Online Zimbabwe News Portal
Tunisia will take part in the U16 Arab Basketball Championship which Jordan is hosting on June 18-26. The tournament involves men and women's teams from Tunisia, hosts Jordan, Egypt and Algeria. The national women's team will play Egypt on June 19 before taking on Algeria (June 20) and Jordan (June 21). Men's team will face Algeria on June 18 before playing Jordan on June 19 and Egypt on June 20.
Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse
La Marsa municipal park was the venue this afternoon for the opening ceremony of the African boules and pétanque championship, which will run until June 22 with the participation of more than 100 players representing 12 countries. Taking part in the ceremony were Zohra Smaali, President of the Tunisian Boules and Petanque Federation (FTBP), Chokri Belhassan, Head of the Office of the Minister for Youth and Sport, and Yassine Kéfi, President of the African Petanque Confederation. They all took the opportunity to express their belief in the tournament's technical and logistical success, as well as its ability to spread the values of sport and the spirit of partnership throughout the continent and the world. The ceremony, which was attended by a large audience of pétanque fans, was highlighted by musical sequences and parades of traditional dress, as well as a parade of the flags of the various countries involved and the players. On the sidelines of the ceremony, national coach Adel Halleb told TAP that the Tunisian players were determined to shine and win gold, following the example of world champions Rayène Hamdi and Achref Zouaoui and African champion Hamza Khiari. On the subject of preparation for this event, the coach said that the Tunisian team had prepared in good conditions, with a programme combining intensive sessions and a training camp at Gaafour (Siliana governorate) from May 18-21, in which more than 20 players took part. The countries taking part in the African Boules Lyonnaise and RAFFA Championships are Tunisia, Algeria, South Africa, Cameroon, Djibouti, Egypt, Mauritius, Libya, Morocco, Mauritania, Mozambique, Nigeria, Sudan and Togo.
Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse
Mr Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko, the Group Chairman of the Asaase Broadcasting Company (ABC), has appealed to the Ghana Health Service and the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) to explore avenues to make kidney care services affordable for Ghanaians. He said the cost of receiving dialysis was 'mind-boggling' and appealed to the health authorities to have a 'serious look' at the situation and support Ghanaians who could not afford treatment. Mr Otchere-Darko made the appeal when the Asaase Foundation, the corporate social responsibility arm of the ABC, distributed at least seven dialysis machines to selected health institutions at a ceremony in Accra, on Friday. 'Receiving dialysis in a week is mind boggling if you get it here. Not many Ghanaians can survive the cost of it. 'I plead with the State and in particularly the NHIA; I understand you have limited resources but is there any way we can stretch that to support, even subsidise the cost of receiving dialysis,' Mr Otchere-Darko appealed. The distribution of the machines, which formed part the Foundation's Kidney Heath Campaign, also commemorated the three-year anniversary of the Asaase Radio. The beneficiary hospitals are: the Greater Accra Regional Hospital, Enchi Government Hospital, Sogakope District Hospital, Obuasi District Hospital, Volta Regional Hospital, Bono Regional Hospital, and the Upper East Regional Hospital. Nenyi George Andah, the Chief Executive Officer, ABC, said the distribution of the machines formed part of the company's commitment to support kidney care in needy and deprived communities. 'The setting up of these dialysis machines shows our dedication to improve healthcare in marginalised communities, transform lives and build inclusive societies,' he said. Dr Bernard Okoe-Boye, the Chief Executive Officer of the NHIA, said the health insurance scheme currently did not cover chronic kidney cases. It covers acute kidney disease (short-term due to injury) dialysis with a flat amount of about GHS900.00 He said the Authority would consider adding chronic (lifetime) 9cases to its benefit package if its resources improved. It costs between GHS500 and GHS500 per one dialysis session. Chronic patients need three sessions to flush out toxins and excess fluid in their blood. The kidneys remove extra wastes and fluids from the body. They also remove the acid produced by the cells in the body and maintain a healthy balance of water, salts and minerals in the blood. Kidney diseases include simple kidney cysts, infection, kidney stones and polycystic kidney disease. The main causes of chronic kidney disease are diabetes and high blood pressure. It can also be a genetic condition, caused by repeated urinary tract infections, obstruction by tumors and kidney stones and enlarged prostate. Certain drugs, infections and injuries are also known to result in acute kidney conditions.
Source: Ghana News Agency
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Migration and Tunisians Abroad Nabil Ammar on June 16, received Japanese State Minister for Foreign Affairs Kenji Yamada, who is on a visit to Tunisia to co-chair the 11th session of the Tunisian-Japanese joint committee. Ammar underlined on the occasion, the strong long-standing relations of friendship and cooperation binding Tunisia and Japan, commending Japan's ongoing support to Tunisia and the increase of Japanese investments in Tunisia, a Foreign Department press release reads. The Japanese State Minister hailed for his part, the importance of Tunisian-Japanese relations, affirming his government's determination to continue supporting Tunisia and to foster cooperation in promising and priority fields to both countries. The 11th session of the Tunisian-Japanese Joint Committee was an opportunity for the two sides to reiterate their shared willingness to scale up and diversify cooperation in service of mutual interest and to explore new prospects for cooperation in several areas, such as renewable energy, water management, information technology and food security, according to the same source.
Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse