Hephzi Angela Tagoe on GhScientific as the voice of Ghana’s science community

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Over the past decades, economic corruption in Africa has led to the decline of government structures and resources for science education. Furthermore, we can argue that science education is based on curricula isolated from African societal problems. Such education is inapt to African society. Sadly, this is also encouraged by rote learning that does not engage science in everyday practice and culture.

As Africans, we have not realized the full potential of using science to improve the daily existence of African people. We need to identify the need to promote, develop and sustain a favourable problem-solving science culture if we are to narrow development gaps. If we fail to do so, Africa will continue to be just a marketplace for cheap labour, raw materials and imported goods. We will also continue to rely on foreign technology and aid on imposed terms.

Today we feature Hephzi Angela Naa Ameley Tagoe, co-founder of GhScientific - Ghana’s Science community connecting scientists and focusing on science communication and public engagement with science whiles contributing to improving and supplementing theoretical curricula with practical science.

Angela is a Ghanaian Immunologist from Abola near Jamestown in Accra. She had her secondary school education at Holy Child School in Cape Coast after which she relocated to the United Kingdom. She has a degree in Biomedical Science and a Masters in Pharmaceutical Science with management studies and is currently on a PhD program at the Institute of Child Health, University College London.

• Why Immunology?

"I’ve narrowed my interest to Immunology with a specialty in Skin Biology. More specifically, I’m looking into a condition called Ichthyosis and using it as a model to find out what causes the dry scaly and sometimes itchy outer appearance that people who suffer from skin conditions usually exhibit. It’ll be great to say I always wanted to be an Immunologist with a focus on Skin Biology but truth is, it was during my year at Cambridge as a research student that my supervisor inspired me to initially go down the research route. He was young with so much passion and enthusiasm for his research, it was infectious. At the end of my time there, my mind was made up and I proceeded to opt for Immunology in my final year. Pharmaceutics came about after working in a couple of industries that serviced the pharmaceutical and research sectors and I wanted to know how drugs got to the shops. I now have a full picture of the bench to bedside concept, from the initial research stage, through to drug development, regulations and the final patient endpoint, and this is great."

• What would you consider as your greatest achievements?

"During my late teen years, a male friend of the family advised me to read ‘You can have it all’ – by Mary Kay Ash. It was one of the best advice I had at that stage because I went through life from then on with the mindset that I could have it all. The first achievement for me is the ability to juggle family life with my career whiles pursuing my love for public engagement with science. Obviously I can’t take sole credit for this. I do thank God for the gift of family and a supportive spouse and for the strength and favor to pursue my dreams. I mention this first because a lot of the young girls I interact with ask how wanting to have a family can affect their choices so it is important that fellow ladies out there know it is possible. 

Next are GhScientific and the SHAPE project. 

One other achievement is being able to organize a regional science fair and to keep it running. This will be the third year of organizing the annual Big Biology Day in Essex. There are always lessons to be learnt but it gets better.

In the science community, getting a grant is worth toasting to, and I have secured three in the last year, one of which went into developing my own activity which can be rolled out to schools and used at science fairs etc. It’s always encouraging whenever someone you don’t know contacts you to give a talk, advice or support an event.

Finally, with God being at the center of what I do, being a trustee at my place of worship means a lot to me."

• What is the purpose behind GhScientific?

"GhScientific is the voice of Ghana’s Science community connecting scientists and their work from the bench/lab to the community. The organization started in 2014 when my brother finished his PhD in Neuroscience and was looking at his options in Ghana. Being outside the country, the first point of call was running a search on Google...and results were poor. From science news headlines, to institutional research, trends, job adverts, professional bodies etc, results were very scanty. That’s when the idea came up to have a platform that will serve as the country’s STEM hub. Like any start-up, we are still evolving however our short term goal is to be a membership organization unifying scientists at all levels in their career including STEM organizations to work together towards the advancement of STEM in the country. In the long term we aim to be the country’s STEM hub, the vision with which the organization was started."

• What opportunities do you provide through GhScientific?

"Aside our public engagement with science projects, we have an annual science themed writing competition. We also run career developmental workshops such as presentation skills and have started to offer services such as proofreading, CV clinics, career counselling and statistical analysis. We will be rolling out our membership scheme later this year where funding opportunities will be available for members to assess. Also, if anyone is looking to harness their scientific writing at whatever stage of their scientific career including students, we welcome guest blog posts on our page where our editors will support and work with you if needed to tell your story of interest professionally."

• Has all the noise on encouraging Women in STEM died down? What can be done to keep encouraging our women?

"Women in STEM is a global campaign so I wouldn’t say it’s died down. The priority varies between continents and countries though. So when we look at Africa for example, countries like Kenya, South Africa and Mauritius seem to be doing more than countries like Ghana. This is not necessarily a bad thing. Where Africa contributes to under 3% of the world’s Science and Technology industry, I think emphasis should be placed on promoting STEM education in general at the same time encouraging our girls to consider taking up careers in these fields and not let the Women in STEM agenda take away from the general STEM education message. The two can go hand in hand. What we need to do is encourage and support individuals like yourself and organizations like Levers in Heels and Tech Needs Girls to continue the momentum and for the nation as a whole to showcase our female role models without making it seem like a special case but embrace them as part of the norm so the younger generation don’t think twice about being in similar positions."

• Any plans for the future?

"I’ve got a couple years to round up my PhD after which I plan to work full time on GhScientific. However, I try not to get ahead of myself in terms of future goals and plans as things are changing all the time. I can say that I’m looking forward to getting back home and giving my kids the Ghanaian experience."

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Meet Ghanaian game programmer, Rasheeda Yehuza

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According to Forbes, "the International Game Developers Association (IGDA) released a new report about the state of the industry, one that covers many interesting angles from average salary to number of employers and projects. But perhaps the most important point of data has to do with gender. The IGDA report shows that the number of female developers in the industry has doubled since 2009. Great news for the male-dominated industry, but even with that development, it still is largely male-dominated."

Though the figures seem encouraging, one can only wonder what the numbers are in our side of the world. Are there any to begin with? Google "African female game developers", and you will find close to nothing.

Meet Rasheeda Mandeeya Yehuza, a Ghanaian female Computer Scientist and Game Programmer forging her own path into the game industry. She also happens to be co-founder of CNN-featured Tech Needs Girls, Ghana.

Rasheeda attended St. Mary’s High school in Accra, Ghana, where she studied General Science. She continued her tertiary education at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) where she majored in Computer Science.

• Why Computer Science?

"I have always been curious about computers and how humans interact with it. I was fascinated by automated programs and I wanted to build my own website when I was 8 years old after learning about the World Wide Web. After high school, I was determined to study Computer Science. However, my family wanted me to study Medicine or Nursing. I knew I didn’t want to be in the health sciences even though it’s super cool and all. I was at a crossroad and my friends encouraged me to choose Computer Science. I secretly chose to pursue it and was offered admission at KNUST. I was also offered admission to study Nursing at a different university. I was pressurized to study Nursing (in fact it wasn’t even a choice). But when I received money to pay my fees, I paid for Computer Science at KNUST. I finally informed my family about my decision, and surprisingly, they were cool and told me to do what I wanted to do even though they clearly thought I made the wrong decision."

• What have been  your greatest achievements so far?

"I am hoping mentioning some of my achievements will inspire a reader. I have a burning desire to improve systems in Ghana through technology as well as an entrepreneurship spirit to be a leading force in technology in the country and Africa as a whole. I started an online platform called Click Trade Ghana with a friend, now deprecated. Click Trade Ghana was an online application to connect sellers and buyers in Ghana. Even though Click Trade Ghana didn’t work out, I still view this as an achievement because it was the first huge project I ever worked on, and personally engineering it from design to deployment, I learnt a lot as a project lead as well improving my tech skills and unlearning and learning new tricks.

While working on Click Trade Ghana, I was running a free software brand called Snapso and built a couple of free programs under the brand. Snapso was a fun project and from that I improved my skills in game programming. Among the products I released under Snapso include, the Snapso Shutdown Manager and Web Browser, the 3D Buju Hunt Game and Sphere Attack games among others.

While working on my final year Computer Science project, I saw the need to turn my project into a business and started a web platform for easy information dissemination via SMS called Nasara Mobile. I was and still am passionate about improving systems in Ghana through technology and decided to expand the Nasara brand by introducing a “mother” company called Nasara Tech in early 2013. Nasara Tech currently has two in-house products, Nasara Mobile and the Nasara Voting System. The team has grown to 4 members, including myself, and we also build custom web applications and provide consulting to organizations.

As part of my initiative to empower females in the technology sector, I co-founded Tech Needs Girls Ghana where I mentor girls at workshops we organize to encourage them to pursue Computer Science or other Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) related fields. We also introduce them to female mentors who help to inspire them.

I am currently a Software Engineer at VOTO Mobile. VOTO Mobile is a technology that bridges the gap of communication between organizations and the people they serve, by using voice and SMS technology to connect with people via the mobile phone while providing an interactive menu for decision making and real time results to users."

• Have you encountered any resistance based on your gender?

"I did encounter resistance mainly because of the game programming industry in Ghana. I heard of one company building games and I was discouraged by my friends because I thought there were no jobs out there in Ghana for game programmers and they were right, however, I didn’t start game programming because I wanted to get paid, so it made it easier to just keep doing what I enjoyed."

• Do you think that having more female Game Developers will change the types of games made?

"I do think so, because no one outside the female triangle can understand how females think and feel. Most of the games out there are gender biased, and even though I enjoy playing hard core games like Call of Duty, I do believe there are lots of females who don’t play video games because it is difficult to identify with the plots and characters. There is so much females go through, and more female designers will mean transcending these qualities into likeable and related characters in games."

• If you could use Game Development to solve any African problem, what would it be?

"I have been thinking about something similar for a while. I love playing real time strategy games and so I will design and build a strategy game that allows players to simulate a country. The game should load the current problems in the country and the user would be tasked to solve the problems in the country. The game will be intelligent enough to know how decisions affect the economy, the citizen’s happiness, migration and lots of factors influencing the country’s development. I think this will be a huge game and project and if I ever come close, I would be the happiest."

• What is your advice for women hoping to join industry?

"Game programming is really fun. It is a great way to envision, design and create. I advise women to venture into the field. We need more women in this industry to create relatable games in different dimensions. There is a huge industry out there and it’s time more women step up for a piece of the cake."

Check out Nasara Mobile here: http://www.nasaramobile.com/

You can also check out Rasheeda’s first 3D game, “Buju Hunt” here:

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According to Dr. Yaa Asantewaa Kafui Klu, not all processed foods are unhealthy

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According to the World Health Organization, the world is rapidly urbanizing with significant changes in our living standards, lifestyles, social behaviour, health and eating habits.

“For the first time in history, more than 50% of the world’s population lives in an urban area. By 2050, 70% of the world’s population will be living in towns and cities.”

Today, we learn how urbanization affects our diet and eating habits, the effects of dietary supplements on our health and malnutrition in children with Food Scientist, Dr. Yaa Klu.

Dr. Yaa Asantewaa Kafui Klu was born and raised in Cape Coast, in the Central Region of Ghana. In her own words, she had her secondary school education at “the best high school in Ghana”, Wesley Girls High School, also located in Cape Coast, where she studied Science. She then studied at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry. Yaa recently graduated with a PhD in Food Science from the University of Georgia, in the United States.

• You earned a PhD in Food Science. What prompted your interest in this field of study?

"In my third year of the Biochemistry program, I got exceptional interest in the few Food Science related courses I took.  Additionally in my final year, my research was focused on formulating a weaning food for children, and this project further flamed my passion for Food Science.  I worked in the pharmaceutical industry for 3 years after college (an experience I enjoyed so much) and when considering graduate school, some people around me felt I should pursue a PharmD with previous knowledge and experience (and also, the fact that a PharmD fetches lots of money whereas Food Science had no future in Ghana), but my interest did not change.  Life is too short to work in a profession just for money minus intense passion.  A girl has got to be able to dance on the job because it’s hard to be a woman, and if a field had no future in Ghana, I believe it takes a few people to build the foundation for that future and why can I not be part?  Coupled with my inherent interest in cooking, I jokingly told myself I would love to study the science of food as I continue to enjoy the art of cooking.  I would say this though, being a Christian with a strong faith in God, I will add that, God ordered my steps to pursue Food Science.  I will tell you this story.  About 3 years ago, I met in the United States, an old neighbor I have not seen in about 18 years. He was pleasantly not surprised I was studying Food Science because according to this man who is about 20 years older than I am, when I was less than 10 years, I mentioned I wanted to walk in the path of the late Dr. Mrs. Esther Ocloo, the Food Industrialist, after I had seen an interview of her on television.  I could not remember saying that because I was very young but I smiled broadly because there was no doubt that, God had ordered my path right from high school into achieving that academic laurel."

