TIG Post

Tag: Research

  • 57 out of 100 Canadian adults not okay with transgenders – Research

    57 out of 100 Canadian adults not okay with transgenders – Research

    A recent survey by Nanos Research and CTV News found that most Canadian adults feel uneasy about transgender policies in sports, hormone treatments for young people, and changes to students’ pronouns in schools.

    A study was carried out in between February 28 and March 2 of this year, a study asked a group of random Canadians who are 18 years old or older about how they feel about different issues related to gender identity and inclusion. The findings show that many people are not in favor of certain policies that have become important topics in Canadian politics.

    About 57 out of 100 adults said they were not okay with a transgender person playing sports or using the washroom and change rooms of their current gender identity. And 44 out of 100 said they felt the same about using the washroom and change rooms.

    In late February, the Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said that places for women should only be for women, not for men who were born as men. This caused criticism from a transgender person who used to be a Conservative candidate, Hannah Hodson, who said it was very sad to see.

    “He just made it seem like trans people are predators,” she told Vassy Kapelos in an interview with CTV News Channel’s Power Play.

    Hormone therapy

    People who answered last week’s survey were also asked about rules for children’s gender identity.

    Sixty-two out of every hundred people in the survey were not happy about letting Canadians under 18 get hormone treatments to change their gender.

    The Conservative federal government wants to stop children from getting treatments to change their gender. They voted on this in September.

    Also, when it comes to children, 64% of people said they would feel uneasy if a student under 18 decided to change their name or pronouns at school without their parents knowing.

    Last year, the government of Saskatchewan made a new rule called the Parents’ Bill of Rights. It says that parents have to agree before their child’s name or pronouns can be changed in school if the child is under 16 years old.

    Shortly after the bill was introduced in August, it was challenged in court by a 2SLGBTQ+ group called UR Pride based in Regina.

    The government used a special rule to make a law, and there might be a big fight about it in the highest court.

    In February, Egale Canada, a national group for LGBTQ+ people, said that the law made by the government of Saskatchewan is hurting gender diverse young people and causing lasting damage.

    “We are thankful that we can keep fighting against it. ”

    Methodology

    The information in this article came from a survey ordered by CTV News and done by Nanos Research. The survey was done by calling people on the phone and asking questions online in February. Between March 28 and March 2, 2024, a group of 1,071 Canadians who are 18 years old or older were chosen randomly for a study. The survey might be off by up to three percent, 19 times out of 20. “The numbers are based on the population, and because of rounding, the percentages may not add up to 100%. “

  • Persons fond of injecting drugs are prone to HIV – Research

    Persons fond of injecting drugs are prone to HIV – Research

    Dean of the University of Ghana’s School of Public Health, Prof. Kwasi Torpey, has raised concerns about the risk of HIV and blood-borne infections among individuals who inject drugs in Ghana.

    In research conducted by Prof. Torpey’s team across four regions in 2022, it was found that HIV prevalence among drug users who also inject is 2.5%.

    Notably, the prevalence was higher among women who injected drugs, with 12.7% among those who were solely drug users and 17.7% among those also involved in sex work.

    “We found HIV prevalence of 2.5 percent among persons who used and injected drugs. Unfortunately, the prevalence was 12.7 percent among women who injected drugs and 17.7 percent among women who injected drugs and were also sex workers.

    “These results point to a simple fact that the country is at the cusp of an outbreak of HIV and blood-borne infections among persons who inject drugs,” he said.

    During an inaugural lecture titled “Ending HIV/AIDS in Africa: Reflections from the clinic, field, and classroom,” organized by the University of Ghana, Prof. Torpey highlighted his findings.

    He emphasized that these results suggest a looming risk of an HIV and blood-borne infection outbreak among individuals who inject drugs.

    Furthermore, Prof. Torpey stressed the vital need for intentional efforts to improve health service access for all populations, asserting that without such efforts, ending the AIDS epidemic in Africa would remain a distant goal.

    Citing UNAIDS data, he highlighted the severity of the ongoing epidemic, with a life being lost to HIV every minute, 650,000 annual HIV-related deaths, and 4,000 new infections occurring daily.

    The inaugural lecture was attended by various dignitaries, including the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana, officials from the Ghana Health Service, the Bank of Ghana, and representatives from international organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and USAID, as well as local health commissions and ministries.

