Day: March 20, 2024

AstraZeneca has introduced its Healthy Heart Africa (HHA) initiative aimed to prevent and control hypertension and Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD). The initiative seeks to strengthen local healthcare centres, build resilience and prevention to reduce the higher rate of Chronic Kidney Diseases (CKD). Mr Deepak Arora, Country President, African Cluster, AstraZeneca, speaking in Accra said the initiative was targeted at integrating screening, diagnosing of NCDs at the primary level and secondary level for a resilient health system. He said a many Ghanaians were silently suffering from hypertension, cardiovascular diseases and NCDs, therefore, strengthening local healthcare centres and building their resilience on prevention and control would contribute to the reduction of CKD patients reaching the dialysis stage. He said HHA has over the years screened 9.1 million patients, and this year's chapter was adding CKD as part of the NCD prevention and easy access to treatment. Mr Arora said the initiative was to educate and strengthen patients to improve upon their lives to achieve a resilient health system. He said HHA would have 25 centres across Ghana both public and private to look into, especially the local healthcare centres to prevent patients from progressing to the complicated stage of CKDs. 'The centres will have healthcare providers trained to educate and advocate patients to seek early treatments,'he added. He said early screening, diagnosis and treatment of hypertension, diabetes and CKDs were important, calling on the Ministry of Health and professional societies of Ghana to collaborate fight against these diseases. Dr Anthony Nsiah-Asare, Presidential Advisor on Health, told the Ghana News Agency that the HHA initiative was important and timely because CKD awareness in Ghana was very low, therefore, educating and investing in kidney health promotion would help prevent kidney diseases. He said it was important to educate citizens to go for check-ups to know their CKD stage for immediate recovery ac tions. He said when there was early detection it reduced the number of patients suffering from CKD and released the burden on the country as well. He urged other stakeholders, private partners and Non-governmental organisations to also partake in such initiatives to help eradicate NCDs and CKDs across the world. He expressed the hope that the HHA 2.0 initiative would contribute to the prevention and early detection to ensure improved patient outcomes and quality of life for persons living with CKD in Ghana. He commended AstraZeneca for partnering Ghana Health Service and professional societies in the development of a protocol to manage and prevent CKDs. Source: Ghana News Agency

Bizerte: The Independent regional authority for elections (IRIE) in Bizerte has received eight applications for the elections to the National Council of Regions and Districts. The process of receiving candidacies will continue until March 23, Ibtissem Turki, head of the IRIE in Bizerte, told TAP, adding that the provisional list of candidates whose candidacies have been approved will be published on Sunday, March 24. The deadline for challenges is two days, on March 25 and 26, she added, noting that if there are no challenges, the final list of candidates will be published next week. The date for the election of the council will be set at a later date, Turki said. It should be noted that the regional council of the Bizerte governorate, established on March 6, is made up of 14 members representing the region's 14 delegations, while the council of the first district (governorates of Bizerte, Beja, Kef and Jendouba) was established on March 20. Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse

Strategic Communication Africa Limited (Stratcomm Africa) has celebrated International Women's Day with a special edition of its Women Soaring Higher Achieving Real Excellence (S.H.A.R.E) initiative. The event was on the theme 'S.H.A.R.E The Power: Invest In HER, Invest In US.' A statement issued in Accra by Stratcomm said the theme for the event aligned both with the global call to 'Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress' and the campaign theme of 'Inspire Inclusion'. It said it was important to invest in women's empowerment and fostering inclusivity. Participants in the programme included female business executives, female students, female entrepreneurs, homemakers as well as young females looking for work. The range of topics discussed included personal and professional experiences, soft skills that contribute to success, work-life balance, building a support system, social impact, investing in oneself. Madam Barbara Clemens, Country Director for the World Food Programme in Ghana, emphasized the power of collaboration and unity. 'Once people isolate you, they diminish your impact, you feel lost and powerless and we must realize what our power is individually and how infinite the power is if we work together,' she said. She said identifying and leveraging the right networks and mentorships were crucial for forging strong bonds and ensuring a sustainable support system for women's growth and advancement. Madam Rica Rwigamba, Country Director for the Mastercard Foundation in Ghana, said getting the right networks from different ages, countries, and perspectives, and being able to listen to different viewpoints is vital. 'Let nobody tell you, you cannot, they are the problem, they know you can. If you fall, you learn,' she added. Madam Aisha Ayensu, Founder and Creative Director of Christie Brown, said it was important for collective action in driving progress. 'Africa has been trampled upon and is behind in so many things. There are so many institutional problems, as well as mindset issues, that have se t us back as a continent,' she said. She said the onus was on every single one of them who knows better or who were in a better position to do something to move the needle a little bit. Explaining the rationale for S.H.A.R.E., Mrs Sharon Anim, Stratcomm Africa's Marketing Communication Manager, indicated that SHARE provided a platform for women to connect, share experiences, inspire one another, and develop the skills and networks needed to thrive. 'We are committed to empowering women to reach their full potential and contribute meaningfully to society,' she said. Source: Ghana News Agency

Strategic Communication Africa Limited (Stratcomm Africa) has celebrated International Women's Day with a special edition of its Women Soaring Higher Achieving Real Excellence (S.H.A.R.E) initiative. The event was on the theme 'S.H.A.R.E The Power: Invest In HER, Invest In US.' A statement issued in Accra by Stratcomm said the theme for the event aligned both with the global call to 'Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress' and the campaign theme of 'Inspire Inclusion'. It said it was important to invest in women's empowerment and fostering inclusivity. Participants in the programme included female business executives, female students, female entrepreneurs, homemakers as well as young females looking for work. The range of topics discussed included personal and professional experiences, soft skills that contribute to success, work-life balance, building a support system, social impact, investing in oneself. Madam Barbara Clemens, Country Director for the World Food Programme in Ghana, emphasized the power of collaboration and unity. 'Once people isolate you, they diminish your impact, you feel lost and powerless and we must realize what our power is individually and how infinite the power is if we work together,' she said. She said identifying and leveraging the right networks and mentorships were crucial for forging strong bonds and ensuring a sustainable support system for women's growth and advancement. Madam Rica Rwigamba, Country Director for the Mastercard Foundation in Ghana, said getting the right networks from different ages, countries, and perspectives, and being able to listen to different viewpoints is vital. 'Let nobody tell you, you cannot, they are the problem, they know you can. If you fall, you learn,' she added. Madam Aisha Ayensu, Founder and Creative Director of Christie Brown, said it was important for collective action in driving progress. 'Africa has been trampled upon and is behind in so many things. There are so many institutional problems, as well as mindset issues, that have se t us back as a continent,' she said. She said the onus was on every single one of them who knows better or who were in a better position to do something to move the needle a little bit. Explaining the rationale for S.H.A.R.E., Mrs Sharon Anim, Stratcomm Africa's Marketing Communication Manager, indicated that SHARE provided a platform for women to connect, share experiences, inspire one another, and develop the skills and networks needed to thrive. 'We are committed to empowering women to reach their full potential and contribute meaningfully to society,' she said. Source: Ghana News Agency

Medenine: The independent regional authority for the elections (IRIE) in Médenine began accepting applications for the election of members of the National Council of Regions and Districts. Regional director of the IRIE, Ali Zahmoul, told TAP the submission of files will continue until March 23 for the eight members of the Médenine regional council and the regional representative on the council of the fifth district. Zahmoul announced that the preliminary list of successful candidates will be published on Sunday, March 24, after the examination of the applications on Saturday, March 23. The deadline for objections will be three days, he added. Voting for the election of three of the eight members of the Medenine Regional Council to the National Council of Regions and Districts will take place at the IRIE headquarters. The election of the representative of the council of the fifth district will take place at the headquarters of the governorate of Tataouine. Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse