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  Osteoporosis — the progressive loss of bone density and strength leading to fragile bones that fracture with minimal trauma — is typically thought of as a disease of elderly Caucasian women. This perception has led to significant underdiagnosis of osteoporosis in Black African populations, including Ghanaians. While it is true that people of African descent generally have higher peak bone density than Caucasians, osteoporosis does occur in Ghanaians and is significantly underdiagnosed and undertreated. As Ghana's population ages, fracture-related morbidity and mortality from osteoporosis will grow. The Biology of Bone Bone is not an inert structure — it is dynamic, living tissue in a state of constant remodelling. Specialised cells called osteoclasts break down old bone (resorption) while osteoblasts build new bone (formation). This remodelling cycle renews the entire skeleton approximately every 10 years. Peak bone mass is achieved by the late 20s to early 30s — making the first...

Ghana's healthcare landscape includes prescription medications, over-the-counter drugs, traditional herbal preparations, and self-prescribed pharmaceuticals purchased from patent medicine vendors and pharmacies without a doctor's input. This mix — combined with limited public awareness about drug interactions and side effects — creates significant risks that are largely preventable with better information. Many serious drug-related harms that occur in Ghana are not failures of the drugs themselves but failures of information. Self-Medication and Polypharmacy A 2019 survey in Ghana found that the majority of Ghanaian adults had engaged in self-medication — purchasing and using prescription drugs without medical consultation — at least once in the previous year. Antibiotics, antimalarials, antifungals, antihypertensives, and analgesics are among the most commonly self-prescribed drugs. While self-medication can be appropriate for minor, self-limiting conditions (using paracetamol...

Iron deficiency is the most common nutritional deficiency in the world, affecting an estimated 2 billion people globally. In Ghana, it is endemic — particularly among women of reproductive age, pregnant women, adolescent girls, and young children. Yet despite its prevalence, iron deficiency is routinely missed because the most commonly tested marker — haemoglobin — becomes abnormal only at the late stage of iron deficiency anaemia, after iron stores have been depleted and red blood cell production is already compromised. The earlier, more sensitive marker — serum ferritin — is checked far less frequently. The Three Stages of Iron Deficiency Stage 1: Iron Depletion Iron stores (measured by serum ferritin) are reduced, but circulating iron and haemoglobin remain normal. At this stage there are no anaemia-related symptoms, but subtle effects on cellular function may already be occurring — because iron is not just needed for haemoglobin. It is an essential component of hundreds of enzymes ...

  Despite Ghana's significant public health progress over the past two decades, waterborne diseases remain a persistent challenge — particularly in densely populated urban areas with inadequate sanitation infrastructure, in rural communities dependent on unprotected water sources, and following seasonal flooding that contaminates water supplies. Cholera outbreaks continue to occur in Ghana, typhoid fever is endemic, and a range of other waterborne pathogens cause significant morbidity and mortality, particularly in children. Understanding these diseases — how they are transmitted, how they are diagnosed, and how they are treated — is essential public health knowledge. Typhoid Fever The Disease Typhoid fever is caused by Salmonella typhi, a bacterium transmitted through contaminated food and water (faecal-oral route). It is endemic in Ghana, with the highest incidence in urban slums, areas with inadequate sanitation, and during the rainy season when flooding contaminates water sourc...

'Hormonal imbalance' has become something of a catch-all phrase used to explain a wide variety of symptoms in women — fatigue, weight gain, irregular periods, mood changes, acne, hair loss, and poor libido. The phrase is used widely and often imprecisely. But genuine hormonal disorders are very common in Ghanaian women, frequently undertested, and when properly identified and treated, respond well to management. Understanding which hormones matter, what they do, and what tests reveal them is empowering knowledge. The Major Female Hormones and Their Functions Oestrogen The primary female sex hormone, produced mainly by the ovaries. Oestrogen drives the development of female secondary sexual characteristics, regulates the menstrual cycle, maintains bone density, supports cardiovascular health, influences mood and cognition, and maintains the health of vaginal and urinary tissues. Levels naturally decline at menopause, which is why menopause is associated with bone loss, cardiovas...

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in Ghana and is responsible for more cancer deaths in Ghanaian women than any other malignancy. Unlike in high-income countries where breast cancer mortality has been declining due to widespread screening and improved treatment, Ghana continues to face high mortality rates — primarily because the majority of cases are diagnosed at advanced stages when treatment outcomes are significantly worse. Understanding breast cancer risk, the biology of the disease, and the available screening and detection methods is essential knowledge for every Ghanaian woman. Understanding Breast Cancer: The Basics Breast cancer is not a single disease — it is a heterogeneous group of cancers arising from different breast cell types, with different biological behaviours, different responses to treatment, and different prognoses. The major categories include: Hormone Receptor-Positive (ER+/PR+) Breast Cancer The most common subtype. These cancers express oest...