Tag Archives: Health Care

New Hope for Accra’s Most Notorious Slum

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jhr-led Magazine Sets Agenda for a Brighter Future in Ghana’s Old Fadama

On June 4th, 2011, jhr (Journalists for Human Rights) collaborated with students from the African University College of Communications (AUCC) to launch Faces of Old Fadama, a magazine created to put a human face on the largest “slum” in Ghana. Attended by officials responsible for the welfare of those living in the slums and covered by all major media in Accra, the launch put the issue of citizens’ rights in illegal slums squarely in the faces of those responsible, as well as on Ghana’s public agenda. Follow-up media coverage kept it there for weeks.

Cont’d after the slideshow…

The photos are taken by the students of the AUCC (African University College of Communications

Cont’d…

Old Fadama, with an estimated population of 79,000, is considered an illegal settlement by local authorities, and residents are often threatened with eviction. Residents are seen as illegitimate citizens. They have next to no access to health, education and other basic services. However, during elections politicians in Accra often campaign in Old Fadama for votes, without either resolving the legal status of the residents, or agreeing to deliver public services once the election campaign is over.

In April forty jhr-trained Ghanaian students from the African University College of Communications (AUCC) and Laura Bain, jhr intern and Editor-in-chief of the magazine, embarked on a reporting assignment to Old Fadama. They discovered that the community had built their own schools and health clinics, organized garbage clean-ups, started businesses, organized HIV/AIDS awareness campaigns, installed accessible water sources and even gathered their own census information.

The magazine showcased these stories and called on the government to recognize the legitimacy of the settlement. In so doing, it drew attention the numerous human rights abuses the residents face and offered the Government alternative solutions to forced eviction.

The launch was attended by residents of Old Fadama, the Canadian High Commissioner, an official from the Accra Metropolitan Authority and Freddy Blay, the former Deputy Speaker of Parliament and now publisher of the Daily Guide newspaper. Launch organizers, including jhr’s Overseas Program Coordinator Jenny Vaughan, also secured a strong media presence from multiple local radio stations, newspapers and all three of the city’s TV networks helping to ensure the issue remains a priority for local authorities.

The media in Ghana has typically covered Old Fadama as a dirty, scary and chaotic place – supporting the idea of the residents’ eviction. Since its release, all three major TV networks, prominent newspapers and several radio stations produced stories from “Faces of Old Fadama” – spawning a new, more open and informed coverage of the settlement.

The Daily Guide newspaper, a primary sponsor of the magazine, has also expressed interest in furthering its partnership with jhr and exploring ways to continue highlighting human rights issues through the media.

Improving health care in Ghana, one human rights story at a time

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By Martin Aseidu Dartey & Shawn Hayward, Citi FM, Ghana

For two years, the clinic in Dzogadze, Ghana, had not had a nurse on staff. The closest hospital is eight miles away on a dirt road that is impassable when it rains.

Martin Aseidu Dartey and Shawn Hayward


When jhr intern Shawn Hayward heard about this, he knew it was a story that needed to be covered—access to basic health care is a fundamental human right, and precisely the kind of work jhr is committed to doing in their overseas placements. He returned to his newsroom and produced the story with Citi FM reporter Martin Aseidu Dartey.

What happened next was a welcome surprise.

Having heard the story on Citi FM, Ghana Health Service posted two nurses at the Dzogadze clinic. For the first time in two years, residents can now receive health care in their very own community.

“Martin is happy that his work has had a positive impact in people’s lives. I feel the same way,” said Hayward. “It feels really good to know that my work is having an effect on journalists here.”

Listen to a short 2 minute clip of Martin’s feedback about the story here.

Maternity hospital turns its power back on after pressure from The Concord Times

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A maternity hospital in Sierra Leone was left without power for two weeks. This caused several deaths and because mosquitoes were drawn to the hospital, many people contracted malaria.

Mafereh Kargbo, a patient at PCMH, mentioned the lack of involvement from government officials. “The three political parties need to come here and see how people are suffering,” she said. “For the fact that elections are around the corner, if people are dying everyday, who do these people expect to vote for them?”

The Concord Times was the only newspaper to print a story on the situation and immediately afterward, the hospital regained the power they required to run properly.

Read the original article below

PCMH without light for two weeks

By Ben Samuel Turay, The Concord Times, Freetown, Sierra Leone

One of the largest hospitals in the country has been without power for more than two weeks, leaving patients to die and suffer, even as political parties say health is an important election issue.

Doctors at Princess Christian Maternity Hospital (PCMH) say there has not been enough fuel for hospital generators and patients have not been able to get proper treatment.

On one day last week, there were three corpses in PCMH passageways.

“The problem is the fault of the bosses,” said Joseph Bomo Komeh, a medical doctor at PCMH. “Patients have been getting malaria because there is no power. It is too dark and the bosses cannot afford more fuel.”

He said this problem has been recurring and the hospital has now gone up to two weeks without light or power, which is not good for the patients.

Komeh, who has worked at the hospital for more than four years, said he has a cordial relationship with the patients, despite the situation.

Saidu Kamara’s wife recently gave birth at PCMH. He said he was charged Le 700,000 to admit her and provided Le 400,000 as a deposit. He is angry that he paid this much money and the hospital is without lights or basic services.

“When they want to do an operation, they light a small generator for the theatre,” he said. “But for the entire hospital as a whole, there is no light.”

Mafereh Kargbo, a patient at PCMH, said she is managing despite the poor conditions.

“The three political parties need to come here and see how people are suffering,” she said. “For the fact that elections are around the corner, if people are dying everyday, who do these people expect to vote for them?”

Kargbo said the entire country, not just PCMH, needs much more attention focused on health issues and skyrocketing drug prices.

“When the SLPP was rallying, they threw rice at people in the streets,” she said, angrily. “Why didn’t they take the money spent on that rice and spend it on this hospital and other hospitals in the country?”

Tenneh Kamara lies in another ward. She gave birth to twins on Wednesday and said in order for there to be free and fair elections the politicians need to visit hospitals and see what exists in them.

“One vote can make you a president,” she said. “For the last week we were using candles in the hospital for light. These are some of the areas politicians need to come and see.”