The battle to achieve Sustainable Development Goal Two: The role of environmental sustainability and government institutions.

The current period marked by addressing environmental sustainability challenges and the instability of government institutions has heightened the issue of food security, especially in developing countries as they work towards achieving Zero Hunger as highlighted in the Sustainable Development Goals. To assess the effect of environmental sustainability and government institutions on food security in West Africa with data from 1990 to 2021, two models have been deployed. The Generalized Method of Moments was deployed as the main model and while Two-Stage Least Squares was used as the robustness check. The findings of the study reveal that carbon emissions which represent environmental sustainability has no direct significant effect on food security, while government institutions has negative effect on food security. The study also reveals that income and urbanization promote food security, while renewable energy and population growth reduce food security. The findings of the study could be a reflection of the current political instability and attitude towards tackling carbon emissions mitigation in the region. Government institutions are encouraged to exercise authority without fear to implement policies that would encourage food security and restrict the use of high-emission technologies.

Exposure to particulate matter (PM2.5) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and self-reported health symptoms among fish smokers: A case study in the Western Region of Ghana.

The study aimed to assess the concentrations of particulate matter (PM2.5) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) produced from the burning of biomass fuel from the smoking of fish. It also sought to determine the proportion of fish smokers reporting health symptoms associated with exposure to these pollutants. A cross-sectional study was conducted among fish smokers at Abuesi in the Western Region of Ghana. Systematic sampling was employed to choose 60 smokehouses for PM2.5 and VOC monitoring. A total of 434 fish smokers were also randomly sampled for the study. Measurements were taken at indoor, outdoor and control locations. The highest concentration of PM2.5 was recorded in the indoor environment. The mean concentration of PM2.5 between the indoor and control environment was significantly different unlike between the outdoor and control environments. The concentration of VOCs systematically varied across indoor, outdoor and control locations. The most reported disease symptoms were eye infection, cough, and headaches. There was a strong positive association between the number of years spent smoking fish and the frequency of eye problems reported by fish smokers. The study demonstrated that fish smokers inside the smokehouse or smoking rooms are exposed to higher PM2.5 and VOC levels which are detrimental to their health. There is therefore the need for further studies to explore other energy sources which may have a lesser negative effect on human health.

Perceived risk of contracting COVID-19 among healthcare workers in Ghana: A cross-sectional study.

Background and Aims: The COVID-19 pandemic has stretched many healthcare systems, and it is having detrimental impacts on healthcare workers at the forefront, fighting to save lives. This study sought to assess the relationship between job factors and the perceived risk of contracting COVID-19 at the workplace among healthcare workers and how the relationships are augmented when sociodemographic characteristics are taken into consideration in a limited resource setting (Ghana). Methods: A cross-sectional survey of 455 respondents was conducted. Results: Overall, 5.93% of the respondents perceived low risk of contracting COVID-19 while 69.45% and 24.62% perceived medium and high risks of contracting COVID-19 at the workplace, respectively. The odds of a high perceived risk versus the combined medium and low perceived risk of contracting COVID-19 at the workplace was 0.461 times lower for healthcare workers who rated their workplace safety systems as good and 0.515 and 0.170 times lower for healthcare workers who indicated occasional and frequent work environment situational assessment (situational awareness), respectively. The odds of high perceived risk were 2.239 times higher for workers who are always emotionally fatigued and 1.829 times higher for healthcare workers who frequently contribute personally to workplace decision-making. The perceived risk of contracting COVID-19 at the workplace was also 1.780 times higher for healthcare workers with tertiary education. Conclusion: In terms of health and safety at work, this study recommends that there should be an improvement in implementing safety protocols at health facilities to increase the confidence of healthcare workers. Furthermore, social and psychological support and work environment situational assessment, which can reduce stress and anxiety levels among the healthcare workers, should be implemented if contributing factors such as working outside their area of expertise or job scope cannot be eliminated.

Examining the dynamics of the relationship between water pH and other water quality parameters in ground and surface water systems.

This study evaluated the relationship between water pH and the physicochemical properties of water while controlling for the influence of heavy metals and bacteriological factors using a nested logistic regression model. The study further sought to assess how these relationships are compared across confined water systems (ground water) and open water systems (surface water). Samples were collected from 100 groundwater and 132 surface water locations in the Tarkwa mining area. For the zero-order relationship in groundwater, EC, TDS, TSS, Ca, SO42-, total alkalinity, Zn, Mn, Cu, faecal and total coliform were more likely to predict optimal water pH. For surface water however, only TSS, turbidity, total alkalinity and Ca were significant predictors of optimal pH levels. At the multivariate level for groundwater, TDS, turbidity, total alkalinity and TSS were more likely to predict optimal water pH while EC, Mg, Mn and Zn were associated with non-optimal water pH. For the surface water system, turbidity, Ca, TSS, NO3, Mn and total coliform were associated with optimal water pH while SO42-, EC, Zn, Cu, and faecal coliform were associated with non-optimal water pH. The non-robustness of predictors in the surface water models were conspicuous. The results indicate that the relationship between water pH and other water quality parameters are different in different water systems and can be influenced by the presence of other parameters. Associations between parameters are steadier in groundwater systems due to its confined nature. Extraneous inputs and physical variations subject surface water to constant variations which reflected in the non-robustness of the predictors. However, the carbonate system was influential in how water quality parameters associate with one another in both ground and surface water systems. This study affirms that chemical constituents in natural water bodies react in the environment in far more complicated ways than if they were isolated and that the interaction between various parameters could predict the quality of water in a particular system.

Association between health and safety perceptions of COVID-19 vaccine and its uptake in Ghana.

Background: Attitudes towards vaccines have affected COVID-19 vaccination programs in many countries. This study sought to evaluate the effects of general perceptions on the safety and health concerns and the confidence in COVID-19 vaccines on its uptake in Ghana. Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted between January and March 2021. The outcome variables for this study were "Taking mandatory COVID-19 vaccine" and "Taking voluntary COVID-19 vaccine". The data were subjected to both descriptive (frequency, percentages, and chi-square tests) and inferential (complementary log-log logistic regression) analyses. Results: Out of 620 Ghanians who participated in the survey, about 80% of the participants believed that vaccines were good for one's health and 73% had confidence on COVID-19 vaccine safety; although 81% of the respondents were particularly concerned about the source of the vaccine. 79% and 71% of respondents indicated their willingness for mandatory and voluntary COVID-19 vaccination, respectively. In all operationalized regression models, Ghanaians who believed that vaccines are healthy (OR = 1.998, Cl = 1.345-2.968; OR = 1.652, Cl = 1.050-2.601) and those who had confidence in a COVID-19 vaccine safety (OR = 4.405, Cl = 3.136-6.188; OR = 8.340, Cl = 5.471-12.713) were more likely to take a mandatory or voluntary COVID-19 vaccine compared to those who thought and believed otherwise. Individual preferences and/or intentions towards COVID-19 vaccine uptake and uptake route (i.e., mandatory, voluntary) were influenced by multifaceted determinants: biosocial (age, marital status, education), socio-cultural (religion, source of vaccine as a concern), and location (geographical zone) factors. Conclusion: To consolidate and possibly increase vaccine uptake in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Ghana, health education and promotion programs should aim at creating awareness on the benefits of vaccine uptake while addressing the health and safety concerns on the potential side effects through evidence-based community messaging from credible sources. It is important to show specific commitment to transparency and reliable information to build public trust by decision-makers.

Mercury Exposure in Artisanal Mining: Assessing the Effect of Occupational Activities on Blood Mercury Levels Among Artisanal and Small-Scale Goldminers in Ghana.

A cross-sectional survey of 425 male artisanal and small-scale goldminers (ASGM) was conducted to examine the relationship between the occupational activities of the miners and their blood mercury levels while controlling for relevant biosocial and socio-cultural factors. The data was subjected to descriptive and inferential statistics. Initial findings showed that 43.29% of the ASGM miners had blood mercury levels above the occupational exposure threshold. Among the occupational factors, ASGM miners who amalgamate gold, burn amalgam, and ASGM miners who smelt gold were 2.260, 1.881, and 2.094 times respectively more likely to have high blood mercury levels as compared to ASGM miners who did not carry out these activities. Also, ASGM miners who suck excess mercury with their mouth (OR = 0.197, p < 0.001) were less likely to have high blood mercury levels. For the biosocial and socio-cultural attributes, high blood mercury levels was less likely among older ASGM miners (OR = 0.507, p < 0.05). Inversely, high blood mercury levels was more likely among ASGM miners who are married (OR = 1.627, p < 0.05), ASGM miners with junior (OR = 2.240, p < 0.001) and senior (OR = 1.575, p < 0.05) high school education, and ASGM miners who have 6-10 years (OR = 3.802, p < 0.001) and above 10 years (OR = 2.591, p < 0.001) work experience. ASGM miners who amalgamate gold, burn amalgam, and smelt gold are exposed to mercury and are at risk of mercury poisoning. This could, however, be minimized with the right capturing devices and personal protective equipment. This notwithstanding, unsafe, and unsustainable occupational practices such as working in mercury contaminated water and sucking excess mercury with the mouth should be discouraged.

Occupational health and safety in mining: Predictive probabilities of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) use among artisanal goldminers in Ghana.

Artisanal goldminers in Ghana are exposed to various levels and forms of health, safety and environmental threats. Without the required legislation and regulations, artisanal miners are responsible for their own health and safety at work. Consequently, understanding the probabilities of self-protection at work by artisanal goldminers is crucial. A cross-sectional survey of 500 artisanal goldminers was conducted to examine the probabilities of personal protective equipment use among artisanal goldminers in Ghana. The data was subjected to both descriptive and inferential statistics. Initial findings showed that personal protective equipment use among artisanal miners was 77.4%. Overall, higher probabilities of personal protective equipment use was observed among artisanal goldminers who work in good health and safety conditions as compared to artisanal miners who work in poor health and safety conditions. Also, personal protective equipment use was more probable among the highly educated artisanal goldminers, miners who regularly go for medical screening and the most experienced miners. Additionally, personal protective equipment use was more probable among artisanal miners who work in non-production departments and miners who work in the medium scale subsector. Inversely, personal protective equipment use was less probable among female artisanal miners and miners who earn more monthly income ($174 and above). To increase self-care and safety consciousness in artisanal mining, there is the need for a national occupational health and safety legislation in Ghana. Also, interventions and health promotion campaigns for better occupational conditions in artisanal mining should target and revise the health and safety related workplace programs and conditions.

Comparative assessment of the relationship between coliform bacteria and water geochemistry in surface and ground water systems.

The occurrence of pollution indicator bacteria (total and faecal coliform) has been used as a sanitary parameter for evaluating the quality of drinking water. It is known that these indicators are associated with disease causing organisms which are of great concern to public health. This study assessed the relationship between coliform bacteria and water geochemistry in surface and ground water systems in the Tarkwa mining area using logistic regression models. In surface water sources, higher values of chloride (OR = 0.891, p<005), phosphates (OR = 0.452, p<0.05), pH (OR = 0.174, p<0.05) and zinc (OR = 0.001, p<0.05) were associated with lower odds of faecal coliform contamination. In groundwater sources, higher values of phosphates (OR = 0.043, p<0.001), total dissolved solids (OR = 0.858, p<0.05), turbidity (OR = 0.996, p<0.05) and nickel (OR = 6.09E-07, p<0.05) implied non-contamination by faecal coliform. However, higher values of electrical conductivity (OR = 1.097, p<0.05), nitrates (OR = 1.191, p<0.05) and total suspended solids (OR = 1.023, p<0.05) were associated with higher odds of faecal coliform contamination of groundwater sources. Nitrates and total suspended solids, in this case, were completely mediated by the heavy metals. For total coliform in surface water systems, higher values of magnesium (OR = 1.070, p<0.05) was associated with higher odds of total coliform contamination while higher values of phosphates (OR = 0.968, p<0.05) was associated with lower odds of total coliform contamination although the presence of heavy metals completely mediated these relationships. For ground water systems, higher values of pH (OR = 0.083, p<0.05), phosphates (OR = 0.092, p<0.05), turbidity (OR = 0.950, p<0.05) and chloride (OR = 0.860, p<0.05) were associated with lower odds of total coliform contamination. However, higher values of total suspended solids (OR = 1.054, p<0.05) and nitrates (OR = 1.069, p<0.05) implied contamination of total coliform in ground water sources. The relationship between nitrates and total coliform were mediated by the heavy metals. This study establishes the need to monitor, manage and remediate surface and ground water sources for potential disease causing microbes in ways that takes into consideration the factors that create different conditions in the two water systems. This study validates the usefulness of statistical models as tools for preventing surface and ground water contamination.