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A/R: 30% of people living with HIV/AIDS refuse anti-retroviral treatment

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The Ashanti region had about 70,000 persons living with HIV/AIDS as of the end of 2021, with last year’s data still being processed, the region has seen a consistent downward trend of new infections of the virus since 2019.

The number of new cases reduced from 4,000 to 3,590 in 2020 and further reduced to 3,121 the following year, with a regional prevalence of one point eight-six per cent of the total population of Ashanti.

But, out of the about 70,000 persons living with the virus in the region, nearly 30 per cent have refused to be put on the anti-retroviral treatment, ART, the prescribed medication to keep them healthy for a relatively long time, including some expectant mothers who tested positive to the virus in their first trimester.

This is against the fact that, there has not been any shortage of the ART anywhere in the region, at least this year.

When reached for what could possibly account for the negative attitude towards the drugs, the Ashanti Regional Head of the Ghana Aids Commission, Mrs. Olivia Graham, assigned among others, stigmatization.

“The challenge is still stigmatization and discrimination when it comes to HIV/AIDS. It’s still there. Because of stigma, people don’t want to test to know their status. Some are in denial. There are some people when you tell them their status, they don’t want to believe it. Some also decide to seek alternative remedies like prayers”, Mrs. Graham disclosed.

According to our Ashanti Regional Correspondent, Nicholas Osei-Wusu, analysis of officially sourced data from the Ghana Aids Commission has revealed that also that, even though the regional data show a downward trajectory in new infections, the Kumasi metropolis has been recording increasing new and total cases. 

While the population of persons living with the virus and disease was about 13,000 in 2020 with 588 new cases, the figures rose to 19,000 with 800 new cases and with a prevalence of five point seven percent the following year.

This caused Kumasi to overtake Kwadaso Municipality as the administrative district with the highest cases of infection for the first time in three consecutive years.

Further analysis of the data showed that unlike previously, when mining areas were said to have relatively higher infection rates of HIV and AIDS due to the influx of locals and foreigners in pursuit of money in those areas, that unenviable record has shifted to the urban centres, at least in the past five years in the region, such that the two Obuasi areas, thus Obuasi Municipality and Obuase East districts, are now out of the top five districts with the highest cases and prevalence of HIV and AIDS. 

“In the Ashanti region currently, it’s Kumasi, KMA, that is on top. It’s an urban area and it’s cosmopolitan. We’ve commercial activities here. And also, we’ve a lot of cars coming into the centre of Kumasi”, Mrs. Olivia Graham, proffered reasons for the turn of events.

Further analysis of the Ghana Aids Commission data indicates that just about two percent of newborns were infected with the virus from their mothers as against the projected five percent for 2021. 

Meanwhile, the Ghana Aids Commission has had to re-strategize its campaigns from the previous mass outreach services. 

The Commission, while exploring new funding sources, is using social media, targeted media advertisement, and communication centres, among other specific approaches, in reaching its targets with the educational messages of the nature, mode of transmission, and burden on the individual, family, and national level to cause a behavioural change. 

According to the Ghana Aids Commission, unprotected sex still remains the main cause of infection, hence the need for abstinence or the use of condoms for sex as the major means of subduing the spread of the virus and AIDS. 

Eye witness to any social issue, occurance or any form of information you would like to share, kindly send via Email : modernnewsgh@gmail.com or WhatsApp : 0553506856 / 0246319949

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Bawumia warns against registration of minors on voter register

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Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has warned against the registration of minors on the voter register.

Dr. Bawumia stressed that this practice is undemocratic and should not be encouraged.

Speaking to journalists after touring some voter registration centres in Accra, the Vice President underscored that allowing minors to register is not only criminal but also dangerous for their future.

“It’s not only criminal to do so but you are endangering the future of these minors when you register them at this stage. They will enter into our record books. At a particular age, when they come to retirement, they will be retired at a very early age, and you will have destroyed their future for them. I think that parents should be cognizant of this problem,” he stated.

Dr. Bawumia suspended his campaign on Saturday, September 23, 2023.

A statement issued by Gideon Boako, the Spokesperson for Dr. Bawumia, said the Vice President will use the campaign break to visit selected registration centres in the country.

He will also use the visit to encourage all party faithful to focus on mobilizing eligible persons to register for their voter’s ID cards and entreat all party members to be circumspect and work hard to achieve each constituency’s registration target.

