Leveraging Chinese economic presence in the post-lockdown Ghanaian market space and the growth of China's public relations and diplomacy

Recent research indicates that the COVID-19 pandemic has deeply affected the socioeconomic life of people in sub-Saharan Africa. Consequently, the paper's purpose is to explore how the economically bottom-class citizens in Ghana - small-scale vendors - are navigating themselves out of their predicaments. Using a mixed method, I combined a structured questionnaire with unstructured interviews to collect data and examined 384 small-scale vendors in four urban centres with content analysis and SPSS descriptive statistics. I find that Ghanaian small-scale vendors are leveraging the Chinese economic presence in the Ghanaian market space to navigate themselves from the negative impacts the pandemic brought on their socioeconomic life. I argue that China's international image-building effort is growing and achieving desired outcomes in Ghana as a result of pegging economic engagement as a soft power resource. The economic engagements may further Chinese public relations and diplomacy - transforming Chinese cultural assets into soft power. I base the theoretical argument on the new public diplomacy framework. Copyright © 2023 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd.

"What Other Information Is There?": Identifying Information Gaps, Perceptions and Misconceptions on COVID-19 Among Minority Ethnic Groups in the Netherlands.

Background: Multiple media platforms and various resources are available for information on the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Identifying people's preferences is key to building public confidence and planning for successful national or regional health intervention strategies. Methods: Using exploratory mixed-methods including a short survey, interviews and participant observation, this cross-sectional study of 160 respondents from the Ghanaian-Dutch, Afro and Hindustani Surinamese-Dutch communities in Amsterdam, the Netherlands was conducted. Data collected between February to April 2021, included demographics characteristics, knowledge, opinions, preferred source of information, behavioral factors, and information gaps on COVID-19 prevention measures, responses and decision-making of respondents. Descriptive statistics and follow-up in-depth interviews were conducted to determine the relationship between respondents' demographics, information sources, and attitudes/behaviors toward COVID-19. Results: The findings of this study indicated that although many of the respondents from these communities had good knowledge on COVID-19, its modes of transmission and prevention measures, their willingness to take up initiatives and prioritize self responsibility toward their health are tied to their communal life. The respondents in this study demonstrated high value for social lives and relied on their connections with friends and families in shaping, obtaining, processing and utilizing COVID-19 information to build a sense of responsibility toward the uptake of COVID-19 prevention measures despite recent decline in number of cases. Conclusion: This sense of responsibility means their active participation and ownership of interventions to address the specific personal concerns and that of their community. However, different factors play influential roles toward the behavior choices of our respondents regarding the COVID-19 prevention.

Dynamics of household consumption after the COVID-19 pandemic in Ghana using input–output analysis

Purpose: This study analyzes the dynamic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on consumption among Ghanaian households, by identifying the existing consumption inequalities in the households according to the different age categories of the household head and changes in consumption patterns among the household constituents. In particular, the study examines the effects of the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) on household consumption and the differing impact on the different age categories of the household. Design/methodology/approach: The research methodology of the study is based on the input–output analysis of the Ghanaian economy during the years 2015 and 2021 by using data on household consumption disaggregated by age. Economic impact is estimated through multi-sector modeling, specifically a demand model expressed based on a money metric measure valued in Ghanaian cedis. This model allows us to obtain the direct impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the manufacturing sector, professional, scientific and technical activities, Water supply, sewerage, and waste management within Ghanaian households. The model also observed a negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the public sector works and defense, and SSNIT sectors of the Ghanaian economy. Findings: The findings of the study revealed that for the category of age group between the ages of 15–29 years, the consumption of manufacturing products experienced an increase of 6.20% whiles that of electricity consumption, air conditioning and heating reduced by 2.26% for the period under consideration. However, public sector works and defense, and SSNIT experienced a decline by 8.24%. For the age group between 30 and 45 years, the highest and most positive percentage change in household consumption was noted to be professional, scientific and technical activities (6.20%), Water supply, sewerage, waste management (5.98%), as well as manufacturing (5.65%). However, there was a decline in the consumption level of education by Ghanaian households during the lockdown especially among people within the age group of 46–65 years. There was a decline of 6.11% for the administrative and support services and there was also a decline the services of defense and SSNIT service consumption by 2.10%. For the final age group of 66 years and above, there was an increase of 6.94% in the consumption of such essential utilities in Ghana between 2015 and 2021. The demand for education however showed a drastic reduction of 8.1% over the study period due to this category of age group with majority of them retiring from work. Research limitations/implications: The findings from this study will help in understanding the effects caused by the pandemic on household consumption and the differing impact on different age category of the household, especially on young households. This can potentially shape future policy by especially helping policymakers to device a more targeted social safety-net policies not only to speed-up recovery, but also to mitigate the negative impact of any future outbreak of a pandemic on household consumption and limit the age gaps in consumptions. However, the study does not consider the income levels of the different age groups. This becomes a limitation of the study and can be further explored in future studies. Originality/value: This study measures the impact of a global health pandemic on the consumption of all households, with its accompanying impact of this variation. It can be noted that analyzing household consumption and quantifying the positive and negative impact on different age category of the household and the different sectors of the Ghanaian economy add to the limited knowledge of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic at the household level. © 2022, Emerald Publishing Limited.

