Also known as: WHO
World Health Organization — international agency setting health standards and providing epidemiological data used in Ghanaian health policy and research.
Verbatim sentences from the source article.
Joy Online
… A State Department official said the travel restrictions, combined with funding U.S. pledges for the Ebola response, showed Washington had “stepped up” to protect Americans from the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola that the World Health Organization has declared an emergency of inter …
US urges Europe to impose Ebola travel bans ahead of World CupJoy Online
… According to him, health worker density has improved from 16.5 to 41.9 per 10,000 population, while the combined density of doctors, nurses and midwives now stands at 82.75 per 10,000—well above the World Health Organization benchmark. …
Health workforce tripled, but rural distribution gaps still persist – Health MinisterDaily Guide
… The World Health Organization (WHO) in May declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern, underscoring the urgency of Ghana’s preparedness measures to protect citizens and prevent cross-border transmission. …
Ebola Surveillance, Isolation Systems ActivatedJoy Online
… The World Health Organization in May declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern, underscoring the urgency of Ghana’s preparedness measures to protect citizens and prevent cross-border transmission. …
Ghana activates surveillance, isolation systems to counter Ebola threat – Deputy Health MinisterJoy Online
… A 2021 World Health Organization report said Somalia’s mental health services were almost non-existent – with no community-based services. …
‘It was either killed or be killed’ – ongoing nightmares of an ex-child soldier in SomaliaJoy Online
… This process produces dioxins and furans toxic by-products classified as persistent organic pollutants (POPs) by the World Health Organization (WHO). …
Beyond access: The hidden dangers lurking in sanitary pads – A call for safer menstrual hygieneJoy Online
… The director general of the World Health Organization (WHO) Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has said the outbreak had a “big head start” but response teams are now “catching up”. …
Fall in official Ebola numbers appears to be good news but it’s not that simpleJoy Online
… He recalled milestones including the development of regulatory guidelines and inspection checklists in 2015, and benchmarking exercises by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Blood Regulators Network in 2016. …
FDA raises concern over blood bank complianceJoy Online
… His comments came as the head of the World Health Organization (WHO), Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, visited the eastern Congolese province of Ituri – the worst-hit area – to oversee virus containment efforts. …
Ebola spread in DR Congo ‘deeply alarming’, MSF warnsJoy Online
… Burning just one kilogramme of crop residue produces smoke levels more than 100 times higher than the safety threshold set by the World Health Organization, according to a forthcoming study by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, causing a range of illnesses and de …
Ghana farmers’ burning practices fuel growing air pollution and environmental crisesAn endocrinologist at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital warns that recurrent boils, vaginal candidiasis, unexplained weight loss, frequent urination, or unusual thirst may signal diabetes. A 2023 WHO STEPS survey estimates diabetes prevalence at 5.2 per cent among Ghanaian adults aged 18–69, with 70.3 per cent having never checked their blood sugar levels.
17 September 2026 · The Ghanaian Times →
An endocrinologist at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital warns that recurrent boils, vaginal candidiasis, unexplained weight loss, frequent urination, or unusual thirst may signal diabetes. A 2023 WHO STEPS survey estimates diabetes prevalence at 5.2 per cent among Ghanaian adults aged 18–69, with 70.3 per cent having never checked their blood sugar levels.
17 September 2026 · The Ghanaian Times →
Saudi Arabia's coalition spokesman said it intercepted and destroyed a Houthi drone south of Mecca on Tuesday evening. The Houthis denied targeting the holy city, saying their operations target Saudi oil facilities and military bases, and accused Saudi Arabia of "fabrications and lies."
16 September 2026 · Joy Online →
In Zuuku, near Bawku in the Upper East Region, households are using dried maize and millet stalks as cooking fuel—a traditional practice that provides an affordable alternative as firewood becomes scarce and charcoal is difficult to access. Women also sell surplus stalks for additional income, helping reduce pressure on local forests.
16 September 2026 · Joy Online →
A psychiatrist at the launch of Ghana's National Suicide Analysis Report said more women attempt suicide than men, but males are more likely to die by suicide, partly because men tend to use more lethal methods like guns and alcohol while women use less lethal means such as poisoning. The World Health Organization estimates more than 720,000 people die from suicide globally each year, and the Mental Health Authority has established a helpline (0800 678 678) for people experiencing emotional distress.
