News
Public urged to get tested and treated to end HIV and Aids
The United States Ambassador to Ghana, Ms Stephanie Sullivan has encouraged the public to get tested and treated, as an important step towards ending HIV and AIDs.
According to her, AIDS was no longer a death sentence if people got tested, knew their status and sustained themselves on treatment, adding that persons living with HIV (PLHIV) abandoning treatment would have their viral load unsuppressed, which could cause the person to be sick or lose his or her life.
“People starting and remaining on treatment prevent the spread of HIV and once the person continues to be sustained on treatment, it would get to a point where the individual’s viral load becomes undetectable, which means that the test cannot detect the virus hence the individual cannot transmit to another person although extremely small amount of HIV would still be present in the blood.”
Ms Sullivan was speaking at the closing of a four-week intensive virtual training on HIV and COVID-19 Anti Stigma Campaign, organised by the United States President Emergency Programme for AIDS relief (PERFA) in collaboration with African Centre for Development Reporting and Media Healthlink for some selected journalists across the country.
The training, was to build the capacity of the journalists to enhance their reportage to better inform the public on HIV issues towards achieving the UNAIDS fast tract goal 95-95-95.
Ms Sullivan said the introduction of the one dose antiretroviral drug a day instead of two dozes was heart-warming, “knowing that when one is sustained on treatment for six or more continuous months, he or she does not transmit the virus through sex”.
The US Ambassador to Ghana, urged the media to raise awareness on the “test and treat programme” in order to improve the lives of PLHIV.
“Your continuous coverage presented in a non- technical way and your ability to help your audience to clearly understand the key difference between when the person is on treatment or not will be critical to improving the public health of the country as well as save many lives.
She said explaining HIV and AIDS issues to the ordinary people to understand would also help to address issues of stigma and discrimination as well as encourage PLHIV to take advantage of the available HIV services.
Ms Sullivan said the US government and the government of Ghana have worked
hand-in-hand over the years to improve HIV epidemic control and would continue to remain deeply committed to working with the government to extend key population’s access to quality, stigma-free, live saving HIV prevention, testing and treatment services.
The PERFA Media Specialist, Dzid Kwame recounted that huge investment have been made by the US government in previous years through PEPFAR in areas including capacity building, as well as in the testing and treatment of PLHIV.
She stated that it was necessary to speak about HIV and AIDS, especially in the era of COVID-19 so that the focus to achieve the 95-95_95 UN fast -track goal of ending AIDS by 2030 was not shifted.
She urged the media to continue to educate the public to enable them understand HIV issues, get tested and sustain themselves on treatment, adding that it would help achieve the goals set by 2030.
From Ama Tekyiwaa Ampadu Agyeman, Koforidua
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) says it has successfully conducted constituency executive elections in 245 out of its 276 constituencies across the country.
The party’s General Secretary, Justin Kodua Frimpong, said the exercise recorded an 88.7 per cent success rate and was conducted peacefully in the constituencies where voting took place.
In an update posted on his Facebook page, he said elections in 23 constituencies were put on hold because of various disputes.
He added that four constituencies Ningo Prampram, Atwima Mponua, Obuasi West and Trobu could not hold their elections due to last minute challenges.
According to him, the party’s National Steering Committee will also review election activities in Afigya Sekyere East, Adansi Asokwa, Bantama and Asante Akyem Central.
Mr Frimpong said the National Secretariat is committed to resolving all outstanding issues to ensure the successful completion of the constituency executive elections.
He expressed appreciation to members of the party for their support and discipline throughout the exercise.
“We extend our sincere appreciation to all Patriots for their commitment, discipline, and support, which contributed to the successful conduct of these elections,” he stated.
By: Jacob Aggrey
The Northern Regional Police Command has arrested two Nigerian nationals in connection with the murder of a 36-year-old Nigerian man at Sanzirigu in Tamale.
The suspects, identified as Daniel Victor Eze and David Oko Ewa, were arrested on Saturday, July 11, shortly after the body of Nkemujika Uzorchuku Eze was found in his bedroom.
According to the Police, preliminary investigations showed that the deceased lived in a three-bedroom apartment with his wife, Peace Uzorchuku, the two suspects and another Nigerian national, Godwin Nwafor.
The Police said officers began investigations after receiving a report that the deceased had been found lying in a pool of blood in his room.
A team that visited the scene found that he had suffered a deep cut to the forehead and had a towel stuffed into his mouth. The room had also been ransacked.
The Police said a wooden pestle believed to have been used in the attack, together with other items, was recovered from the scene for forensic examination.
The body was taken to the Tamale Teaching Hospital, where a medical officer confirmed him dead before it was deposited at the hospital mortuary for preservation and an autopsy.
According to the Police, intelligence-led operations led to the arrest of the two suspects at Tatale on the same day while they were allegedly attempting to escape into the Republic of Togo.
They were later handed over to the Tamale District Criminal Investigations Department to assist with investigations.
The Police said the suspects allegedly admitted during interrogation that they had conspired to kill the deceased because he had been withholding money they claimed was obtained through internet fraud.
A search conducted after their arrest led to the recovery of several items suspected to have been stolen from the deceased’s room, including mobile phones, laptop computers, a tablet, jewellery, clothing, wristwatches, personal documents and other valuables. The Police said the items have been kept as exhibits to support the investigations.
The suspects remain in Police custody and are expected to appear before court on Monday, July 13, to facilitate the ongoing investigations.
The Northern Regional Police Command said it remains committed to bringing everyone involved in the crime to justice and urged the public to provide credible information to help fight crime.
By: Jacob Aggrey
