Ghana

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The court, in upholding the October 29, 2009 ruling of the Human rights Court yesterday, said Mr. Donkor and the two officials, Josephine Gandawiri and Stephen Abrokwa had no justification to have the case heard in-camera. Constituted by Justice Henrietta Abban, Justice G.M Quaye and Justice Samuel Marful-Su, the Court of Appeal dismissed the Attorney General’s appeal against the in-camera hearing of the contempt application.

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National The National Health Insurance Bill has been passed into law by the parliament of Ghana. This seeks to set up a National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), which would enable residents in Ghana to obtain, at least, basic healthcare services without paying money at the point of delivery of the service. This will replace the cash and carry system currently in place. An accompanying memorandum signed by the Minister of Health, Dr Kweku Afriyie, said the Bill would provide a policy and regulatory framework in the country for health insurance that would enable the nation to achieve the goal of equitable access to basic healthcare in relation to need rather than socio-economic or socio-cultural status. The NHIS has been welcome in principle by all and sundry since the cash and carry system in place currently is not the best of schemes considering the socio-economic or socio-cultural status of the Ghanaian. The current government also made it a cardinal in its election campaign in 2000. However, the politics, funding and its implementation have left much to be desired.

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Bekamas Medlabx and Diagnostics Centre in Kumasi on Friday undertook a free medical screening in Hepatitis 'B' for people in and around the Kumasi Metropolis. There was in addition a free screening for Blood Pressure (BP) and Body Mass Index (BMI). A total of 518 people were screened for Hepatitis 'B', and BMI while 300 adults from the age of 40 and above were also screened for BP. Briefing newsmen on the exercise, Mr Osei Assibey Bonsu, Director of the Centre said 468 people out of the 518 who were screened for Hepatitis 'B' proved negative and the rest, positive. He said 233 people were found to be under weight with 181 having the right weights and 104 being overweight under the BMI screening. Concerning Blood Pressure, Mr Osei Assibey noted that 156 people were recorded for high pressure, 93 for normal and 17 for low pressure. The screening cost the centre GH3, 626.00, excluding administrative expenses.

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Bank Cashier convicted The Asamankese Circuit Court has convicted a bank cashier, Andrews Asiamah, for stealing GHC12,501, belonging to his employers, the Kwaebibirem Rural Bank. Asiamah, who pleaded not guilty, would receive his sentence on December 16. The case of the prosecution as presented by Police Inspector Francis Asare-Cobbina was that Asiamah was formerly a cashier of the bank's agency at Pramkese.