Superstition is a drawback to Ghana’s health care system - Prof Akosa

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• Kojo Billy Duncan 11 years ago

  Our refusal to read widely to seek scientific, technological knowledge and engage in critical thinking is driving us to wallow in superstitious beliefs.

  Our refusal to read widely to seek scientific, technological knowledge and engage in critical thinking is driving us to wallow in superstitious beliefs.

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• Awotwe Arthur 11 years ago

  Ghanaians need a lot of education. People should be encouraged to use hospitals through Public Health forums.

  Ghanaians need a lot of education. People should be encouraged to use hospitals through Public Health forums.

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• www.owafk-africa.com 11 years ago

  8th Edition 14,000 Scholarships 4 Africa

  8th Edition 14,000 Scholarships 4 Africa

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• OSBON 11 years ago

  are they educating the masses, about this. Tweeaa

  are they educating the masses, about this. Tweeaa

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• Allottey 11 years ago

  Most Ghanaians have grown up without health care facilities in their neighborhood.Therefore they saw native doctors and fetish priest. Some died some were healed.
  Prayer camps should be a place where a Christian can visit fo ...
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  Most Ghanaians have grown up without health care facilities in their neighborhood.Therefore they saw native doctors and fetish priest. Some died some were healed.
  Prayer camps should be a place where a Christian can visit for soul searching
  Not when Christians are sick.

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• Felix Menlaa 11 years ago

  This is indeed the right platform for celebrated people like professor Akosa to talk of what can change the backwardness or our people rather than meddling in our contemporary jaundiced political climate where ordinary and ig ...
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  This is indeed the right platform for celebrated people like professor Akosa to talk of what can change the backwardness or our people rather than meddling in our contemporary jaundiced political climate where ordinary and ignorant people easily resort to Ghanaweb to rain a series of filthy insults on them for airing their political views.

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• Mawena 11 years ago

  The ministry of Health can Initiate a program which will educate and enhance the Ghanaian knowledge and confidence in their local hospitals.

  The ministry of Health can Initiate a program which will educate and enhance the Ghanaian knowledge and confidence in their local hospitals.

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• Baafuor 11 years ago

  The problem can also be attributed to some of our half baked orthodox doctors

  The problem can also be attributed to some of our half baked orthodox doctors

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• Kofi Peprah 11 years ago

  We should start basic health education at the secondary school level--I suggest at the JSS LEVEL.

  We should start basic health education at the secondary school level--I suggest at the JSS LEVEL.

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• When Will They Ever Learn 11 years ago

  IGNORANCE OF NATURE AND NATURE'S LAWS LEADS TO FEAR AND SUPERSTITION.IT MAKES PEOPLE CLING TO RELIGION OF ALL SORTS---VOODO,CHRISTIANITY, ISLAM,ETC ETC. EDUCATION WITHOUT THE UNDERSTANDING OF
  THE WORKING OF NATURE'S LAWS I ...
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  IGNORANCE OF NATURE AND NATURE'S LAWS LEADS TO FEAR AND SUPERSTITION.IT MAKES PEOPLE CLING TO RELIGION OF ALL SORTS---VOODO,CHRISTIANITY, ISLAM,ETC ETC. EDUCATION WITHOUT THE UNDERSTANDING OF
  THE WORKING OF NATURE'S LAWS IS MIS-EDUCATION.
  
  MY HOPE IS BUILT ON NOTHING LESS
  THAN KNOWLEDGE OF ALL NATURE'S LAWS
  WHICH KEEP ALL THINGS IN ORDINANCE,
  IN HARMONY,IN PERFECT PEACE.
  REFRAIN;
  ON SCIENCE THE SOLID ROCK I STAND,
  ALL OTHER GROUND IS SINKING SAND,
  ALL OTHER GROUN IS SINKING SAND. AMEN

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• DONBOLI 11 years ago

  Prayers heal better the hospitals. Those who die in hosipitals will die if they stayed home.
  Superstition means hope to so many people. There is not wrong if people want to die in hospital or home infront of something the be ...
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  Prayers heal better the hospitals. Those who die in hosipitals will die if they stayed home.
  Superstition means hope to so many people. There is not wrong if people want to die in hospital or home infront of something the believe in.
  Superstition is good for those who belief in them. They should be allowed to believe in whatever they chose to do.
  Some go to hospital to die and some go for treatment. Those that can be treated are treated and those to die die.
  It is not a drawback in our health system. Superstition is want used to heal people in ghana till modern medicines. Superstition treatment is falling not rising.
  Ghana government should build classrooms in every village so we can turn them to hospitals.
  If you dont teach the people the people will teach themselvies. They is what is still happening in ghana. Talk talk and do little.

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• A cool Guy 11 years ago

  The need civic education all over again. My brother passed out because of this mistake of not going to the Hospital first.

  The need civic education all over again. My brother passed out because of this mistake of not going to the Hospital first.

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• Kofi Ata, Cambridge, UK 11 years ago

  What do you expect when politicians believe that they can pray for the currency to appreciate in value and others believe dwarfs are responsible for the falling cedi?
  
  Unfortunately, superstition is money making business in ...
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  What do you expect when politicians believe that they can pray for the currency to appreciate in value and others believe dwarfs are responsible for the falling cedi?
  