• Tell us about your achievements/awards, if any.

"I live by the saying, "The true measure of a man lies in how he treats someone who can do him absolutely no good" and anytime I do according to that, it is an achievement for me.  I do everything humanely possible to be a form of blessing to anyone I cross paths with in life, especially by ministering to children since my adolescent days and doing lots of volunteer activities.  Concerning academic achievements/awards, I have several of them but I would only mention Peanut Proud Scholarship that I won in 2012; because it was in recognition to my work regarding using peanuts to solve malnutrition problems in the developing world.  That award gives me the "proud kicks"."

• What has been the most significant phase of your educational career?

"I would simply say my years in graduate school; I matured in every area of my academic, social and emotional life.  The PhD program is intensely rigorous and no wonder it is called a terminal degree and if one goes through it well, he/she gets the total embodiment of education.  Personally, I feel contrary to what the average person thinks, a doctoral degree, does not make one an expert on a particular field rather, a person is trained to enable him/her find a solution to different problems.  There is no doubt that my days in graduate school form the most significant phase of my education."

• It has been realized that when a country industrializes, the transition from a traditional rural diet to one that includes more processed foods occurs quite quickly. What are your thoughts on unhealthful diets linked to urbanization?

"First of all, I must make one important point here. Not all processed foods are unhealthy and not all traditional rural diets are healthier either.  One of the main aims of food processing is to alter food into a form that would preserve longer and make it readily available to the consumer at all times.  There is also a term known as minimal food processing where foods are not fully processed.  For instance, a food processing plant would can peaches. Then, another plant could pit peaches and use a good packaging technology to increase freshness and reduce deterioration (minimal processing).  Both of them are to ensure you and I have peaches in and out of season and that is what the food processor does for us.

If I take raw beef and process it into minced meat so a consumer can use it for several dishes and make it more appealing for younger children, I do not overly change the nutritional value of meat.  I only alter the raw state of the meat for variety purposes; that is what I do for you as a food processor.

Although most processed foods on the shelves have loads of unhealthy fats, sugars and salts, in the industrialized countries there are low fat, low salts, no sugar etc. options.  Therefore, I would say, it is an individual choice on what to consume.  Traditionally, we cook with coconut, palm and palm-kernel oils which are high in saturated fats, we eat “gari”, “tapioca” and “konkonte” (processed cassava) which are high glycemic index foods; so you see, some of our traditional foods are not solely healthier either.

Let me make this clear as well. A lot of our traditional foods are processed and can even undergo further processing. “Kenkey” is a processed corn food product, and in the United States, Ghanaians have found a way of processing it such that, it can last for several weeks on the shelf and still taste fresh when heated.  I am sure the nutrition content of “kenkey” has not changed because someone found a way of storing it longer and maintaining its freshness right?  All I am trying to say is, processing of food does not necessarily have to make it unhealthy and actually the Food Scientist can improve on the nutritional value of a food product through processing.  For example, recent innovations in the world of Food Science include incorporating omega 3 fatty acids to fruit juices to make them healthier functional beverages.  Food processing also comes with food packaging that provides the consumer with nutrition and caloric information to guide the consumer who is health and weight conscious.

Although urbanization is linked to the consumption of loads of processed foods, I do not fully agree that processed foods are necessarily unhealthier. It is a consumer choice and additionally, I presume this question is with regards to high cases of chronic diseases in the urban areas so I would state this.  Most health problems associated with diet (over-nutrition; consumption of excess calories) in the urban centers is strongly linked to lack of physical activity which is absent in the rural area. Take the case of an active sportsman who consumes over 8000 calories daily when in practice. If he refuses to consume that much calories, he puts his life at risk on the field whiles a man of similar BMI who sits in an office chair for 8 hours puts his life at risk by consuming that much calories daily."

• Recently, COLARAD, a liquid collagen-based weight loss dietary supplement was introduced into Ghana’s market. Many of such supplements are being patronized by the youth. What do we need to know about the serious dependency of “seemingly harmless” dietary supplements?

"First of all, the claims of most of these weight-loss supplements have not been evaluated by the USFDA or the right regulatory bodies in the countries in which they are manufactured and in several cases, in the industrialized countries, they are not banned from being advertised or sold as long as they have no records of lethal effects.  This makes it difficult for me to tell anyone to indulge in or refrain from.  I would confidently say that once a regulatory body has not evaluated the claims made by such supplements, one is better off avoiding them since the long term effects are not known. However, some of these supplements contain natural but not artificially synthesized ingredients so perhaps a person can wisely use them but not get addicted to them.  

Personally, I believe most of these supplements do not work "magic" but manufacturers are able to hype one benefit of a natural product and twist the consumer’s mind to the fact that their product is making them lose weight.  Firstly, usual instructions on most of these supplements inform consumers not to eat at certain times, and not to eat certain amounts and types of foods.  Do you know exactly what the consumer is doing?  He/she is reducing their caloric intake unknowingly and heading towards weight loss but is being made to believe the supplement is doing that.  Secondly, I just searched something on the internet regarding case of COLARAD and if it is genuine, I just read, a person taking the supplement is not supposed to eat 3 hours before sleeping.  Alright, so supposing I am the type who snacks after dinner and consume about 500 calories from sugary snacks and because I am taking COLARAD I stop, do you know how much calories I would have forfeited in a week?  That would be 3500 calories and it is equivalent to 1 pound of fat.  Ok, another claim by COLARAD is losing weight without losing lean muscles which is no secret.  Collagen is a form of protein and needed in building muscles, thus if a person is consuming it daily, he or she should build more muscles than the person who is not and probably does not consumes enough amino acids needed to build such essential proteins.  Some of these supplements are only harnessing very simple and natural ingredients and making complex claims for the unassuming consumer and in that light, they cannot be harmful. I cannot however vouch for some of them.

