ghana and how these factors vary across administrative regions. A case-control study was carried on involving 362 respondents made of 181 HIV cases and controls, each from the Ahafo and Northern regions of Ghana. Structured questionnaires were administered. Socio-demographic characteristics of respondents, their health status, social behavioural, and biomedical factors that have potential influence on the spread of HIV was collected. A logistic regression model was used to estimate the degree to which each of the risk factors collected were associated with the spread of HIV in Ghana and across regions. Out of 21 risk factors identified, 13 accounted for the spread of HIV in the Ahafo region compared to only 6 in the Northern region. The study concludes that factors for HIV spread in Ghana are many but vary across administrative regions in the country. It, therefore, suggests the need to create job opportunities, have HIV awareness campaign programmes, regulate the sale of alcoholic and other related drugs, discourage sex trade, promote condom use throughout the country for those who cannot abstain, and tailored to regions. Keywords: Adults, Biomedical Factors, HIV Spread, Socio-Behavioural.

Scabies is a Neglected Tropical Disease, transmitted from person to person contact and indirectly through fomites. Though preventable, the burden and infection rate of scabies remain a menace with inadequate attention given to it in Ghana. This report presents an outcome of active disease surveillance and response measures undertaken by the District Health Management Team on the fight against the spread of scabies through case search, treatment, awareness creation, and advocacy campaigns. Students and teachers from 29 schools within the Sub District and 21,173 people in 8 communities were targeted for screening and treatment. In all, a mass drug administration was carried on 2,575 students and teachers, and 2,467 infected patients representing 11.58% from the 8 communities were treated using ivermectin 15% and 25% benzyl benzoate emulsion and Sulphur ointment. Response to the outbreak was hampered by inadequate resources and personnel resulting in low geographical and treatment coverage. Also, intensifying public education and health staff capacity building on case search and control is needed Justice Ofori-Amoah ABOUT THE AUTHOR Justice Ofori-Amoah is a District Director of Health Service and an experienced consultant in Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs), a Board member of the Allied Health professional council (AHPC) with a demonstrated history of working in the International Health industry and much interested in maternal as well as child health and nutrition. He has advanced knowledge of epidemiology, disease prevention, reproductive health, and health promotion. He has rich experience in mass disease outbreak investigation and scientific communication. Ofori-Amoah holds a Ph.