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This Is Going To Hurt: “the best medical drama in years” is now on Showmax

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This Is Going To Hurt

Hailed as “the best medical drama in years” by TIME, This Is Going To Hurt is now available to binge on Showmax

Emmy winner Ben Whishaw (Mary Poppins Returns, Q in the last three Bond films, and the voice of Paddington) stars as real-life doctor Adam Kay, whose bestselling memoir of the same name was based on his diaries, scribbled in secret after endless days, sleepless nights and missed weekends, telling the unvarnished truth of life as a doctor working in obstetrics and gynaecology, “also known as brats and twats”, as he says in the show.

Asked how it feels ​​to have Ben playing him in the TV show, Adam says, “To have the finest actor of his generation playing me? In a career-defining performance? …Yeah, it’s OK, I guess.”

Directed by BAFTA winners Lucy Forbes (The End Of The F***ing World) and Tom Kingsley (Stath Lets Flats), the seven-part limited series is MetaCritic’s eighth best-reviewed series of 2022 so far and has a 95% critics’ rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Newcomer Ambika Mod’s co-starring role as Shruti, a junior doctor, saw her hailed as “2022’s first bona fide breakout” by GQ, alongside a cast that includes the likes of Emmy nominee Dame Harriet Walter (Killing Eve, The Crown, Succession), and BAFTA nominee Alex Jennings (A Very English Scandal, The Queen, The Crown).

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The actors received basic medical training from working medical advisors, while real hospital staffers played the extras. “No corners are cut on the medical side of things,” says Ambika. “We really learned how to do a caesarean; we really learned how to do a forceps procedure; we really learned how to do all that stuff. It’s as true to life as we could have made it.”

Read Also: Waterz Yidana to represent Ghana at the International Writing Program at the University of Iowa

“But,” she continues, “it’s also really funny. I think human beings are f***ing ridiculous, like, we are ridiculous as people, and life is ridiculous. And I don’t think that’s [ever] more true than it is in a hospital, when human life is at its most exposed, its most vulnerable, its most desperate, and you just can’t help but laugh when you’re crying and vice versa. So it’s testament to the ridiculousness and complexity of human emotion as well.”

“A lot of the humour,” Ben says, “is just drawn directly from real-life stuff that happened to Adam. And to a degree, a lot of the jokes are Adam’s way of coping, I suppose, with the pressures of being a doctor.”

Adam believes that’s the only honest way to portray life in a hospital – as a comedy-drama. “A sitcom could never speak to the urgency and tragedy of life on the wards, nor could a straight drama convey the funny and ridiculous situations that pepper every doctor’s day,” he says. “You can have a hilarious moment in an antenatal clinic that you know you’ll be recounting in pubs for years, and two minutes later you’re telling a patient that you can’t find their baby’s heartbeat – it’s a job of contrasts and constant gear-shifts.”

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It’s these contrasting realities that Adam, who adapted the script and executive produced the series himself, set out to portray. “My diaries were published in the first place because I wanted people to understand the true nature of a doctor’s job. I think people were definitely surprised: the constant tsunami of bodily fluids, earning less than the hospital parking metre, and the difficulty in maintaining friendships and relationships when you’re working 97-hour weeks.”

“I certainly didn’t know any of this when I applied to be a doctor in the first place,” Adam admits, “and I rather wish I had. I’ve had messages from angry parents telling me that my book has put their children off a career in medicine – I’m pretty sure that if a book put them off being a doctor then being a doctor would have really put them off. The TV show has the capacity to reach a far bigger audience, and really let them know about the huge toll being a doctor takes on the human beings underneath the scrubs.”

“It really isn’t like any medical drama or comedy that I’ve ever experienced before,” says Ambika. “There’s absolutely nothing shiny about the show. It’s funny, it’s cruel, it’s disgusting, it’s gruesome, and… it’s so much about the job. With other [hospital shows], there is a lot of focus on characters who just happen to work in a hospital. Whereas, here, the job itself, and the NHS, is very much front and centre.”

Adam hopes the show will help shift the dial on how the healthcare system deals with the mental wellbeing of its staff. “People will potentially be very surprised about quite how deep the deep end is in medicine,” he says, “and how steep the learning curve accordingly has to be. I wish I could say that any aspect of this has been exaggerated. By the very nature of the job, there are a lot of ‘bad days’, and on a labour ward, those bad days can obviously be extremely bad.”

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“The attitude in medicine is very stiff-upper-lip,” he says. “You’re a bloody doctor and you bloody get on with it. The book and the show both highlight doctors struggling after difficult incidents. When the book was released, I was contacted by dozens of medics who told me that until they read it they thought they were the first doctor who’d ever cried in the locker room. The truth is most doctors end up crying in a locker room but no one ever really talks about it. