Straight News

Representatives of the Fian Youth Association recently visited the Fian Health Center to discuss challenges affecting healthcare delivery with staff and donate essential items, including mattresses, bed sheets, a working table, chairs, and a wall clock. The youth leaders assured the facility of their continued support and called on government and the District Assembly to expand and upgrade the health center to a polyclinic, citing the increasing patient load and inadequate space. They noted that patients often have to be treated on the bare floor due to limited capacity. The Fian Health Center serves several communities and is a critical facility for emergency services, accident patients, and referrals. The youth group's donation and advocacy aim to improve primary healthcare in the district. The staff appreciated the youth group's support and thanked the community for their interest in the facility's development . Denis Andaban

   African countries are being urged by the World Health Organization to “urgently” expand their critical care capacity while Covid-19 cases are rising rapidly in several countries and vaccine shipments to the continent are almost at a standstill. Efforts to augment critical care will help health facilities from becoming overwhelmed, Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa, said in a briefing Thursday. “Many African hospitals and clinics are still far from ready for a surge in critically ill Covid-19 patients,” Moeti told reporters. To prepare for a resurgence of the virus, the WHO is lining up case management experts and essential equipment, including oxygen concentrators, that “can be deployed quickly when needed,” she said. The continent had a 20% increase in cases in the past two weeks, with eight countries recording a rise of more than 30% in the past week. Still, a WHO survey last month showed most African countries have less than one intensive care unit bed p...