I would end by saying that weight gain is basically a caloric issue that is consuming more calories than used by the body.  Once an imbalance is created via proper diet and exercise, weight loss can be achieved slowly."

• If you could solve one African problem using your knowledge and skills in Food Science, what would this problem be and how would you solve it?

"Great! Now I can talk about what I am passionate about (my dissertation). I have been working and would always work for the cause of children especially pre-school children because they are the foundation of the next generation. One of the biggest problems in Africa is Diarrhea/Malnutrition amongst pre-school children.  I say Diarrhea and Malnutrition because these two conditions usually co-exist and Diarrhea is technically a combination of nutritional disease with fluid and electrolyte loss.  Additionally, Diarrhea is both a cause and a consequence of malnutrition in pre-school children, creating a vicious cycle.  Infectious Diarrhea is the second highest cause of mortality amongst these kids and takes more lives than Malaria, Measles and AIDS combined. I watched a documentary on Diarrhea in children in a southern African country where in most villages, half of the families have lost a child to diarrhea and the other half has lost more than one child.  As a woman, I wept and could not imagine losing my baby to Diarrhea.

Solution?  As I stated earlier, I have been working on this and will continue to work on it through research.  Hopefully, people in places of authority use our findings in policy/decision making.  

Additionally, I have observed that most times, the problem of malnutrition, although linked to poverty is also linked to ignorance.  Sometimes, people do not have the knowledge to use the little resources they have to provide nutritious foods for their kids.  Thus, right now in my own small way, I educate people on this problem and how to address them with simple solutions.  A classic case of ignorance is this: just last week, my mother who is an educationist was interviewing some school children in Takoradi.  She finds out the children are provided with food in school and guess what?  The food lacks protein and when they ever provide pieces of fish, it is served to those in JHS and the primary school kids are left out.  

Knowledge states that although both groups of children need proteins, the lower primary kids need it most and so in the event of scarcity, they should get the protein. 

Additionally, although animal protein usually provides all the indispensable amino acids, in our part of the world it is affordable to few people.   A good combination of plant proteins from peanuts, soybeans, black eye peas etc. and even from cereals like rice can provide most of these indispensable amino acids.  In a typical case like this, I could be giving consultancy services to institutions that provide food for school children.  I could go on and on about what I can do to help address this problem.  I only pray God gives me the wisdom, resources and places me in a position of authority to implement them and also set up a food processing plant to manufacture affordable and nutritious foods (using locally available raw ingredients) for pre-school children and infants.  

Finally, I am going to be a teacher so as it is said, the tradition goes on, in teaching the younger generation; they will spread the good news and help make Africa, a better place to live.  My solutions do not sound gigantic, I know, but I have learned, I cannot change the whole world so I comfort myself with making small changes with and through the people I come into contact with and…little drops of water makes a mighty ocean."

• Why would you encourage anyone to pursue Food Science?

"That question got me smiling. Without food and water, there is nothing called life.  Food Science, contrary to what most average people think is not about cooking food. To simply put it, it entails everything from the farm to the fork and some aspects like Food Safety actually start from the farm.  The Food Scientist is there to ensure you survive on a safe and nutritious diet and he/she is a key person in ensuring food security.  I gave you a peek into my dissertation and you realize an aspect of it is geared towards public health and child nutrition; trying to say, it is a very big branch of science, waiting to be explored by fun people.  It is a very interesting field of study with diverse fields and on a lighter note, for those who like extremely fun things like eating; you can specialize in sensory science :).

Personally, I think the industrialized countries thrive because they have Food Security; without Food Security a nation cannot grow, so for Ghana and other African countries to continually develop, we need more Food Scientists."

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Ghanaian Epidemiologist, Yvonne Nartey on research and cervical cancer

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According to the World Health Organization (WHO), “in almost all countries of the African Region, the population and care providers lack information on cervical cancer prevention and management methods. Health professionals sometimes adopt inappropriate medical protocols, thus using already limited resources ineffectively. In addition, women are not aware of the available services even when such resources exist. In some communities, ignorance and lack of information regarding the disease pose further obstacles to prevention.”

Today, Levers in Heels raises public awareness of Cervical Cancer, a deadly disease killing many women, most often due to ignorance and the lack of vital information.Levers in Heels’ Interview with Ghanaian Epidemiologist, Yvonne Nartey:

Yvonne is currently pursuing her PhD at the University of Otago, where she studies Epidemiology with a major focus on Cancer Epidemiology. She attended Hohoe E.P Senior High School and the University of Ghana where she obtained her high school and undergraduate education respectively. She went on to pursue her Masters at the University of Oxford.

“In simple terms, Epidemiology is the study of the distribution and causes of health-related states or events (including diseases) in a specific population, and the application of this study to control health problems. The disease of interest in my study is cervical cancer. It is worth pointing out that epidemiology differs from clinical medicine on the basis that it is concerned with events that occur in a defined population and not individuals.”

• What prompted your interest in Epidemiology?

"I became interested in cancer when I realized that cancer kills more people than HIV and other communicable diseases in Ghana. However, in Africa, we are so much focused on communicable diseases."

• What have been your challenges? And how have you dealt with them?

"There have been a lot of challenges along the way.  One major challenge is being able to succeed in a field, which is highly dominated by medical doctors…and men."

• According to the Government of Ghana Official Portal, over 1,000 women die from Cervical Cancer each year in the country. With respect to your specialty in this area, what exactly causes Cervical Cancer, what are its symptoms, and how can it be prevented?

"Cervical cancer is cancer of the cervix. The cervix is the lower part of the uterus (womb). The cells embodying the cervix do not suddenly change into cancerous cells. Instead, the normal cells of the cervix first slowly change into pre-cancerous cells before evolving into fully-fledged cancer. These changes may be called dysplasia. The change can take many years, but sometimes it happens faster.  Fortunately, early diagnosis of precancerous cells makes it possible to implement treatment protocols that prevent evolution of these cells into the cancer stage.

The most important risk factor for cervical cancer is infection with a virus known as HPV (human papilloma virus). HPV is really a group of more than 150 related viruses that can infect cells on the surface of the skin, the cells lining the genitals, anus, mouth, and throat. It is known that very few of the women who contract HPV ever develop cervical cancer. In most cases the body fights off the virus and gets completely cured of the infection without any treatment. But in some women, the infection lasts and may cause certain cancers, including cervical cancer.

There are other risk factors that can increase one’s chance of developing cervical cancer. Women who smoke are about twice as likely to get cervical cancer as those who don’t. Previous work has led to the observation of tobacco by-products in the cervical mucus of women who smoke thus lending credence to the theory that the weakening of the immune system by the tobacco smoke makes the body more vulnerable to HPV infection. Women who have had 3 or more full-term pregnancies are also noted to have an increased risk of cervical cancer. HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) is the virus that causes AIDS − it is not the same as HPV. Women infected with HIV are more likely to get cancer of the cervix. Having HIV tends to make a woman’s immune system less able to fight both HPV and early cancers. Cervical cancer may run in some families. For instance if your mother or sister had cervical cancer, your chances of getting the disease are two to three times higher than if no one in the family had it. Among other risk factors of cervical cancer is the long-term use of birth control pills. Research suggests that the risk increases with increasing time of use of the pill but the risk reduces after the individual stops. It is therefore advisable for women to seek advice from their doctors with regards to the pros and cons of birth control pills before taking them. Overweight women are also observed to be more likely to develop a type of cervical cancer known as adenocarcinoma. Other sexually transmitted diseases may also increase a woman’s risk of developing cervical cancer.

Early cervical pre-cancers or cancers often have no signs or symptoms. That’s why it’s important for women to have regular screening with a Pap test. Symptoms often do not start until the cancer is further along and has spread to nearby areas. You should report any of the following to your doctor right away:

• Abnormal vaginal bleeding, such as bleeding after sex, bleeding after menopause, bleeding and spotting between periods, or having periods that are longer or heavier than usual. Bleeding after douching or after a pelvic exam.
• An unusual discharge from the vagina (not your normal period).
• Pain during sex.

Of course, these symptoms do not mean that you have cervical cancer. They may be due to something else. However, one must check with a doctor to find out. It is best not to wait for symptoms to appear. Regular cervical cancer screening is most recommended for all women within the reproductive age group.

Most cervical cancer cases are preventable. One way is to find and treat pre-cancers before they become cancer, and the second way out is to prevent the pre-cancers. A well-proven method to prevent cancer of the cervix is to have testing (screening) to find pre-cancers before they can turn into cancer. If a pre-cancer is found and treated, it can stop cervical cancer before it really starts. Most cervical cancers are found in women who have not had Pap tests when they should.

Since HPV is the main cause of cervical cancer and pre-cancer, avoiding exposure to HPV, which could be accomplished by avoiding early sex until one is older is observed to be cardinal in preventing cervical cancer. Condoms may help protect against HPV when they are rightly used but it should be noted that HPV can still be passed from one person to another by skin-to skin contact with an HPV-infected area of the body that is not covered by a condom. However, this does not eliminate the necessity of wearing condoms as it protects against AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases, which are also linked to HPV. It does help for women to limit the number of sexual partners they have.

Finally, avoiding smoking is another important way to reduce the risk of cervical pre-cancer and cancer. There are now vaccines (Gardasil® and Cervarix®) that can protect people against certain types of HPV. These vaccines are only used to prevent – not to treat an HPV infection."

• From your research, are there any new leads on treatments for Cervical Cancer aside the common ones (Hysterectomy, Chemotherapy and Radiation therapy)?

"There are other surgical procedures that can be performed; typical of them are hysterectomy, trachelectomy and pelvic exenteration. As scientists have learned more about the gene changes in cells that cause cancer, they have been able to develop new drugs that are aimed right at these changes. These targeted drugs have a mechanism of action that diametrically vary from standard chemo drugs in that they often have less severe side effects. Standard treatment of cervical pre-cancer includes cryotherapy, laser treatment, and conization. Hyperthermia is also used as a treatment modality to raise the temperature around the tumor. Some research suggests that adding hyperthermia to radiation may help keep the cancer from coming back and help patients live longer. Recent studies aimed at using drugs for treatment instead of radiation have had some promising results. Many clinical trials are testing new chemo drugs, new ways of giving radiation treatment, and new ways to combine treatments."

• What are your thoughts on African Spirituality, Ethics and Traditional Healing in relation to Cervical Cancer? Is it wrong, in your opinion, for women with this disease to consult “traditional healers and spiritualists”? And also, why do you think they do this?

"This is a very complicated issue. I will advice individuals to go to the hospital first. They have to continue seeing their doctors for review. They may consult spiritualists if they think that is helpful for their spiritual protection, but discussions with their doctors in reference to concoctions recommended by spiritualists is strongly recommended."

• What would you advise women, living with this disease, to do?

"I advise women living with cancer to always have hope. With continued follow-ups and treatment, they can live longer and fight it."

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Raheal Boadi-Yeboah on novel drug therapies from medicinal plants

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Over the past years, there has been a growing acknowledgement of the significant role of herbal medicine in our health care systems, globally.

Did you know herbal medicine has been endorsed by the World Health Organization (WHO)?

Today, we gain more insight into the use of herbal medicine in Ghana, and more, from a young Ghanaian Scientist currently pursuing a Doctorate in Pharmacy (Pharm.D) degree at the University at Buffalo School of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, with a clinical research track component. Meet Raheal Boadi-Yeboah.

Raheal was born and raised in Ghana. She went to Alpha Beta School for her primary and junior high education. She then proceeded to high school at the SOS Hermann Gmeiner International College in Tema for her International Baccalaureate diploma. From there, she pursued a Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry at Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts. During her time there, she undertook some summer research projects in drug analogs at Vanderbilt University to understand how scientists could effectively design novel future drugs.

She also spent part of her college years studying Business Management & Marketing at the Royal Holloway University of London in the UK. After earning her Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry, she devoted a year and a half to continue HIV/AIDS research at Mount Sinai School of Medicine/Hospital.

Raheal is also enrolled in seminary school and currently finishing up a degree in Divinity as part of ministry training.

Levers in Heels’ Interview with Raheal Boadi-Yeboah:

• Why Pharmacy?

