Category: Entertainment

Stigma and discrimination remain barriers that limit access to tuberculosis (TB) screening, treatment and care – compromising the lives of people who are infected and affected by the disease.

This is according to Deputy President Paul Mashatile who to led his first World TB Day commemoration on Friday at the Tlhabane Sportsground in Rustenburg, North West.

“We think it is unacceptable that in the year 2023, we are still talking about stigma,” he told the crowds gathered in a marquee.

“We should therefore collectively champion interventions against social isolation associated with TB at the community level. We must also continuously maintain well-coordinated multi-sectoral interventions against stigma and discrimination in our communities.”

The Deputy President said the government and civil society will continue to work together to look at how to strengthen the systems that link people to care and scale up initiatives that encourage the use of TB prevention therapy.

He announced that in September this year, world leaders will gather at the United Nations General Assembly for the United Nations High-Level Meeting on TB.

“We cannot over-emphasise the importance of collaboration in the TB response. We can do more by leveraging our combined strengths and resources.”

The Deputy President is the sixth Chairperson of the South African National Aids Council (SANAC).

TB remains one of the leading causes of ill health and death in South Africa, exacerbated by patients who do not complete their treatment while others are either undiagnosed or are unreported even though they know their status.

This year’s theme: ‘Yes! You and I Can End TB!’ is aimed at encouraging individual action to strengthen the national strategy against this curable disease.

It underlines, according to the Deputy President, the significance of taking personal responsibility and joining forces to eradicate TB as a public health threat by 2030.

“We must recommit ourselves to raising greater levels of awareness about the disease alongside its terrible health, social, and economic implications and strengthen other efforts to prevent the further spread of the disease in our communities.”

He said that the North West province faces specific challenges in the fight against TB due to mining activities and a high number of informal settlements, which result in overcrowding and unfavourable living conditions that expose people to health hazards.

However, he is of the view that the active roles of civil society, the private sector, development partners, research institutions, community members, TB survivors and people infected with TB, all remain paramount in the fight to end TB.

He said government is determined to build a world free from the devastation of preventable and curable diseases such as TB and that it will continue to embark on catch-up programmes and shortened treatment.

This is after the infectious disease took a backseat due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“However, regardless of the setback, we have made conscious efforts to rebuild and intensify TB interventions across the country,” he said.

NSP for HIV, TB and STIs

To that effect, through the fourth National Strategic Plan (NSP), the State will continue to guide the collective response to HIV, TB and sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

“Viewed together, the plans set out in the NSP provide insight into the path we have travelled as a nation to overcome one of the most devastating human challenges of our time.”

The Deputy President also took the time to launch the fifth NSP for HIV, TB and STIs for the period 2023 to 2028 as adopted by Cabinet.

He described the plan as a blueprint and roadmap for a multi-sectoral, people-centred approach to eliminate HIV, TB and STIs as public health threats by 2030.

SANAC is leading several activities as part of the NSP rollout, which includes messaging about STI transmission, condom use, availability of family planning services and availability of ground-breaking HIV prevention tools.

“It is about our lives, how we protect, prolong, value and improve it. Let us work together to ensure that this NSP is one of the last in our times.

“Yes! You and I, together, can end TB,” he said. – SAnews.gov.za

Source: South African Government News Agency

Ghanaian actress Rabby Bray has officially joined one of Tanzania’s biggest film production firms, Lamata Village Entertainment.

The multiple award-winning actress continues to make strides in her career, and her talent has been recognised by movie fans on the continent after she starred in Tanzania’s hit television series ‘Jua Kali’ last year.

Renowned Tanzanian filmmaker and top executive at Lamata Village Entertainment, Madam Lamata Leah, was elated to add the Ghanaian actress to her production firm.

According to Madam Leah, actress Rabby Bray will be marketed across Eastern Africa to other production companies and corporate establishments as well by her new management.

‘Rabby is a great actress, and she has great potential, and that’s why I decided to sign her under Lamata Village Entertainment,’ she said.

She added that Rabby Bray’s popularity and admiration among the fans in Tanzania continue to rise, which demonstrates how talented she is.

Actress Rabby Bray in the popular ‘Jua Kali’ DSTV series played the role of a loyal best friend of Anna, played by Tanzanian actress Godliver Gordian.

Her character, ‘Linda’, would go to any lengths to ensure that her best friend, Anna, is happy and wouldn’t hesitate to take on anyone or anything standing in her way.

She joined the star-studded cast of ‘Jua Kali’ in the fifth season of the series, acting alongside top African actors such as Patience Ozokwor from Nigeria and Van Vicker from Ghana.

The award-winning dramatic series reflects on the diversity of life, its unpredictable nature from happiness to sadness, and the lustful desires of human ambition from greed to betrayal.

Source: Ghana News Agency

A newly built ultra-modern Chief’s Palace with state-of-the-art features has been commissioned at Dagbamete in the Akatsi South Municipality of the Volta Region.

The commissioning on Sunday forms part of this year’s annual Easter festival celebrated by thousands of believers of the ‘Apetorku’ traditional faith, who were drawn from all walks of life.

Torgbui Klu Agudzeamegah II, the ‘Dufia’ of Dagbamete, who is also the Awadada of the Atsiame Traditional Area, disclosed to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that the facility, which has among others, several offices and rooms including a standard conference room, executive rooms, waiting rooms, bedrooms, external summer hut, would serve several purposes of their traditional faith as well as enhance their activities both at the community level and elsewhere.

‘This Palace will play important role in the chieftaincy institution in our area. It will facilitate the settlement of issues from Ghana and beyond. Consultations, meetings, spiritual deliberations, and others will now be properly handled.’

Togbui Agudzeamegah further stated that the building is just one of several developmental projects they have been doing over the years.

He also called on individuals and the government to place priority on traditional activities, which promote community growth.

‘Dagbamete is a place for everybody’, he disclosed that an average of 1,300 new members are initiated into the Apetorku faith annually.

The main festival, called ‘Apetorku’ annual festival, which coincides with Easter celebrations is always held at the Apetorku Shrine, also known as ‘Apetorku Gbodzi’ with a sitting capacity of over 1,000 for nine days, recorded many traditional activities of groups from Africa, America, Europe, and elsewhere.

Proceeds from the operations of the ‘Apetorku Gbodzi’ have always been used to facilitate all projects in the area, including the newly built Palace.

The standard edifice was commissioned by Mr Kofitsey Martin Nyahe, the Municipal Chief Executive of Akatsi South, and was witnessed by ‘Ngorgbea’ Mr Kofi Davor, the Priests, Chiefs from the Atsiame Traditional Area, Mr Edward Doe Adjaho, former Speaker of Parliament, and other high profiled dignitaries.

Source: Ghana News Agency