Use of tocilizumab in a patient with severe COVID-19 in a Teaching Hospital in Ghana: a case report

The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in December 2019 has rapidly spread globally with significant negative impact on health. There is an urgent need for a drug or vaccine certified for treating and preventing COVID-19 respectively. Tocilizumab, an interleukin-6 monoclonal receptor antibody, has been used in some centers for mitigating the severe inflammatory response seen in patients with severe COVID-19 with encouraging results. To the best of our knowledge, reports detailing the outcomes of patients with severe COVID-19 undergoing treatment with tocilizumab are sparse in sub-Saharan Africa. We describe the clinical and laboratory profile, chest Computed Tomography (CT) scan findings and clinical outcome in a Ghanaian patient with severe COVID-19 pneumonia treated with tocilizumab. A 54-year old hypertensive male presented with fever, productive cough, pleuritic chest pain and breathlessness. He tested positive for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) by polymerase chain reaction analysis done on a nasopharyngeal swab sample. His respiratory symptoms worsened while on admission despite receiving standard of care. His C-reactive protein (CRP) was elevated to 80.59mg/L and chest CT scan findings were indicative of severe COVID-19 pneumonia. He was treated with a single 400mg dose of intravenous tocilizumab with a positive clinical outcome, rapid decline in CRP and improvement in chest CT findings. Our experience shows that tocilizumab shows great promise as drug therapy for COVID-19 pneumonia. Copyright © 2020, African Field Epidemiology Network. All rights reserved.

Dynamics of household consumption after the COVID-19 pandemic in Ghana using input–output analysis

Purpose This study analyzes the dynamic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on consumption among Ghanaian households, by identifying the existing consumption inequalities in the households according to the different age categories of the household head and changes in consumption patterns among the household constituents. In particular, the study examines the effects of the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) on household consumption and the differing impact on the different age categories of the household. Design/methodology/approach The research methodology of the study is based on the input-output analysis of the Ghanaian economy during the years 2015 and 2021 by using data on household consumption disaggregated by age. Economic impact is estimated through multi-sector modeling, specifically a demand model expressed based on a money metric measure valued in Ghanaian cedis. This model allows us to obtain the direct impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the manufacturing sector, professional, scientific and technical activities, Water supply, sewerage, and waste management within Ghanaian households. The model also observed a negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the public sector works and defense, and SSNIT sectors of the Ghanaian economy. Findings The findings of the study revealed that for the category of age group between the ages of 15-29 years, the consumption of manufacturing products experienced an increase of 6.20% whiles that of electricity consumption, air conditioning and heating reduced by 2.26% for the period under consideration. However, public sector works and defense, and SSNIT experienced a decline by 8.24%. For the age group between 30 and 45 years, the highest and most positive percentage change in household consumption was noted to be professional, scientific and technical activities (6.20%), Water supply, sewerage, waste management (5.98%), as well as manufacturing (5.65%). However, there was a decline in the consumption level of education by Ghanaian households during the lockdown especially among people within the age group of 46-65 years. There was a decline of 6.11% for the administrative and support services and there was also a decline the services of defense and SSNIT service consumption by 2.10%. For the final age group of 66 years and above, there was an increase of 6.94% in the consumption of such essential utilities in Ghana between 2015 and 2021. The demand for education however showed a drastic reduction of 8.1% over the study period due to this category of age group with majority of them retiring from work. Research limitations/implications The findings from this study will help in understanding the effects caused by the pandemic on household consumption and the differing impact on different age category of the household, especially on young households. This can potentially shape future policy by especially helping policymakers to device a more targeted social safety-net policies not only to speed-up recovery, but also to mitigate the negative impact of any future outbreak of a pandemic on household consumption and limit the age gaps in consumptions. However, the study does not consider the income levels of the different age groups. This becomes a limitation of the study and can be further explored in future studies. Originality/value This study measures the impact of a global health pandemic on the consumption of all households, with its accompanying impact of this variation. It can be noted that analyzing household consumption and quantifying the positive and negative impact on different age category of the household and the different sectors of the Ghanaian economy add to the limited knowledge of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic at the household level.

Formaldehyde Levels in Fabrics on the Ghanaian Market

Background: Formaldehyde is a chemical used in several textile production processes, such as hardening of fibers and antimold finishing. However, it has varying effects on humans, such as irritation of the eyes, nose, throat, wheezing, chest pains and bronchitis. In the midst of COVID-19, individuals are using various fabrics for face mask production, which may be containing levels of formaldehyde that can negatively affect their health. Methods: This study investigated formaldehyde levels in fabrics on the Ghanaian market to determine compliance to standards set by the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) with the aid of experimental procedures. Thirty-two (32) different brands of fabrics were selected for the investigation. Formaldehyde levels were determined using a spectrophotometer (DR6000). Data were analyzed using the Statistical Product and Service Solutions (SPSS) for Windows version 22. The mean performance attributes and the formaldehyde levels of the sampled fabrics were determined before and after washing. Inferential statistics (Analysis of Variance and Paired Samples t-test) at 0.05 alpha levels were used to determine significant differences between and among the groups involved. Results: The fabric samples tested positive for formaldehyde before and after washing, with some exceeding the standard limits set by the GSA before washing. Significant differences existed between and among the samples with regard to formaldehyde levels as well as weight and weave types of the samples and formaldehyde levels. Conclusion: Washing significantly reduced the formaldehyde levels in the fabrics. It is recommended that Ghana Standards Authority takes a further look at the fabrics on the Ghanaian market to ensure manufacturers comply with set standards and consumers are also advised to wash their clothes at least once before use to reduce the level of impact formaldehyde resin may have on them. © 2022 Bentham Science Publishers.