"The Mortar and the pestle represents the symbol for Pharmacy due to its historical use in crushing and grinding medicine. The symbol “Rx” seen on most Pharmacy posts refers to “prescription”. Rx is an abbreviation for the Latin word “recipe”,as in the recipe to prepare the medication. 

Initially, I was torn between pursuing Medicine, Pharmacy or law. However, my latter inspiration to finally pursue Pharmacy stemmed from my increased exposure to the Pharmacy services in Ghana and coaching from my mother and mentors to pursue Pharmacy because they saw my growing interest in healthcare particularly in drugs/medications. At the same time this passion was growing, we had a young lady living with us in Ghana who knew about unique plants and leaves that had therapeutic properties for fever and Malaria, which she used to bring back with her from her many trips. Although she did not have a medical or pharmaceutical background, she somewhat knew about the medicinal and pharmaceutical properties of specific natural plants, which had similar symptomatic relief comparable to western medicine. This exposure and experience with natural medicine, alongside the other experiences I had, helped me make that decision to pursue Pharmacy."

• What have been your major achievements thus far in your career?

"In high school, one of my contributions was through the Pan-African Society, where my team organized sponsored walks and simulated African nights markets to support community service projects in Tema. These programs were very successful in fund-raising and set the mark and future for the direction for the Pan-African club.

At Mount Holyoke College, I was awarded with the Marian Groth Laundreth ’46 Scholarship Fund and the Laurel Fellowship, which funded a substantial portion of my college education and also allowed me to embark on a study abroad program in the United Kingdom.

During my pharmacy program, I received the Walgreens Pharmacy Diversity Scholarship which is a merit-based academic scholarship. This honor was awarded based on academic merits, and holistic candidacy. I have also been honored with the Alexander and Galpin Scholarship from the University Presbyterian Church in Buffalo where I have had the privilege to fellowship and serve.

As part of a team of students who launched a new initiative called the African Research Academy for Women, I have set up senior faculty liaisons in Ghana to directly oversee our students and monitor their academic/research progress, while serving as one of the student advisors/mentors to the students.

Mentorship began from my college days when I was selected by honorary invitation to serve as one of the student council member on the National Society of High School Scholars, inspiring leadership and promoting excellence among high school students making transition into college.  This has extended to the Pharmacy school level as well, where I currently serve as a Dean’s student ambassador, mentoring pre-pharmacy students and guiding foreign/transfer prospective students through the transition to Pharmacy school.

Above all, I believe that the real achievement has been the ability to stay focused and driven, not just in school, but with all that my hands have found to do. Also, the impact I have made, and mentorship I have given and still give to students and other people that come my way is humbling.

I am grateful for the opportunity to give and to be a blessing in different areas of my life, one of which is school."

• How did you deal with your challenges?

"Sometimes I feel as though I am walking on a path with few people who support and understand the pioneer vision I am trying to set for the future. With this understanding, I now find that I have to stay constantly motivated and encouraged in order to see the vision fulfilled.

At other times, my challenge has been assimilating into new cultures and places. However, I have gradually overcome this by learning to ask questions and educating myself outside of the classroom to help me adapt to my new environment. I read a lot of books, articles and materials on various subjects to be well abreast with current developments. Probably, one of my biggest expenditures is on books, because, truly, knowledge is power. Also with this challenge, I have learned to break out of my comfort zone; if you want to harvest from the deep, you have to be willing to take risks and cast your net into the deep and the only way to go deep is to leave your comfort zone, which is often at the shore.

I have also learned to maintain relationships that challenge, motivate and push me to a great level of excellence regardless of the backgrounds of the people. What I have found helpful is to have accountability partners and mentors who counsel me on academic, spiritual and life issues.

Finally, I have also developed an attitude of ownership and responsibility for my stewardship, actions, decisions and behavior in life. In life, he who is faithful in little is also is faithful in much. That is a scriptural principle that affects every area of life.  Honestly, there is really no set formula and I believe that it is all in the mind. The key is to take control of the mind lest it takes control of you. What has really helped me through all the varied challenges is my faith in God, which is really the core foundation and bedrock of all that I have said."

• What would you say has been the most significant phase of your educational career?

"Coming to Buffalo for pharmacy school was a huge transition for me because I was moving far away from where I was most familiar in terms of people, family, fellowship and even weather. I had initially contemplated going to another state for pharmacy school but I realized that in life your assignment has a lot to do with location and timing. Therefore, it took a bold step of faith to come here even when circumstances did not favor this kind of transition.

I could have stayed at Mount Sinai because it was a full time employment as opposed to pharmacy, which costs money but I am convinced about the decision that I made of pursuing this degree and in this school, despite all the challenges that come with it.

The transition is developing my faith and has enabled me to “break out of the box”; it has been—and still is —an interesting experience because of the numerous open doors of opportunities- and even challenges too- that have come my way on all levels - both academic and non-academic. Unlike with college, the expectations from me, my mentors, family members and even professors are higher. The level of academic rigor that I am seeing is something that honestly, I have never experienced in my life especially when it is combined with seminary school. The intensity of UB’s highly-ranked pharmacy program and the level of resources which I need to cope with the program, is huge and honestly overwhelming sometimes.

But this is the way I look at it: this phase is just for a season; and seasons constantly change. I will not be in pharmacy school forever but rather the knowledge, fortitude and character I would have built through this phase will remain with me forever."

• What are your goals and plans for the future?

"Academically, my short-term goals are to mentor more pre-pharmacy and other pre-health students, successfully graduate from both Pharmacy and seminary school and potentially practice in Medication Therapy Management (MTM), and/or retail Pharmacy. This will then feed into my long-term goal of exploring natural medicine as novel sources of untapped medical treatments.

I am in the process of building upon the foundations for this long-term project among other things that I am working on currently, which I believe would be sustainable and have long term benefits for the medical and pharmaceutical field."

• In developed countries, Pharmacy has changed and continues to do so with innovational advances in technology. In your opinion, how can Ghana keep up with these changes to provide better patient care?

