Ghana struggling with tsunami of secondhand clothes

Cattle walk at a mountain of dumped secondhand clothes in Accra, Ghana
Cattle walk at a mountain of dumped secondhand clothes in Accra, Ghana.

It takes Nii Armah and his crew of 30 fishermen hours to haul their weighty nets to shore on the bustling Korle-Gonno beach of Ghana’s capital Accra.

Finally, their catch emerges—a colossal barracuda and a less welcome bounty of bundles of discarded clothing.

Where once nets teemed with fish, they are now tangled with tonnes of clothes thrown into the Atlantic from the nearby Kantamanto market, one of the biggest secondhand markets in the world.

“Our nets are lost to the clothing from the markets,” Armah told AFP. “And the fish are slipping away… our sustenance” with them.

Kantamanto market is vast, spanning over 20 acres in the heart of Accra’s business district, and its stalls are dominated by used clothing and shoes from the West and China.

Its traders import a staggering 15 million garments a week, according to the OR Foundation environmental group. But roughly 40 percent of each bale ends up as waste, they say, dumped in landfills and often washed into the ocean, causing a public health crisis and harming the environment.

Ghana became the world’s largest importer of used clothing in 2021, according to the Observatory of Economic Complexity (OEC) data site, with garments worth $214 million shipped mostly from China, the United Kingdom and Canada.

But the rise of fast fashion over the last two decades has caught the country in a double bind, with an even bigger wave of throw-away clothes coming from richer countries and falling prices for the Ghanaian traders as the quality drops.

Traders push a trolley with bales of secondhand clothes through Kantamanto market in Accra, Ghana
Traders push a trolley with bales of secondhand clothes through Kantamanto market in Accra, Ghana.

Dump exploded

Although the business has created up to 30,000 jobs by some estimates, local NGOs say it is at

COVID hospitalizations fall but don’t let your guard down

PROVIDENCE – The COVID-19 admission level at Rhode Island hospitals has dropped from “medium” to “low,” but that doesn’t mean Rhode Islanders should let their guard down, according to the state Department of Health.

“Rates of COVID-19 still elevated throughout Rhode Island. We are still seeing hundreds of people hospitalized every month because of COVID-19,” said Joseph Wendelken, spokesman for the health department.

The holidays sparked an increase in COVID cases, and the state’s hospital admission level was increased from “low” to “medium” on Jan. 5. It fell back to “low” on Jan. 26, according to the health department.

Rhode Island Hospital in Providence.

The health department says it uses hospital admission levels as a tool to measure COVID risk statewide. It characterizes levels as “low,” “medium” or “high” based on the state’s population. “Low” means hospital admissions are below 10 per 100,000 Rhode Islanders per week.

In December, Rhode Island hospitals had 401 admissions for COVID-19, according to the health department. In January, the number was 368, but the health department notes that January data is still being collected, so that number could change.

More:Post-holiday COVID surge has forced local hospitals to reinstate masking policies

How many people in Rhode Island died from COVID-19 in January?

In December, Rhode Island had 22 deaths from COVID. In January, the state had 36 COVID deaths. (Again, the health department notes that the January data is still being collected.)

With the increase in admissions last month, Lifespan and Care New England hospitals reinstituted masking requirements. Those requirements are still in place.

This graphic from the Rhode Island Department of Health shows the number of COVID-19 deaths each month.

“Mask requirements remain at Care New England hospitals and within any of our medical buildings where patients may be present,” said Doreen Scanlon Gavigan, public relations manager for Care New England. “We are still seeing a significant number of respiratory illnesses in our community, although

$5.6M allocated for child and youth health care in Mississauga, Brampton, Burlington and Oakville


funding mississauga child health

Pediatric health services in Peel and Halton regions got a $5.6 million boost.

The Ontario government announced it is allocating $5.6 million to pediatric health services at hospitals and community-based health care facilities in Peel and Halton.

“The pediatric funding provided to services in Peel and Halton regions will have a tremendous impact on children and their families, ensuring they receive faster access to care when they need it,” said Sylvia Jones, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health at the announcement today (Feb. 5) in Mississauga.

