Editorial Policy and Medical Review

Last updated: October 2026

Health information can change how people act, so we treat every article as a responsibility. This page explains who is behind The Alpha Health Insights, and how our content is researched, written, edited, reviewed, updated and funded.

Who is behind this site

Maxwell Kofi Azumah (Al Max), Founder and Author

Maxwell Kofi Azumah, who writes as Al Max, is an administrator in the Ghana Health Service. His daily work involves district health planning, facility supervision, staff management and the review of routine health service data. This gives The Alpha Health Insights a grounded, first-hand view of how health services actually work in Ghana, what communities struggle with, and what the numbers on the ground show.

Daniel Ola Ayim, Nursing Officer, Editor.

Daniel Ola Ayim is the Editor of The Alpha Health Insights. He reviews articles for accuracy of facts and sources, clarity, balance and tone before they are published, and he is responsible for the corrections and update process described below.

How articles are researched

Every article begins with a question a reader would genuinely ask, and we aim to answer it fully and plainly.
Claims are checked against primary and authoritative sources before they are written. We prefer to explain the mechanism behind a health fact, because understanding why something happens helps readers remember it and act on it.
Where evidence is limited, mixed or still developing, we say so rather than presenting it as settled.
Statistics are taken from named sources and dated where possible.

First-hand experience and data

Where relevant, our author draws on first-hand experience of working inside the Ghana Health Service, including district-level service data, programme implementation and facility operations. When we use this experience, we label it clearly as practical insight, separate from published evidence, and we do not treat one district's experience as proof for the whole country.

We protect patient privacy at all times. We never publish patient names, identifiable records or confidential information. Any figures drawn from health service work are aggregated and shared only where permitted.

What we use as sources

We rely on, in order of priority:

Guidelines and data from bodies such as the World Health Organization, Ghana Health Service, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and national health agencies.
Systematic reviews and peer reviewed studies, including those indexed in PubMed and the Cochrane Library.
Position statements from professional medical associations.
Reputable medical references from universities and hospital systems.

We do not use anonymous forums, social media claims, or commercial product pages as evidence for a medical statement. Details are on our Sources and Corrections page.

Editorial and medical review

Every article is edited by our Editor, Daniel Ola Ayim, before publication. Articles on medical conditions, symptoms, treatments and health tools are also reviewed by a licensed doctor or nurse before or shortly after publication. The reviewer checks that the information is clinically accurate, that the advice is safe, and that warning signs and guidance on when to seek care are correct.

The reviewer does not set our editorial direction, and the review does not turn an article into personal medical advice.

Updating content

Medicine moves forward. We review published articles regularly and update them when guidelines change, new evidence appears or an error is found. Where an article has been materially updated, the date of the update is shown.

Health tools and self assessments

Our calculators and self assessments are educational. They are based on recognised public frameworks, such as widely used screening questionnaires, and they are designed to help you reflect and decide whether to speak with a professional. They do not diagnose any condition. Our assessments do not store your answers.

Free consultation for our readers

We want readers to be able to talk to a real health professional about their questions. Two free consultation options are available:

Readers in Ghana: contact a Nursing Officer for a free consultation on +233 54 711 405.
Readers in the United States: email Dr. Norvi at nauvyk@gmail.com for a free consultation.

These consultations are offered as a free service to readers and are not paid for by advertisers or sponsors. They are suitable for general health questions and guidance on next steps. They are not a substitute for emergency care or an in-person examination. If you have an emergency, please go to the nearest health facility or call your local emergency number.

Independence, advertising and affiliate links

Our editorial decisions are not influenced by advertisers or sponsors. Advertising never decides what we write or what conclusions we reach.
The site may displays advertising through Google AdSense. Ads are placed by the advertising platform, and their appearance is not an endorsement.
Some pages may contain affiliate links, including Amazon Associates links. If you buy through one, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. We only link to products we consider relevant to the topic. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
We also sell our own health ebooks. When we mention them in an article, we make it clear that they are our products.

Medical disclaimer

The content on this site is for general education and information only. It is not medical advice, diagnosis or treatment, and it does not create a doctor and patient relationship. Always seek the advice of a qualified health professional about your own situation, and never ignore professional advice or delay seeking it because of something you read here.

If you think you may be having a medical emergency, go to the nearest health facility or call your local emergency number (112 in Ghana) right away. If you are in emotional distress or thinking about harming yourself, please contact a crisis service or a trusted person today. In Ghana, the Mental Health Authority line is 0800 678 678. In the United States, call or text 988.

Corrections and feedback

If you believe something on the site is wrong or out of date, please tell us through our contact form. Our Editor, Daniel Ola Ayim, oversees corrections, and the process is explained on the Sources and Corrections page.

Comments

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Sleep Hygiene Explained: Why Poor Sleep Damages Your Health, and Five Techniques That Help You Fall Asleep Faster

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Know Your Normal: What Your Breasts Feel Like Before Anything Goes Wrong.

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Eczema, Why Your Skin Itches, Cracks and Flares.

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5 Powerful Exercises to Undo the Damage of Sitting All Day.

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