
The Government of Ghana has summoned South African High Commissioner Thando Dalamba to express strong concern over reported xenophobic attacks targeting Ghanaian nationals in South Africa. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs formally registered Ghana's concerns following viral videos and reports of intimidation and harassment against foreigners. One incident in KwaZulu-Natal Province reportedly involved a Ghanaian legal resident being confronted and told to leave South Africa. Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa described such conduct as unacceptable, emphasizing that it undermines the dignity and rights of law-abiding residents. He also raised concerns about rising tensions and referenced past xenophobic violence in South Africa. Ghana formally protested and called for immediate measures to protect its citizens and other foreign nationals, including stronger security interventions. The Acting High Commissioner acknowledged Ghana's concerns and assured that the South African government is actively addressing the situation, with law enforcement agencies monitoring developments and working to restore calm.
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by GhanaWeb.
Must ReadNew Patriotic Party NPP flagbearer Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia led a high-profile party delegation to visit Ashanti Regional Chairman Bernard "Wontumi" Antwi-Boasiako at Nsawam Medium Security Prison. The delegation included former NPP National Chairman Freddie Blay, Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin, and Mampong MP Kwaku Ampratwum-Sarpong. This visit occurred days after Wontumi was sentenced to 20 years with hard labor for illegal mining offenses. Security was tight during the visit. Wontumi appeared stressed, though unshaken. The NPP leadership has affirmed its support for Wontumi and stated that his legal team will appeal the conviction.

The Ashanti Region has 68,354 people living with HIV, making it the second-highest region in Ghana after Greater Accra, which has 77,512. The region also recorded 2,852 new HIV infections, again the second-highest nationally. District-level data reveals varying prevalence rates, with Asokwa recording the highest adult HIV prevalence at 3.25 percent, followed by Juaben at 2.95 percent. Obuasi, a mining community, had a prevalence of 2.22 percent. In contrast, Sekyere Kumawu, Asokore Mampong, and Adansi Asokwa showed some of the lowest rates. Nationally, 337,435 people are living with HIV in Ghana, with 13,951 new infections and 12,051 AIDS-related deaths. The national adult HIV prevalence is 1.40 percent, which is lower than Ashanti's regional average. Adult antiretroviral therapy coverage nationally is 57.6 percent, while child coverage is 39.6 percent. Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission coverage stands at 98.9 percent. Ghana's progress towards the global 95-95-95 targets is 70 percent for knowing status, 81 percent for being on treatment, and 92 percent for viral suppression. Madam Olivia Graham, Ashanti Regional Technical Coordinator of the Ghana AIDS Commission, emphasized that these figures should prompt action, calling for increased community-level testing, adherence support, and destigmatization, especially in high-burden districts.
Must ReadHealth Minister Kwabena Minta Akandoh called on African countries to reduce reliance on external funding and instead mobilize domestic resources to finance their health systems. Speaking at the African Union's 25th Extraordinary Summit on Health in Accra, Mr. Akandoh emphasized that greater self-reliance is crucial for achieving health sovereignty and universal health coverage across the continent. He urged African leaders to prioritize predictable and sustainable domestic financing for health systems, aligning with the Abuja Declaration. The Minister also advocated for expanding local production of medicines, vaccines, and health technologies, highlighting that recent global health emergencies exposed Africa's dependence on imported medical products. Additionally, he stressed the importance of placing primary healthcare at the core of national health systems through investments in community clinics and frontline healthcare professionals. While acknowledging progress in reducing HIV and AIDS infections, Mr. Akandoh noted that Africa still faces significant health challenges, including high maternal mortality rates and limited access to quality healthcare, with the continent accounting for nearly 70 percent of global maternal deaths.