"I think regulation enforcement is the first thing to begin with. The laws and regulations governing pharmacy establishments and drug manufacturing need to be enforced more strictly because of safety concerns for consumers and for efficacy of the drugs. The regulatory parameters must extend to the preparation, storage and sale of drugs and medications. Legitimate licensing, regular auditing and review by governing bodies is also a needed reform. This is because most sellers of local medications are making a lot of therapeutic claims, which cannot be substantiated or verified. This is of concern for the lay consumer because a lot of fake tablets, “special” weight-loss products, magic potions, pills etc pass through the system each year from different countries most of whose active ingredients and side effects cannot be verified and this is a threat to consumer safety, especially the uneducated sect!

The other implementation is a need for better communication between prescribers and pharmacists; this will give less room for the treatment of pharmacy like a market place where you come “tell the pharmacist which medication you think works best” and demand that they sell it to you. Medications are good but can be harmful if taken wrongly or for the wrong indication. For some medications even a slight difference in dosage can have pronounced side effects and some medications may work well in certain patient populations and not so well in others depending on co-morbid conditions, genetics etc. All these recommendations will be better implemented within the context of an overall well-running health system because the prescriptions essentially come from the doctor to the pharmacist, with the exception of over-the-counter treatment for mild pain, cough etc.

When we have first addressed these baseline concerns, as aforementioned, then we can be concerned about complex instrumentation and technologies. Undoubtedly, better analytical techniques, drug verification software and hardware etc will be a huge assistance to the production sect especially if we want to venture large scale production of locally manufactured therapies which will sell on the international market. This is how Ghana’s pharmaceutical mantra will maintain its edge in providing better patient care in the years to come."

• Herbal medicine has been, and is still being used to treat all kinds of ailments in Ghana. What are your thoughts on the safety and efficacy of these herbal concoctions? Should they be patronized? How can Herbalists and Pharmacists work together to improve drug development in the country?

"I think there has been some hesitation from modern pharmacy with venturing into herbal medicine primarily because of safety concerns, and yes that is undoubtedly understandable. Now, lets just look at something here: the word “pharmacy” derives from the root word “pharmakon” which is an ancient greek word which paradoxically means drug: a  “cure” or “poison” and the ambivalence within the root word expresses the dichotomy of “good” and “evil” wrestling within the same entity. Another word derived from the root word is “Pharmakos” which means druggist or a ritual in Ancient Greece where someone would become a “sacrificial scapegoat” to die in order to expel evil from a community etc. It is from all these root words that we derive the term “pharmacology” etc. I bring all these historical contexts to make a point: Drugs aren’t necessarily inherently good or bad; It is the way they are prepared and used that confer their beneficence or risk ; so we are in a mixed-bag situation where we want to first identify the good, maximize it and then minimize the bad. This is perhaps the achievement pharmaceutical drugs brag about in the face of herbal medicine. The latter has had less research comparatively and thus cannot seem to rub shoulders with pharmaceutical drugs in terms of established safety and therapeutic profiles.

Nevertheless, I think there is untapped potential we have not yet discovered! The future for novel drug therapies from medicinal plants is unbelievably bright: about one third to one half of pharmaceutical drugs came from plants! And 1 in 5 (20%) US adults reportedly use herbs and supplements. That statistic is at about 65% in Ghana where natural medicine is being heavily explored- albeit unregulated in most cases. Several herbs have been scientifically documented to carry therapeutic benefits including Ginseng for improved energy and cognitive performance, Ginger for nausea, Chamomile as a sedative, Echinacea for the treatment of common cold etc. As recently as the last century, 59% of the drug listing on the US Pharmacopeia were all from plants! That’s more than half of the drug listings! The Chinese use herbs and natural remedies a lot and their therapeutic choices has perhaps played a huge impact on their life expectancy and so forth.

The problem with herbal medicine in Ghana is this: Some herbalists (and some chemists too) are not complying with the demands of Section 16 and 24 of the Ghana Food and Drugs Act. Section 16 clearly states that manufacture of any drug must be carried out under the supervision of a pharmacist or any person approved by the board as having special knowledge of the process. Section 24 requires all sellers, importers, exporters of herbal medicine to register with the board and operate within the confines of safe practice. Other sections of the act forbid false labeling and so forth. What we see now is a lot of “healing” claims for certain herbs but with no verifiable testimony either from the beneficiary or provider. I do not doubt that they can work, I am only asking that we look more closely into where they are coming from, how they are been processed, how they are being administered and how the outcomes are being monitored because you don’t want to be swallowing random pills and potions down your throat into your body. One thing to note with herbs is this: they often contain several chemical constituents- some of which might be harmful actually- so the crude form of the product might have contaminants, which need to be purified. It is also important to define the active ingredient/ingredients or the combination thereof, which is responsible for producing the outcome. I think that is the difficulty we are all facing now with wrapping our heads around this herbal medicine movement.

So then, we beckon the powers that be to release more funding into herbal research in Ghana. We ought to also employ finer analytical techniques, more consistent methodologies and pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic studies in order to better elucidate the therapeutic profile of herbs. Perhaps if we did this, we would be able to better streamline our target and get a better biologic profile of herbs and deduce their therapeutic direction. As to patronage, I would just caution people to be careful where they buy herbal drugs, from whom they buy and for what purposes they are buying them. Some medical conditions require serious monitoring and testing or individualized therapy depending on the stage of the illness. There are a really a lot of factors to consider in therapy."

• What advice would you offer to someone considering this career path?

"I would advise them to get experience very early once they define their interests or even if they still haven’t defined their academic niche. I didn’t get a real pharmacy-specific experience until I was in my second year of pharmacy school because I took a different path into pharmacy; I tried to establish a foundation in basic scientific research first and then go into pharmacy itself; This is because pharmacy school is not really the training grounds for a bench-lab researcher per sey. I also recommend volunteering at a hospital or out-patient clinic or speaking to a pharmacist or anyone in the health field to get to know more about the field.

Also, take note that the pharmacy role is expanding. We used to think pharmacy just involves someone in a store pulling medications from a shelf and selling to eager buyers, but pharmacy is no longer restricted to that. That aspect of pharmacy is actually called Community pharmacy and that’s just one side of things. Right now you have Clinical Pharmacists who work with physicians in collaborative therapy management to optimize treatment therapy for patients in the hospital. After the doctor has diagnosed you and you are being treated, your pharmacist is the one following up on the therapy, monitoring drug parameters to ensure the safest levels of the drug is in your blood and that the drug is actually treating your problem and not worsening it. The pharmacist doses your drugs based on your renal function (if needed) and adjusts the doses accordingly. If the medication is not been handled well by your body, it is the pharmacist who makes recommendations for better outcome. The pharmacist is almost like the “last stop” in the medical line: After you see the nurse, doctor etc and you are worked-up and correctly diagnosed, your last stop is at the pharmacy. Some don’t even see the doctor- in some cases- they just go straight to the pharmacy!