Eye witness to any social issue, occurance or any form of information you would like to share, kindly send via Email : modernnewsgh@gmail.com or WhatsApp : 0553506856 / 0246319949
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Addo-Kufuor: I’m not the third-richest person in Ghana

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Dr Kwame Addo-Kufuor, a stalwart of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has vehemently denied claims of being the third-richest individual in Ghana.

An anonymous individual on TikTok alleged that Dr. Addo-Kufuor has a net worth of US$1.2 billion making him the third richest person in Ghana.

Responding to this allegation in a statement, Mr Addo-Kufuor’s legal representatives, Zoe, Akyea & Co. Legal Practitioners & Notaries Public described the allegations as ‘vain calculated to dent’ the ‘hard-earned integrity of Dr Kufuor’.

“We have the firm and unqualified instructions of our client to state in no uncertain terms that he has no such levels of money and will exact the strictest proof of this vain allegation from the individual who is conveniently enjoying anonymity”.   His lawyers maintained that the former Board Chairman of the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) acquired his money through legitimate means.

They threatened to issue a defamatory suit after the perpetrators have been fished out fish.

“We have further instructions to fish out those behind this disdainful practice of character assassination with the view to taking them on in a defamatory suit in a court of competent jurisdiction”.

ZOE, AKYEA & CO.

22 September 2023

10 RICHEST MEN IN GHANA AS BROADCASTED ON TIKTOK-THE VILE AND FOUL MISINFORMATION CALCULATED TO DENT THE IMAGE OF HONOURABLE DR KWAME ADDO-KUFUOR

We act as lawyers for Honourable Dr. Kwame Addo-Kufuor who has instructed us to respond to the rather vile and foul misinformation currently trending on TikTok calculated to dent our client’s hard-earned integrity

The coward behind this shameful act of sleazy propaganda has not been bold enough to furnish his name nor is there a scintilla of evidence to back these watery effusions about our client.

The unknown voice painfully alleges that our client is the third-richest man in Ghana with a net worth of US$1.2 billion. He insinuates that our client’s level of money are invested in banking, farming, media and mining.

We have the firm and unqualified instructions of our client to state in no uncertain terms that he has no such levels of money and will exact the strictest proof of this vain allegation from the individual who is conveniently enjoying anonymity.

The record of our client is well-known. He has been a successful physician who even lectured medicine in the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology.

His political life has been exemplary, He was a Member of Parliament for Manhyia from 1997 to 2009. In President Kufuor’s government, he was the Defence Minister and for some time was burdened with the additional responsibility of the Ministry of Interior. During the first term of President Akufo-Addo, our client was made the Board Chairman of the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT).

His assets declaration is not a fetish but duly lodged with the Auditor-General

We have further instructions to fish out those behind this disdainful practice of character assassination with the view to taking them on in a defamatory suit in a court of competent jurisdiction.

Yours faithfully,

Samuel Atta Akyea

Zoe, Akyea Co

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Franklin Cudjoe slams EC for refusing to expand voter registration venues

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The founder and president of IMANI Africa, Franklin Cudjoe, has strongly criticized the Electoral Commission (EC) for refusing to expand venues for the ongoing voter registration exercise.

In an interview on Citi TV‘s political talk show, The Big Issue, Cudjoe accused the EC of using a “Machiavellian approach” in its dealings, thereby disenfranchising the majority of Ghanaians.

He also took a swipe at the EC for announcing that it would revise the number of registrants.

“Recently, they came out with some analysis that they are revising the numbers that they thought they were going to register. Why would you want to do something like that? Just allow people to register in many registration centres,” Cudjoe said.

He advised the EC to be pragmatic in its approach, praising the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) Boss, Joseph Whittal, for kicking against the EC’s stance.

However, Cudjoe lambasted the National Commission on Civic Education (NCCE) for being silent about the attitude of the leadership of the EC.

“I haven’t seen that of the NCCE. The NCCE has shut its mouth and eyes to all the things that are happening in the EC,” he pointed out.

A section of the public has voiced their disapproval of the EC’s choice to limit registration centres to district offices, which are often located inconveniently for many eligible voters.

Both the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) and various civil society organizations have called on the EC to expand the registration exercise to more accessible locations.

However, the EC has maintained its stance and proceeded with registration solely at its district offices.

Eye witness to any social issue, occurance or any form of information you would like to share, kindly send via Email : modernnewsgh@gmail.com or WhatsApp : 0553506856 / 0246319949
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