The $5.6 million in additional funding will support programs and services at the ErinoakKids Centre for Treatment and Development ($3.7 million), Halton Healthcare ($1.5 million), and Mississauga Health – Ontario Health Team ($400,000).

ErinoakKids serves children and youth with disabilities. Clients have a wide range of physical and/or developmental disabilities, communication disorders and autism. The Ontario government funds mandatory services and additional services are funded through private and corporate donors.

The $5.6 million funding will be used to:

  • Increase access to children’s rehabilitation services, including speech-language pathology, physiotherapy, and occupational therapy, as well as preschool speech and language programs at the ErinoakKids Centre for Treatment and Development.
  • Expand access to mental health services and supports at Halton Healthcare’s Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital to connect children and youth struggling with an eating disorder to social workers, dieticians, nurse practitioners, psychiatrists and a pediatrician to help them re-establish consistent eating patterns through their individual care and recovery plans.
  • Expand Halton Healthcare’s Navigator Program, so it can provide more support to children and youth who are at risk of hospitalization or who are transitioning to home from the inpatient setting or the emergency department.
  • Increase the number of people who can be seen, triaged and cared for at Trillium Health Partners

N.S. pilot project gives 12,000 patients access to medical records through mobile app

HALIFAX — A Nova Scotia pilot project that gives residents access to their medical records through a mobile application will improve the quality of health care for patients, the premier said Tuesday.

About 12,000 patients at four Nova Scotia primary health-care clinics can now see a record of their medications, lab and diagnostic results, hospital and family doctor visits, and immunizations through the app YourHealthNS.

Premier Tim Houston said the move will “empower Nova Scotians to give them the information that they need to take better care of their own health.”

“We want them to see what has previously been unseen,” the premier added at a news conference Tuesday. 

Houston said the medical record access for these 12,000 patients will run as a pilot project until the end of March, and all Nova Scotians are expected to have mobile access to their medical records through the app by the end of June.

Tara Sampalli, senior director of global health systems planning for Nova Scotia Health, said research indicates that giving people detailed health information results in streamlined care and better communication between doctor or nurse practitioner and patient.

“There may be fewer calls to see lab results. On the other hand, people may see their lab results and say they want to ask some questions,” Sampalli said Tuesday. 

“Research shows that people become more engaged, and people may in fact start taking more proactive care” of their own health, she added. 

Dr. Aaron Smith, the medical executive director for Nova Scotia’s northern zone and a former family physician, echoed that sentiment Tuesday. 

“I firmly believe that giving patients access to their own health information is fundamental to quality and compassionate patient care,” he said.

“Patient engagement in their own health leads to a better understanding of their health conditions and

Americans would welcome health advice from AI, says Cleveland Clinic’s annual heart health survey

CLEVELAND, Ohio — More than half of Americans would accept heart health advice from technology that uses artificial intelligence. And while most Americans would believe health advice given by a computer chatbot, they would check with their doctor before acting on that advice.

Those are some findings from the Cleveland Clinic’s 2024 Heart Health Survey, released Thursday to coincide with the start of American Heart Month.

The National Institutes of Health has designated February as American Heart Month, a time for Americans to learn how to prevent cardiovascular disease and commit to heart-healthy lifestyles.

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death for men and women in the United States, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Nearly 700,000 Americans died from heart disease in 2021.

This year, the Clinic’s annual Heart Health survey focused on how Americans are using artificial intelligence and health monitoring technology to improve their heart health.

“AI in medicine has been around for a while on the research side of things, but it’s captured the public imagination only very recently,” said Clinic cardiologist Dr. Ashish Sarraju.

Artificial intelligence has the potential to take over basic tasks, allowing the doctor-patient relationship to deepen and to focus on more complex issues, Sarraju said.

“That philosophy of using artificial intelligence to inform and strengthen the relationship with the doctor, but not to replace it, is very interesting,” Sarraju said.