  Unfortunately, superstition is money making business in Ghana so that the 419 prophets can make millions out of the poor and the vulnerable. Sadly, it's the elderly women who bear the brunt of this superstition.

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• CONCERNED DOCTOR ABROAD 11 years ago

  The Ghana Health Service through politics, corruption,nepotism ,cronyism incompetence and blatant laziness is encouraging mediocrity and inefficiency forcing many into resorting to alternative medicine.Many with debilitating ...
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  The Ghana Health Service through politics, corruption,nepotism ,cronyism incompetence and blatant laziness is encouraging mediocrity and inefficiency forcing many into resorting to alternative medicine.Many with debilitating chronic illness are compelled by the poor and unsatisfactory services rendered to seek solace in alternative medicine including pastors and mallams.Multitudes of patients who end up in spiritual camps and churches usually have hospitals and other orthodox health facilities as their first point of contact.A combination of factors especially in public health institutions under the GHS such as rude sometimes violent and confrontational attitude towards patients scare patients away.The situation is compounded by blatant and criminal extortion of money from patients even with the insurance scheme coupled with incompetence and ineffectiveness that leaves patients problems unsolved. I have personally seen patients with relatively simple medical ailments walking around for years.Some of these problems go unnoticed even with specialist care with the patient still suffering after spending so much.These are classically the patients who become superstitious by their conviction or influence eventually ending up in a spiritual camp,church or with the mallam.That apart,some of us are of the strong opinion that the insurance scheme is a major draw back.To say service induced moral hazards with the insurance is a major problem compounding health problems in the country is an understatement.Swapping of prescriptions,drug substitution,inventions in dosage regimen and duration of treatment all in an attempt to maximize profit from insurance claims potentially can trigger catastrophic health events.I worked in a hospital where diagnosis were altered, drugs completely changed at the pharmacy by potentially unskilled hands trained on the job of dispensing.I saw instances where anti-hypertensives were substituted with antibiotics etc.Client induced moral hazards triggered by service induced moral hazards make irrational prescription the order of the day.Sometimes families walk in without any evidence of illness and walk away with so many drugs with potential site effect through malingering.Attempt to ensure rational prescription will mean preventing the health institution from making profit from insurance claims.A porous curative system coupled with an almost non-existent preventive health system is crippling our health sector forcing many to resort to native or alternative medicine.For example many happily ingest drugs as if it was food with apparently no knowledge of the site effects only to develop long term complications.The professor should instead be championing scientific modules in solving health problems by his rare example of health education.Nevertheless,it must start with a change in attitude of powers that be particularly in Ghana Health Service.

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• bbbrown 11 years ago

  Humans are a three dimensional being, the spirit,soul and body .This is where prof.Akosa missed,this is where the prof. has been mislead by western knowledge he calls superstition.Even in the west there are those who knows th ...
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  Humans are a three dimensional being, the spirit,soul and body .This is where prof.Akosa missed,this is where the prof. has been mislead by western knowledge he calls superstition.Even in the west there are those who knows this fact.Everything has its foundation in the spirit and this is not superstition but a fact.We has sicknesses that originate from the environment we say disease driven and the same sickness that is spiritual.So ,his research is limited,it follows the outmoded status cope,just to satisfy western way of knowledge.His research will not solve problems but that of academic,we need anew breed of African scholars who would study what the people belief and it really has an overwhelming influence on them,something that really works not just superstition,superstition too exist but on health it has proven beyond doubt that there are unexplained source that he need to investigate instead of panelling facts superstition.He would need to move from the old school of research procedures and dive march deeper because that is what is working.Those sicknesses that are disease driven can be easily treated using western methods but those of spiritual attacks though of the same sickness would not response to the same methods of treatment,we have been richly endured with things of the spirit which the west know so why does Prof. Akosa dodging instead of widening the research topic to fit in what is now emerging as new knowledge that was before not clear.We need a new breed of researchers and forget those who are still dwelling on the past knowledge,we need to move and promote what we know best and is a fact.We have to move because it is what is making new impact on society.amen.

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• Cudjoe 11 years ago

  I am not educated but when the educated including your medical doctors speak I feeling like closing down all the educational facilities in Ghana.thank you professor I can't believe this coomputer age a human being with thinki ...
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  I am not educated but when the educated including your medical doctors speak I feeling like closing down all the educational facilities in Ghana.thank you professor I can't believe this coomputer age a human being with thinking abilities believes desease are cause by witches and evil spirits. no wounder churches are the bigest business in africa.it sad to see our people been taken advantage by few who understed illusion using it to dumpe our people in the name of spiritual powers.

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• Kwesi Ackon 11 years ago

  Poor Personal Hygiene (PPH),Water shortage, overcrowding in homes, and poor roads and traffic, were exposing Ghanaians to various diseases.

  Poor Personal Hygiene (PPH),Water shortage, overcrowding in homes, and poor roads and traffic, were exposing Ghanaians to various diseases.

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• sHAKA 11 years ago

  He is on point with the unfortunate under-world associations of the traditional medicine providers.

  He is on point with the unfortunate under-world associations of the traditional medicine providers.

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