10 September 2026 · Joy Online →
An Africa Clean Air Network report found that parts of West Africa, particularly Senegal and Cape Verde, experienced more than 120 days in 2025 when air quality exceeded the World Health Organization's daily safety guideline for PM2.5 particles, primarily due to seasonal Saharan dust.
8 September 2026 · Joy Online →
The Tano South Municipality in the Ahafo Region has approved construction of speed ramps along high-speed corridors in Bechem, Techimantia, and Dwomoh to address road safety hazards caused by excessive speeding. The assembly is also cracking down on unauthorized revenue checkpoints to improve municipal tax collection.
5 September 2026 · Joy Online →
A Sudanese rebel group, the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North, carried out an artillery attack on the town of Dilling in South Kordofan province, killing at least five people including a child and injuring several others. The Sudan Doctors Network condemned the bombardment of civilian areas as a violation of international humanitarian law and called on the international community to pressure the group to stop attacking civilians.
5 September 2026 · Joy Online →
A blanket of toxic haze from weeks-long wildfires burning in Sumatra and Indonesian Borneo has spread into Malaysia, Singapore, and the Philippines, exposing millions to smog in some areas more than 15 times WHO's recommended pollution levels. Indonesia's Health Ministry recorded over 50,000 respiratory infection cases linked to the fires between July and August, with more than 12,000 cases among children under five.
3 September 2026 · Joy Online →
An article argues that mental illness is often overlooked in people who continue to function outwardly—going to work, attending events, and meeting deadlines—while experiencing internal exhaustion and pain. The piece challenges the belief that managing daily tasks proves someone is mentally well, noting that the WHO defines mental health as a state of well-being enabling people to cope with life's stresses, and that waiting for a crisis before seeking help perpetuates a damaging myth about "legitimate" mental illness.
2 September 2026 · Joy Online →
Ato Coleman, Senior Fellow at IMANI Centre for Policy and Education, argues that effective African leadership requires personal values, emotional intelligence, stakeholder engagement and disciplined execution—not technical competence alone. He defined a leader as someone who lives by their deepest personal values and uses those to build a case for others to follow, citing Sierra Leone's Ebola response as an example of Ubuntu leadership based on collective responsibility.
28 August 2026 · Joy Online →
A 31-year-old woman died following a Caesarean section at Greater Accra Regional Hospital (Ridge Hospital), and her husband has accused the facility and medical personnel of negligence and unprofessionalism. The woman's death occurred on July 16, 2026, leaving their newborn son without his mother.
28 August 2026 · Joy Online →
Ghana has been selected as one of eight countries worldwide to pilot a WHO benchmarking tool designed to assess and strengthen institutional capacity for conducting high-quality clinical trials. The tool examines seven functional areas across 32 objectives and 112 outcomes, and 13 Ghanaian institutions participated in an assessment exercise.
27 August 2026 · Joy Online →
African health ministers adopted the Africa Health Workforce Agenda 2026–2035, committing countries to training, employing and retaining at least three million additional health workers within the decade. According to a WHO official, the target is intended to cut the continent's workforce shortage by about half and reduce the distance millions of people travel to receive healthcare.
27 August 2026 · Joy Online →
African countries must increase health workforce recruitment budgets by an average of 35% to employ more health workers, according to a WHO health workforce expert. The continent has one million trained unemployed health professionals, and one in five health dollars is lost through waste and inefficiency, a gap that a 10-year plan adopted by African health ministers aims to address through training, employing and retaining at least three million additional health workers by 2035.
27 August 2026 · Joy Online →
Uganda has declared the end of its Ebola outbreak after completing 42 consecutive days without a new confirmed case, with the announcement welcomed by the Africa CDC and WHO. The country reported 20 confirmed cases of Ebola caused by the Bundibugyo virus, with 15 imported from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and five acquired locally.
27 August 2026 · Joy Online →
A University of Cape Coast study (DIMAP) tracked 307 street vendors in Accra for 12 months, providing one group with weekly supplies of oranges, peanuts, sunflower oil, eggs and sardines. The research, led by Professor Kofi Amegah, examined whether diet could help protect workers exposed to pollutants along busy roads including Atomic Junction, Madina, Lapaz, and Kwame Nkrumah Circle.
25 August 2026 · Joy Online →
Malaria remains a major public health challenge in Ghana and Africa, with delayed diagnosis and inadequate healthcare access putting lives at risk. The article calls for greater public education on prevention measures including insecticide-treated bed nets, protective clothing, mosquito repellents, and indoor residual spraying, alongside early treatment to prevent severe disease.
25 August 2026 · The Chronicle →
The Ghana Health Service has launched a new Public Health Emergency Operations Centre (PHEOC) framework to strengthen Ghana's preparedness and response to disease outbreaks and public health emergencies. The framework brings together institutions, information, expertise, and resources to enable coordinated response, and includes five strategic and operational documents designed to support implementation of International Health Regulations 2005.
22 August 2026 · Joy Online →
A 7-kilometre health walk through central Accra on August 15, 2026, found that participants were exposed to air pollution levels significantly above WHO standards. Monitors measured an average PM2.5 reading of 28 micrograms per cubic meter—nearly double the WHO's recommended 24-hour limit of 15 micrograms per cubic meter.
22 August 2026 · Joy Online →
A University of Ghana public health lecturer warns that farmers' exposure to pesticide drift contributes to respiratory illnesses and air pollution in Ghana, noting that most farmers do not use protective gear when spraying chemicals. Health experts link chemical exposure to respiratory illnesses, cancer, and other long-term diseases, with air pollution causing an estimated 28,000 deaths yearly in Ghana.
21 August 2026 · Joy Online →
A WHO/UNICEF assessment found that only 5% of Nigerian health care facilities met the basic standard for managing medical waste in 2025, with 76% having limited services and 20% having no waste-management service. The finding raises concerns over how used needles, infectious materials and other waste generated during medical care are handled.
21 August 2026 · Joy Online →
According to a WHO and UNICEF assessment, only 16% of Ghana's health facilities meet basic sanitation standards—which require improved and usable toilets, separate facilities for men and women with menstrual hygiene provision, and access for people with limited mobility. The gaps in sanitation across West Africa are particularly stark, with Guinea-Bissau at 7%, Burkina Faso at 11%, and Mali at 12%.
21 August 2026 · Joy Online →
Ghana's malaria research network has called for sustained investment in disease surveillance and public health messaging, warning that while new prevention tools are emerging, gains against malaria remain fragile. According to WHO's World Malaria Report, the African region accounted for 94% of the world's estimated malaria cases and 95% of malaria deaths in 2024, with children under five accounting for roughly three-quarters of deaths in the region.
21 August 2026 · The Chronicle →
According to a WHO/UNICEF assessment, only 16% of health care facilities in Ghana met the basic sanitation standard in 2025, meaning roughly five out of every six facilities fell short. Basic sanitation requires improved and usable facilities, including a dedicated staff toilet, sex-separated facilities with menstrual hygiene provision, and accessibility for people with limited mobility.
20 August 2026 · Joy Online →
The African Media and Malaria Research Network has called for renewed investment in science, community action, and health communication to combat mosquito-borne diseases, noting that the African Region accounted for 94 percent of global malaria cases and 95 percent of malaria deaths in 2024, while emerging challenges including insecticide resistance and invasive species threaten disease-control programmes.
20 August 2026 · Joy Online →
Experts warn that uncontrolled high blood pressure puts over one billion people at risk worldwide, with symptoms often remaining silent until organ damage occurs. According to a cardiologist at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, regular blood pressure checks are essential for control, as a reading of 140/90 mmHg or higher should not be ignored.
20 August 2026 · The Ghanaian Times →
The National Road Safety Authority reported 2,949 road crash deaths in 2025, an 18.2% increase over 2024 and the highest toll in 35 years. Heavy-duty vehicles including fuel tankers, dump trucks, and trailers are central to the crisis, with Ghana's fatality rate of nearly 26 deaths per 100,000 people exceeding both WHO African regional and global averages.
19 August 2026 · Joy Online →
The article outlines evidence-based interventions for suicide prevention, including restricting access to lethal means, treating mental disorders, crisis intervention, and safety planning, while debunking common myths such as that talking about suicide increases risk or that suicide occurs without warning.
19 August 2026 · Daily Guide →
Suicide is usually not about wanting to die, but rather an attempt to escape intolerable psychological pain, hopelessness, shame, or unsolvable problems—a condition researchers call "psychache." The author illustrates this through a personal account of suicidal ideation triggered by the threat of losing custody of her child.
18 August 2026 · Daily Guide →
Ghana's maternal mortality ratio has improved from 943 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2000 to 234 in 2023, but remains above the WHO benchmark of fewer than 70 deaths per 100,000 live births by 2030. President Mahama's government has made reducing maternal mortality a national priority, viewing preventable pregnancy and childbirth complications as a critical health challenge.
18 August 2026 · Daily Guide →