  • UHAS ranked 1st in 2023 AD Scientific Index Rankings

    UHAS ranked 1st in 2023 AD Scientific Index Rankings

    According to the 2023 AD Scientific Index Rankings, the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS) in the Volta Region is Ghana’s top-performing tertiary institution overall in terms of research output.

    Prof. Seth Owusu Agyei’s research work in Malaria clinical trials, infectious diseases and epidemiology won the enviable position while Prof. Fred Binka and Prof. John Gyapong all UHAS chalked the 3rd and 4th positions respectively. 

    The UHAS Vice Chancellor, Prof Lydia Aziato, announced this at the matriculation ceremony for the 2022/2023 academic year over the weekend. 

    She entreated the matriculants to emulate the performance of their Professors and undergo mentorships to ensure the high academic standard of the University is maintained. 

    She urged them to make the beliefs of the University, which are excellence, integrity, innovation and care, reflect in their everyday lives, even after graduating in their various programmes. 

    UHAS tops 2023 AD Scientific Index Rankings
    UHAS Vice Chancellor, Prof Lydia Aziato

    She welcomed the students and entreated them to abide by the rules and regulations or face the necessary punishments when found culpable of any offence. 

    Prof. Aziato acknowledged the University’s infrastructure deficit and appealed for an upgrade to make available enough room to accommodate the increasing number of students. 

    She highlighted the bad state of access and inner campus roads of the University community, which was awarded for construction but works had stalled on the stretch.

    She added that management was working with stakeholders to augment the water supply to hostels that were experiencing intermittent supplies. 

    She, however, assured the students of the best training during their stay at the university. 

    “Upon all these deficiencies, UHAS is the University of choice. We as a University assure you that you are at the right place at the right time.

    “We have every confidence that before you finish or in your graduation, you are more than ready to face the world. We assure you that”, she stressed. 

    She acknowledged the Fidelity Bank, Zenith Bank, Ghana Registered and Midwives Association, Latex Foam, and State Insurance Company among others for their donations to support the University, which is at the developing stage. 

    The University of Health and Allied Sciences which is in its 11th year received over 13,000 applications for the 2022/23 academic year. 

    Some 3,396 admissions were offered, out of which 1,775 enrolled for graduate and undergraduate programmes. 

    The students were matriculated into the Schools of Allied Health Sciences, Basic and Biomedical Sciences, Medicine, Nursing and Midwifery, Pharmacy, Sports and Exercise Medicine, and the Fred N. Binka School of Public Health. 

  • Ato Duncan receives Peace Ambassador Award

    Ato Duncan receives Peace Ambassador Award

    Prof. Samuel AtoDunan, CEO of COA Research and Manufacturing Company Limited, has been selected for the worldwide humanitarian peace award.

    The award which aims to honour outstanding personalities for their contributions to peace and conflicts resolution as well as poverty eradication is being given by the united international peace and governance council of Africa.

    Prof. Ato Duncan who is also the president general for the center of awareness global peace mission was recognized for his immense contributions to world peace.

    The renowned businessman, philanthropist and researcher has been holding series of lectures on peace and effective leadership to check poverty.

    He allocated $2 million towards a global peace campaign and missions last year in a five-year strategic plan to promote world peace.

    The impact of the initiative was to end world violence, by targeting the campaign through traditional leaders, youth groups, and thought leaders in society with much focus on the political class.

    The International Peace and Governance Council Incorporation, organisers of the award was established for Diplomatic Missions to contribute to the acceleration of Peace, Good Governance and Poverty Eradication across the globe.

    The organization is in partnership with various United Nations organs and Associations for project implementation.

    It aims to consolidate and strengthen efforts of organizations and individuals around the world to handle Civil and ethnic conflicts, inter-state wars, terrorism, poverty eradication among others.

  • The age you have the best sex according to research

    Research suggests an entirely different age when you will experience the best sex.

    You’re young, healthy and full of raging hormones, so it’s only fair to think your 20s are the time when you’ll experience mind-blowing sex, full of fantasies, role play and sex positions. But that’s not it.

    Research suggests an entirely different age when you will experience the best sex. It’s not your 30s, but your 50s or 60s! Stunned? We are too.