We also have Industrial pharmacists who play a big role in clinical trials of new drugs and drug efficacy evaluation. I talked about research etc a lot so that’s one avenue a pharmacist could be as well.

There is also Medication Therapy Management (MTM) which is what I did last summer in practice. This involves counseling patients on their medications, addressing concerns such as therapeutic duplicates, missing therapy etc in order to provide the most optimal treatment regimen for patients. There are pharmacists who are focused in specialized areas of care such as HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases, Diabetes Management, Cancer therapy or a special population like pediatrics etc.

Compounding pharmacy is a blockbuster field right now. Compounding is a customized preparation of drug that is not otherwise commercially available. This involves mixing drugs into forms that can be administered easily or suitably for the patient. It involves making drugs into suppositories, creams, gels, capsules, lip balm, lollipop etc or even compounding medications for animals. (Veterinary Pharmacy). This is a great field to also explore.

Clearly, there are opportunities to teach in pharmacy as well. Almost 90% of our faculty are Pharmacists themselves and they don’t only teach but they practice at hospitals or clinics so they are up to date with what is new on the clinical arena and not just what is written in a textbook. So I really want to encourage people to think outside the box. There are many more dimensions of the Pharmacy profession; time won’t permit me to go into all of it at once. Even if none of the fields I have said interests you, I challenge you to come up with something in pharmacy. Our world is changing, the only way to stay competitive and stay ahead is to accurately anticipate the needs of the coming generation and begin to lay a platform that can serve their needs. Stay current by reading the news. I do a lot of reading. Anyone who wants to stay abreast with what is happening must learn to read. Read wide but filter through what you read, because there is also a lot of deception, false information and jargon out there."

"Stay positive, stay encouraged, take wise risks and do not be anxious or fearful for anything. You don’t have to do what I am doing or attend the programs I am attending, you just need to remain motivated and passionate in whatever you are doing. The world’s problems are big and there’s a reason for every discipline and every field whether secular or not. If there is anyone in the audience who is thinking of a career in Pharmacy, Medicine, Biomedical research or a related field, I am available for contact through the African Research Academy for Women."

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Award-winning Pharmacist, Josephine Ataa Hinneh

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Pharmacists all around the world are mainly responsible for dispensing drugs and medicines prescribed by health practitioners or physicians. Pharmacists therefore should have the medical know-how to be able to inform their customers about the uses and effects (side effects and hazards) of any prescribed drug.

However, more knowledge and training in the Pharmaceutical Sciences are opening up more career opportunities than just the practice of pharmacy.

“With additional education and training, a qualified Pharmacist can teach in colleges of pharmacy, supervise the manufacture of Pharmaceuticals, or become involved with the research and development of new medicines. With more academic work, Pharmacists can also move into Pharmacology or become Pharmaceutical Chemists. The academically minded Pharmacists can combine Pharmaceutical and Legal Education to pursue jobs as Patent Lawyers or Consultants on Pharmaceutical and drug laws.”

What does Ghana have to offer in this field?

Today we feature Josephine Ataa Hinneh, a young award-winning Pharmacy graduate from the University of Ghana.

Josephine hails from Nsuatre in the Brong Ahafo Region of Ghana. She attended the Pentecost Preparatory School, Old estate, for her primary school education. She proceeded to the Wesley Girls’ High School in Cape Coast for her secondary education, where she studied Science. She then gained admission into the University of Ghana’s School Of Pharmacy and eventually obtained a Bachelor of Pharmacy degree.

Josephine has won awards for being the Overall Best Student in Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Pharmacology, and Toxicology. She emerged as the overall Best Female Graduating Student from the University’s School Of Pharmacy during her undergraduate career.

Being the hardworking lady that she is, Josephine also recently received the John Ocran Award for being the Overall Best Candidate in the 2013 Ghana Pharmacy Professional Qualifying Examinations at an induction ceremony for 205 newly qualified and registered Pharmacists. In addition, she received the Pharmacy Practice Award.

• How do all your achievements make you feel? And what effort went into attaining each and every one of them?

“When I heard that I was winning those awards, I was so excited and could not contain my joy. I felt it was a crowning of my hard work. The road to success is not as rosy as you see it in the end. It was marked with peaks and troughs, high lands and low lands, but looking up unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith, it was made possible.”

• Why did you want to become a Pharmacist?

“The inspiration to become a Pharmacist started when I watched an advertisement about multivitamins for children. I really wanted to learn how to make the drugs, and I remember telling my mum that I was going to prepare those vitamins so she would not have to buy them anymore. I got to know more about Pharmacy in high school, and surprisingly, I was the only one who wanted to pursue Pharmacy in my class. With the support from my parents, I chose to study Pharmacy. I have had no regrets.”

• What are your career plans? 

“My aim now is to do further studies in Immunology, focusing more on the formulation of Immunological products. I would also like to come back to the University to teach and spearhead research in this area.”

• What characterizes an ideal Pharmacist from your point of view?

“An ideal Pharmacist I believe, can all be summarized into what we call “The Seven Star Pharmacist” which comprises the following:

-  Care giver

-  Decision maker

-  Communicator

-  Leader

-  Manager

-  Life-long learner

-  Teacher

I believe if Pharmacists are able to inculcate these values into their daily activities, we can begin to see them as ideal for their job.”

• What problematic situations can occur in the daily job of a Pharmacist in Ghana?

“The challenges faced by Pharmacists are enormous and peculiar to the various specialties in the field. However, it ranges from labour issues to patients and even other healthcare team members. These are challenges than need to be dealt with properly and professionally.”

• Any final words?

“I would like to tell everyone out there that all things are possible to them that believe. Trust in God first and foremost, be determined, focused and disciplined and you shall achieve what you have set up your mind to achieve. Lastly, whatever is worth doing is worth doing well.”

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