Listen to chatbot, but check with doctor

Here are a few highlights from the Clinic survey:

  • About 60% of Americans think that artificial intelligence will lead to better heart healthcare.
  • While 72% believe the health advice from a computer chatbot is accurate, nearly 90% of respondents would still get a physician’s advice before acting on the chatbot’s information.
  • About 65% of respondents said they would accept

Medical responses top Sundre Fire Department’s 2023 calls

Medical assists and medical first responses represent roughly half the call volume as Sundre firefighters continue frequently responding as medics

SUNDRE – Local firefighters continue to frequently find themselves responding as medics.

In 2023, the Sundre Fire Department responded to a total of 348 calls, council heard on Monday, Jan. 22 during a departmental report.

Out of that total, there were 99 medical first responses as well as 78 medical assists, according to statistics compiled into a report by Chief Ross Clews.

Medical first response generally refers to firefighters who arrive on a scene of an emergency before paramedics, while calls for medical assist more typically involve firefighters being deployed to lend a hand to EMS crews that are on-scene.

The only other calls that came close in terms of volume were: motor vehicle collisions, 48; rubbish or grass fires that did not cause loss of property, 27; as well as alarms mistakenly triggered, 24. There were also three fires and subsequently three fire investigations, as per the report, which is available in full in the meeting’s agenda package that can be found on the town’s website.

As Sundre’s department straddles both the urban and rural worlds, there was also recorded a total of 160 urban responses in town, 165 rural responses in Mountain View County, 19 in Clearwater County and three in the Municipal District of Bighorn.

Among some other highlights brought to council’s attention by Linda Nelson, chief administrative officer, were 21 members who participated in Penthrox training, with 110 subjects covered throughout the year along with 449 session hours.  

Penthrox, a brand name for a substance called Methoxyflurane, is an inhaled medication whose primary purpose is to alleviate pain following trauma.

The department also welcomed into its ranks six new members last year, bringing up the total

N.W.T. parents of transgender kids fear Alberta health care changes will make it hard to access care

Amanda St. Denis, right, and her husband, Stephen O'Brien, live in the Northwest Territories and have two kids who are both transgender. They are worried about how restrictions on gender-affirming care in Alberta might impact their kids' access to key transgender health services. (Sarah Krymalowski/CBC - image credit)

Amanda St. Denis, right, and her husband, Stephen O’Brien, live in the Northwest Territories and have two kids who are both transgender. They are worried about how restrictions on gender-affirming care in Alberta might impact their kids’ access to key transgender health services. (Sarah Krymalowski/CBC – image credit)

Parents of transgender children in the Northwest Territories say they are worried policy changes in Alberta will impact their kids’ access to gender-affirming care.

The Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Authority is responsible for providing health care for transgender, non-binary and gender nonconforming children and youth in the territory. However, most of its health care professionals have limited expertise in transgender health, so patients are often referred to specialists in Alberta.

In an announcement last week, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said her government will ban puberty blockers and hormone therapy for all children 15 and under, and require parental consent for 16-and 17-year-olds who want access to those therapies.

Smith told reporters last Thursday that her government will begin implementing those policies — along with other restrictions on how gender identity is expressed in schools, sporting competitions and sex education — in the fall.

Long wait lists

Yellowknife resident Amanda St. Denis has two transgender kids, aged 9 and 12. St. Denis said she had a “visceral” reaction to the Alberta announcement.

“It’s stressful — not only the uncertainty about what health care is going to look like, but the uncertainty about trans rights,” St. Denis said.

Her daughter, 12, is scheduled for an appointment with gender-affirming care specialists in Edmonton next month, to get more information on puberty blockers and other supports available.

St. Denis said she contacted the Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Authority soon after Smith announced Alberta’s new polices, but as of Sunday afternoon, she still

Deafness and hearing loss

Key facts

  • By 2050, nearly 2.5 billion people are projected to have some degree of hearing loss, and at least 700 million will require hearing rehabilitation.
  • Over 1 billion young adults are at risk of permanent, avoidable hearing loss due to unsafe listening practices.
  • An annual additional investment of less than US$ 1.40 per person is needed to scale up ear and hearing care services globally.
  • Over a 10-year period, this promises a return of nearly US$ 16 for every US dollar invested.

Overview

Over 5% of the world’s population – or 430 million people – require rehabilitation to address their disabling hearing loss (including 34 million children). It is estimated that by 2050 over 700 million people –
or 1 in every 10 people – will have disabling hearing loss.

Disabling hearing loss refers to hearing loss greater than 35 decibels (dB) in the better hearing ear. Nearly 80% of people with disabling hearing loss live in low- and middle-income countries. The prevalence of hearing loss increases
with age, among those older than 60 years, over 25% are affected by disabling hearing loss.

Hearing loss and deafness

A person who is not able to hear as well as someone with normal hearing – hearing thresholds of 20 dB or better in both ears – is said to have hearing loss. Hearing loss may be mild, moderate, severe or profound. It can affect one ear
or both ears and leads to difficulty in hearing conversational speech or loud sounds.

Hard of hearing refers to people with hearing loss ranging from mild to severe. People who are hard of hearing usually communicate through spoken language and can benefit from hearing aids, cochlear implants, and other assistive devices as well
as captioning.

Deaf people mostly have profound hearing loss, which implies very

Americans will use AI for heart health but still want advice from a doctor, Cleveland Clinic finds

A majority of Americans believe AI will improve heart care in the long run — but for now, there are trust issues, according to the Cleveland Clinic’s annual national survey about cardiac care.

About eight in 10 Americans said they would consult a ChatBot for health advice but nine in 10 said they’d still get a doctor’s advice before acting on anything a computer or device tells them, the survey released Thursday found.

Dr. Tamanna Singh, co-director of Cleveland Clinic’s Sports Cardiology Center, said the results show people are open to recommendations from AI, but that doesn’t mean technology replaces a doctor.

There’s still a lot of trust that’s put into [people’s] providers, even more so than some of this reliability on the accuracy of diagnoses just based upon something as simple as a chatbox,” Singh said.

Dr. Samir Kapadia, chairperson of Cardiovascular Medicine at Cleveland Clinic, added that doctors are receiving an influx of inquiries on AI in health care. This year’s survey was aimed at better understanding how patients feel about its use, Kapadia said.

“The increasing number of advancements in AI and in digital health has the potential to transform healthcare delivery, especially in cardiovascular care,” Kapadia said in a news release.

The survey also shed light on how many Americans use technology to monitor their health. Half of respondents said they use at least one type of technology to monitor their health. Daily step count is the most-tracked health metric, followed by heart rate and calorie burn. Nearly one-quarter of Americans said they use monitoring technology to find motivation or accountability for achieving their daily activity goals, according to the survey.

Singh said those findings give her reason for optimism.

“What truly excites me is the way that we could use a lot of

Something strange has happened to high street clothes – so I’ve taken action | Rhiannon Lucy Cosslett

Something’s happened to high street clothes. I can’t be the only person that has noticed. In the past decade or 15 years, small details that used to be common have become scarce: darts, pockets, proper seams. Shoulders hang strangely and more complex cuts, such as bias cuts, are a rarity. Buttons dangle loosely, as if the items they’re cursorily attached to aren’t worth hanging on to, which they probably aren’t, as most materials are cheap and synthetic, bobbling and fading easily. Everything just feels so … rushed.

No surprises there, perhaps. It’s exactly where you’d expect fast fashion to have ended up. Go to any charity shop these days and it’s a graveyard of unloved, unpretty items from H&M, Primark and Zara, discarded almost as soon as they were bought. Those customers who do bother to use shops’ take-back schemes, which are designed to “close the loop” and ensure less waste, mostly have no idea where their returned items are going. By tagging clothes, the Changing Markets Foundation followed a skirt handed in to H&M in London’s Oxford Street in 2022, and found that it travelled 15,467 miles around the world, through a processing facility in the United Arab Emirates, only to be dumped in Bamako, Mali, five months later.

If that fills you with guilt and horror, perhaps it’s time to reconsider high street shopping. I’ve almost completely eliminated it from my life, and with very little effort. I’ve always tried to buy ethically and, in 2013, the Rana Plaza factory disaster in Bangladesh underlined that commitment. But the aforementioned decline in quality has also coincided with me entering my 30s. I know what suits me, value quality, and my head is far less likely to be turned by passing trends. Folding up a bunch of Primark floral

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