    But let’s know why this age can get us to experience the best climax.

    A recent study has observed that people falling within the age bracket of 60 to 66, experience the best sex. Single women feel immense pleasure when they are 66 and for men, it’s 64. If the couple is well, healthy and active, they can easily feel pleasure during sex, especially for women, after their menopause.

    Sex in your 20’s and 30’s

    During the 20s, people feel very insecure about their bodies and the same can be felt during sexual intercourse, when people have to go bare all in front of their partner. They feel very conscious about their looks, performance in bed etc. and this affects their ability to concentrate on sex at the moment.

    The change in sex

    When your body changes day by day, sex also changes. Navigating through menopause, sickness and lethargy, people start experiencing different kinds of changes that either affects sex in a positive or negative way. But quite interestingly, sex becomes quite enjoyable after a certain period of time.

    The best sex

    Sex may not be the same kind of wild when you were 20, but having sex in your 50s or 60s means you take your time adjusting to the sex. This further means better foreplay and getting to feel each sensation slowly. And slow sex is always a charmer.

    Sex expectations

    Sex isn’t only about sexual penetration. It’s so much more. But that’s a mistake most people make. Focusing only on penetration lets them forget about the other ways of sex that takes time but are very sensual and pleasurable. You will be surprised to know how satisfying sex can be when penetration is not the goal. The old people certainly enjoy it thoroughly.

    Source: Pulse

  • IEA boss shares views on landmark ‘gold for imported oil’ new gov’t policy

    The Director of Research at the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) Dr John Kwakye has shared his views on the gold for imported oil new policy by the government.

    The Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, has revealed a remarkable new policy by government that would see the government pay for imported oil products with gold rather than through US Dollars.

    Revealing the policy in a post on his Facebook page on Thursday, Vice President Bawumia said the policy is expected to take effect by the end of the first quarter of 2023.

    He said in a Facebook post that “The Use of Gold To Buy Imported Oil Products

    “The demand for foreign exchange by oil importers in the face of dwindling foreign exchange reserves results in the depreciation of the cedi and increases in the cost of living with higher prices for fuel, transportation, utilities, etc. To address this challenge, Government is negotiating a new policy regime where our gold (rather than our US dollar reserves) will be used to buy oil products. The barter of sustainably mined gold for oil is one of the most important economic policy changes in Ghana since independence.

    “If we implement it as envisioned, it will fundamentally change our balance of payments and significantly reduce the persistent depreciation of our currency with its associated increases in fuel, electricity, water, transport, and food prices. This is because the exchange rate (spot or forward) will no longer directly enter the formula for the determination of fuel or utility prices since all the domestic sellers of fuel will no longer need foreign exchange to import oil products.

    “The barter of gold for oil represents a major structural change. My thanks to the Ministers for Lands and Natural Resources, Energy, and Finance, Precious Minerals Marketing Company, The Ghana Chamber of Mines and the Governor of the Bank of Ghana for their supportive work on this new policy. We expect this new framework to be fully operational by the end of the first quarter of 2023.”

    Sharing his views on this, Dr John Kwakye said in a tweet that “This is mere window dressing and will not address the perennial depreciation of the cedi.

    “The viable option is to restructure the economy and continually increase the foreign exchange cover for the currency issue.”

    “I don’t get the rationale of this policy at all. To me, gold is as good as forex. So, whether we use gold or forex to purchase oil, we’ll be depleting our reserves and the pressure will be back on the cedi.”

  • Research shows couples who talk to each other about this topic are happier!

    You’ll be happier and have a stronger bond!

    There are certain things you don’t share with your partner until you’re together for about a year or two. Think of passing gas, for example. Would you do this when your partner is around? No? We totally get that.

    Yet the conversation topic that makes couples happier actually does have to do with that.

    We’re going to have to get used to this idea.

    Brownie

    You’ve probably been there: you’re over at your partner’s house and then you feel it… you have to poop! Oh, dear… what now? You’d prefer to hold it until you’ve gotten home, but what if you’re staying the night? You can’t hold your brownie forever.

    It might even start to hurt! At moments like these, you should simply go to the toilet and do your number two. It turns out that that helps to create more trust and a stronger bond between you and your partner.

    Trust

    Research shows that couples who talk about their number two with each other are happier in their relationship, generally speaking.

    It creates a type of trust and that trust is exactly what’s important in a relationship. You’re sharing something very intimate with the other person and they will usually really appreciate that.

    Now, we don’t suggest talking about your poop at the kitchen table, but it won’t hurt to call it by its name every now and then. Happy pooping, we call that!

     

    Source: tips-and-tricks.co

  • Cedi will continue depreciation into first quarter of 2023 – Report

    Fitch Solutions has projected that Ghana’s cedi will continue to depreciate until the first quarter of 2023.

    According to the international research firm, inferring from previous studies of the Ghana cedi, it is likely that the cedi will continue depreciating till an IMF programme is secured.

    In its latest article on Ghana published on November 14, Fitch said: “Our view is further informed by the fact that previous periods of significant exchange rate weakness in Ghana all lasted roughly 12-14 months suggesting that the cedi will continue to depreciate into the Q123 (the current sell-off started in January 2022). This keeps inflation high, weighing on living standards and eroding support for the government.”

    Fitch also projected an increase in strikes and protests due to the increasing cost of living in the country.

    “While we expect to see an uptick in protests against austerity measures that would likely be implemented under an IMF programme, we do not believe they will threaten the overall stability of the government. This is factored into our Short-Term Political Risk Index, in which Ghana scores 62.0 out of 100 (a higher score implies lower risk), above the Sub-Saharan African average of 50.3,” Fitch added.

    Fitch Solutions also projected that in the possible event of the removal of the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, ongoing negotiations with the International Monetary Fund will not be affected.

    According to Fitch, this is because the next person tipped to be Ofori-Atta’s replacement is Mark Assibey-Yeboah who it believes “would take a more accommodative approach towards negotiations with the Fund.”

  • Prioritise youth empowerment; stop giving them money for votes – African leaders told

    Ghanaian politician, entrepreneur and philanthropist, Samuel Aryeequaye has told African leaders to make youth empowerment their focus instead of giving them ‘peanuts’ for votes.

    Speaking at this year’s edition of the Africa Humanitarian Actions Conference which took place in Abuja, Nigeria over the weekend, the Best Diplomat United Nation Simulation’s representative to Ghana said, the only way to see Africa get better is by having leaders who pay more attention to youth empowerment.

    Research has shown that among all the continents on the globe, Africa has majority of its population being youth — more than 60% of its population is under the age of 30 — and many of them are desperate and have no or little hope.

    According to him, most African leaders instead of educating the youth and creating jobs for them to be independent, rather hoard monies and share to electorates which he believes is a bad practice.

    The central regional chairman of the Liberal Party of Ghana and 2020 parliamentary candidate for Agona East mentioned that, there is a higher rate of unemployment in Africa because majority of African Leaders hardly empower the youth, create enabling environment for them to create jobs for themselves and others.

    According to him, as a politician and philanthropist, one of his major priorities is to see the African youth get better and by so doing, while other politicians are sharing money for votes, he chooses to give young people in his constituency vocational training — a  great way of reducing the ‘galloping’ rate of unemployment.

    He cited in his speech at the said conference that, in the constituency where he lost an election, he organized a skills training session for over two thousand young people of which majority of them are making a living out it.

    Revealing one of his happiest moments in life, he gave an account on how some of the young people he trained walked up to him to say thank you and how the training is contributing to the betterment of their lives.

    Samuel Aryeequaye is the brain behind ‘Saye Foundation’ — an Advocacy for change and growth.

  • Somalia president attains PhD in Peace, Governance and Development

    President of Somalia is officially an academic “Dr.” after the completion of his PhD programme on Tuesday, October 11.

    President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, who returned to the presidency in keenly contested poll this year completed his PhD Program of Peace, Governance and Development at PEACE University.

    “We are thrilled to welcome you to our Alumni ranks! @HassanSMohamud,” the University said.

    Mohamud lost his re-election bid in 2016 to immediate past Mohammed Abdullahi Farmaajo. Years on, he staged a comeback to defeat Farmaajo to stage a successful comeback.

    With a background in education, the former peace activist’s election campaign was focused on ensuring Somalis are united and are at peace with the rest of the world – something he did not fail to mention immediately after he was sworn in, the BBC said in a profile of the president in May 2022.

    Hassan Sheikh is said to have joined the Centre for Research and Dialogue in 2001 as a researcher in post-conflict reconstruction – a body sometimes criticised as being too closely affiliated to the West – and has worked as a consultant to various UN bodies and the transitional government.

    President @HassanSMohamud receives a PhD in Peace, Governance and Development from the United Nations Peace University #DalsanNewsDesk #Somalia pic.twitter.com/4UNNmKk3rV

    — DalsanTV (@DalsanTv) October 11, 2022

    Congratulations to President @HassanSMohamud, now PhD.

    Dr Hassan Sheikh Mohamud setting a good example for leadership and younger generations.

    Education is a lifelong process.

    — Rashid Abdi (@RAbdiAnalyst) October 12, 2022

  • CSIR-CRI launches technology park to boost food security

    The Crop Research Institute of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR-CRI) has launched its technology park to boost food security in the country.

    Dubbed “Innovation, Research, Extension and Advisory Coordination Hub” (iREACH), it is aimed at encouraging farmers to adopt the improved agricultural technologies to increase productivity and quality.

    It is under the sponsorship of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)with support from the Kansas University in the United States of America, West and Central African Council for Agricultural Research and Development (CORAF) and Africa Rising.

    The technologies include improved crop varieties of cowpea, maize, soybean and peanuts.

    Among the varieties of the peanuts are CRI Yenyawaso, CRI Dehyee and CRI Obolo.

    They have early maturity period between 85-90 days and are tolerant to aflatoxin and high oil content and resistant to rust.

    The other improved varieties are roots and tubers such as yam, cassava and sweet potatoes, among others.

    At the demonstration, improved agronomic practices and insect pests and diseases management strategies to cultivate the improved crop varieties to increase productivity were also presented to the participants.

    Dr P.V Vara Prasad, Director of Collaborative Research on Sustainable Intensification at the Kansas University, indicated that about 30 per cent of food was lost during harvest, after harvest and storage in both developed and developing countries in the world.

    That, he said, had been estimated that about 9.5 billion people worldwide were affected and not having food to eat.

    “This means that there is the need to increase and provide access to food for all,” he said.

    He urged farmers to use the improved technologies to boost production as he called for effective collaboration between government and non-government institutions, and the need for human and institutions capacity building towards food security.

    “We should bring all these together to make sure that the technologies are showcased and disseminated to farmers and entrepreneurs for adoption,” he mentioned.

    He advised the youth to take up agricultural production because “agriculture is food, technology, business and health”.

    The Project Coordinator, Prof. Emmanuel Otoo, chief research scientist at the CSIR-CRI, said a good number of technologies had been developed which needed to be disseminated to the end users.

    However, funds to do that remained a great constraint to the institute, and therefore, appealed to other companies and donors to partner with them to help disseminate the technologies towards food security in the country.

    Prof. Moses B. Mochiah, Director, CSIR-CRI, used the occasion to appeal to government to help do away with obsolete machines/equipment to ensure higher productivity.

    Some of the farmers noted the technologies had broadened their knowledge and could be applied to cultivate several crops even throughout dry seasons.

  • Gambaga ‘witch’ flies to Norway for conference

    A woman who was branded as a witch and had to live in the infamous Gambaga Witch Camp in the Northern Region of Ghana for 15 years has made a first-time trip to Norway.

    Suuk Laari was in Tromso, Norway, to attend the Coast Contemporary 2022 Conference as a guest of honour.

    The conference aims to help raise awareness on modern-day witch-hunts.

    Suuk’s story was made public in a Facebook post shared by a user, Larry Ibrahim Fataka Imf, a PhD Research Fellow at UiT The Arctic University of Norway.

    The conference’s theme was influenced by the master’s thesis of Larry Ibrahim Mohammed, who wrote on the Gambaga Witch Camp.

    “Suuk Laari has lived for 15 years in the Gambaga witch camp until this month. Last week, she joined us at the Coast Contemporary 2022 conference in Tromso, Norway to help raise awareness on modern day witch-hunt.

    “I am extremely proud yet humbled to have worked with Tanja Eli Sæter, Founder and Executive Director of Coast Contemporary, to make Suuks participation a possibility and also for co-curating the Ghana part of the Program with me,” he wrote.

    According to additional information shared by Larry Ibrahim, he described Suuk as a witch-hunt survivor.

    “Suuk Laari lived in the Gambaga Witchcamp for 15 years. Like everyone from the Camp, her story unites with other women there who run away for their dear lives after being accused of witchcraft.

    “The month of September 2022 will stand out as one of the best in her life. Suuk and Samson Laar, coordinator of the Gambaga witchcamp and the Presbytery, go home project, were invited to attend the Coast Contemporary conference 2022 in Tromso, Norway. Suuk was among the Guest of Honor,” he wrote.

    He also spoke about the address Suuk Laari delivered at the conference, which focused on her personal story.

    “Suuk Laari delivered a keynote, narrating the detail of her story on how she ended up at the Gambaga Witch Camp and her experiences while living there. She asked for a global effort to fight and criminalized the accusation of witchcraft and for more education on eradicating bad cultural practices. When asked about her thoughts on closing the witch camps, she emphasized that it is akin to scratching the surface of the problem. According to her, without the witch camp, she would probably have been dead and forgotten.”

    Samson Laar, on the other hand, called for more support to help feed the women in the Gambaga Witch Camp. As a coordinator of the Go Home Project, the main task has been re-uniting the women with their families and resolving any conflict that might have led to them relocating to Gambaga.

    Larry’s thesis also won the Ase Hiorth Lervik prize for best Master thesis with a gender theoretical perspective in 2021 with a ceremony in Tromso, Norway.

    About the Gambaga Witch Camp:

    The Gambaga Witch Camp Ghana’s most popular camp for women regarded witches, mostly in the northern parts of the country.

    The Camp is also a segregated community within the Gambaga township established in the 18th century to accommodate alleged witches and wizards who are banished from their communities.

    The camp has about 25 round huts and holds about 100 women. No health services or indoor plumbing are available.

  • HIV: Don’t be scared, get checked – GHANET assures

    Available research has proven that knowing your HIV status does not only decrease the risk of an infected person spreading the disease to others, but also offers the person the opportunity to seek early treatment.

    Consequently, the President of the Ghana HIV & AIDS Network
    (GHANET), Mr. Ernest Ortsin, is entreating the public to get tested for HIV in order to eradicate the disease from the country’s territory.

    The advice to the public follows recent data which indicates that there has been a surge in the number of people affected by HIV/ AIDS in the country. According to the National STIs and HIV/AIDS Control Programme, a total of 23,495 people tested positive for HIV in the first half of this year.

    He explained that this helps in achieving the UNAIDS’ 95-95-95 ambition, which seeks to diagnose 95% of all HIV-positive individuals, provide antiretroviral therapy (ART) for 95% of those diagnosed, and achieve viral suppression for 95% of those treated by 2030.

    USAIDS is the Joint-United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS. It is an innovative joint venture of the United Nations family, which brings together the efforts and resources of 11 UN system organizations to unite the world against AIDS.

    Speaking at a workshop held at the Mensvic Hotel in Accra, Mr Ortsin further mentioned that one factor derailing the fight against HIV is fake antiretroviral drugs on the
    market.

    He, thus, advised Ghanaians to desist from the use of unapproved and fake medication, particularly herbal medicine labelled as a cure for HIV, since there is no proof that herbal medicine can cure the disease.
    “Even the anti-retroviral medication does not cure HIV/ AIDS, they only suppress the viral load, so there is no cure as of now for the disease. People should be bold to report when they get to know their HIV status for the right treatment to lead normal lives,” he added.

    About HIV

    HIV, an abbreviation of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), is a virus that attacks the body’s immune system. If not treated, HIV can lead to AIDS. It is a deadly disease that has resulted in the death of many.

    According to statistics from the World Health Organization (WHO), the rate of infection, heightened since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, with
    84.2 million [64.0–113.0 million] people infected and about 40.1 million [33.6–48.6 million] people dead from the disease. Additionally, 38.4 million [33.9–43.8million] people were living with HIV at the end of 2021 globally.

    Also, data from UNAIDS indicates that 1.5 million [1.1 million–2.0 million] people will become newly infected with HIV in 2021. It adds that 650 000 [510 000–860 000] people died from AIDS-related illnesses in 2021. 28.7 million people were accessing antiretroviral therapy in 2021.

    In efforts to curtail the spread of the disease, there have been various initiatives and sensitization programmes introduced globally to help combat the disease.
    This includes the use of medicines to treat HIV, using medicines to prevent HIV, using condoms, having only low-risk sex, only having partners with the same HIV status, and not having sex can all effectively reduce risk. On how Ghana can significantly reduce the rate of spread, Mr Ortsin called for public education on a new therapy, Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PreP) and other treatment processes.

  • TrIFA Executive Director seeks adequate investment in rice production

    On Saturday, August 27, Bola Akinsanya, the Executive Director of Trade and Investment Forum Africa (TRIFA) along with a few other members of the nonprofit networking group, traveled to Juapong to conduct research and get acquainted with the local farming community.

    The visit in line with the network’s mission to broaden people’s access to economic opportunity, guarantee food security for Africa, and promote investment in the sector.

    The teams first stop was at a thriving rice plantation. One major element ensuring its success is the proximity to a water body that guarantees all year flow of water to the farmland through mechanical water pumps.

    Statistics from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) show that urbanization, population expansion, and shifting consumer preferences have all contributed to an increase in rice consumption.

    The statistics shows that between 2008 and 2020, paddy rice production was in the range of 302,000 metric tones and 987,000 metric tones (181,000 to 622,000 metric tones of milled rice) with large annual fluctuations.

    The total rice consumption in 2020 amounted to about 1,450,000 metric tones which is equivalent to per capita consumption of about 45.0kg per annum.

    Ghana depends largely on imported rice to make up for the deficit in domestic rice production, an area investors could take advantage of.

    Bola further urged Africans to venture into agriculture as it is an economically thriving investment while stressing that agribusiness is one of the easiest ways to alleviate poverty, providing employment and ultimately strengthening the cedis through exports of farm produces.

  • Unhealthy heart aged 36 could lead to premature brain shrinkage

    People who have an unhealthy heart at the age of 36 could see their brain shrink earlier, new research has found.

    A study by University College London (UCL) found poor cardiovascular health could lead to a higher brain age later in life.

    Men tend to have older brains than women of the same age, the data showed

    Participants were all of a similar age – but there was a “very wide variation” in how old the computer model predicted their brains to be.

    The research could be an important indicator for people at risk of cognitive decline or other brain-related concerns.

    Lead author of the study, Professor Jonathan Schott, UCL Dementia Research Centre, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, said: “We hope that this technique could one day be a useful tool for identifying people at risk of accelerated aging, so that they may be offered early, targeted prevention strategies to improve their brain health.”

    An established MRI-based model was used to estimate the brain age of people who took part in the Insight 46 study, funded by the charity Alzheimer’s Research UK.

    Subjects took part throughout their entire lives – allowing scientists to cross-reference their brain ages to various other factors.

    The participants were all aged between 69 and 72 – but their brain ages varied from 46 to 93.

    People with worse cardiovascular health at the age of 36 or 69 had poorer brain health.

    People with worse cardiovascular health at the age of 36 or 69 had poorer brain health.

    Dr. Sarah Imarisio, head of research at Alzheimer’s Research UK, hailed the study for helping to develop a greater understanding of the “complex relationship” between different factors which influence brain health.

    “Using machine learning, researchers in this study have uncovered yet more evidence that poorer heart health in midlife is linked to greater brain shrinkage in later life.

    “We are incredibly grateful to the dedicated group of individuals who have contributed to research their entire lives making this work possible.”

    Source: Skynews

  • Why you should reach out to old friends

    Thinking of reaching out to old friends but nervous it will be awkward or that they won’t appreciate it? You should make those phone calls or send a text or email, according to new research.

    A study published July 11 in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology found that people often underestimate how much their friends and old acquaintances appreciate hearing from them.
    “If there’s been someone that you’ve been hesitating to reach out to, that you’ve lost touch with perhaps, you should go ahead and reach out, and they’re likely to appreciate it much more than you think,” said Peggy Liu, the study’s lead author. Liu is the Ben L. Fryrear chair in marketing and associate professor of business administration at the University of Pittsburgh’s Katz Graduate School of Business.
    The researchers conducted a series of 13 experiments with more than 5,900 participants to see if people could accurately estimate how much their friends value them reaching out and what forms of communication make the biggest impact. In these experiments, reaching out was defined as a phone call, text, email, note or small gift.
    The experiments found that initiators significantly underestimated the recipient’s reaction to the check-in.
    “It’s often less about these kinds of grand overtures that we can make in our relationships and more about the small moments of letting a friend know that we’re thinking of them,” said Miriam Kirmayer, a clinical psychologist and friendship expert who was not involved in the study.
    A recipient appreciated the communication more when it was surprising, such as when it was from someone the recipient did not regularly contact or when the participant and recipient did not consider themselves to be close friends, the study found.
    “When you feel that sense of positive surprise,” Liu said, “it really further boosts the appreciation that you feel.”
    Relationships, including friendships, can be one of the strongest predictors of how healthy we are and how long we live, and they can boost our overall well-being.
    “Those types of small reach outs with lower stakes can go a long way towards strengthening relationships early on, getting a friendship off the ground and maintaining them over time,” Kirmayer said.

    Overcoming anxiety about being rejected

    Friendships require nourishment, sociologist Anna Akbari said. But a variety of insecurities can prevent us from reaching out, said Akbari, who was not involved in the study.
    To get over some of this discomfort, take notice of automatic thought patterns that arise when thinking about communicating with a friend, and try to push back against them, Kirmayer said. These patterns can include ideas that one friend cares more and puts in more effort than another, or the assumption that a friend does not like you back.
    One of the common fears around reaching out is rejection, Akbari said. When focusing on the possibility of rejection, one may deprive oneself of close friendships and enjoyable experiences, she added.
    It’s impossible to avoid rejection, so learning how to be OK with it can allow people to become more resilient, Akbari said.
    People can also combat fear by putting themselves in their friends’ shoes and thinking about how they would feel if they received the contact, said Marisa Franco, a psychologist and assistant clinical professor at the University of Maryland and author of the forthcoming book “Platonic: How the Science of Attachment Can Help You Make — and Keep — Friends.” She was not involved in the study.
    Doing so can help push back against the assumption things will go poorly when you reach out, she added.

    Using social media as a way to connect

    The recent research did not evaluate the effects of reaching out on social media platforms, and friendship experts have conflicting opinions on how much social media may make a difference when communicating with an old friend.
    For those who aren’t ready to text or call their friends out of the blue, commenting or responding on social media can be a good place to start, Franco said.
    However, using social media isn’t the most natural form of communication and can often lead to more surface level conversations, Akbari said.
    “We mistake comments on social media posts as personal communication and connection rather than private exchanges,” she said.
    And while communicating by text or email isn’t as impersonal as social media, Akbari recommended that people call their friends. It might feel awkward to pick up the phone and make a call, but the connection will likely be more genuine, she added.
    Younger generations have become conditioned to communication that doesn’t happen in real time, she said. As a result, they may feel performance anxiety when picking up the phone.
    “If we’re on the phone or face-to-face with someone, we’re having a dialogue,” Akbari said. “You can respond. I can say something. There is no sort of delayed ‘I’m going to think about it,’ ‘I’m going to craft just the right thing’ or ‘I can easily opt out if it makes me the slightest bit uncomfortable.’
    Not quite ready to call? Write a gratitude letter, said Harry Reis, a psychology professor and dean’s professor in arts, sciences and engineering at the University of Rochester. He was not involved in the study. Practicing gratitude has been shown to lead to “solidified and secure social relationships,” according to a 2021 study by the Journal of Applied School Psychology.

    Take time to evaluate your friendships

    This new study can help calm the anxiety that people face when it comes to contacting friends, Akbari said. Since the primary way people reach out is through private means of communication, the worst that can happen is that the recipient does not respond, she added.
    “You kind of got your answer of how that person regards you,” Akbari said of a lack of response. “You shift your attention to someone else who will be more appreciative, who will reciprocate.”
    Friendships can sometimes feel one-sided, where one person feels like they are putting in all the effort, Kirmayer said.
    Kirmayer has noticed that many clients have been increasingly worried they are carrying a heavy emotional load when it comes to their friendships. However, this often isn’t the case, she added.
    “Sometimes we can overestimate the extent to which we ourselves are the one reaching out,” she said. “It’s also important to push back against that a little bit, to take notice of the little moments when our friends are reaching out.”
    Source: CNN
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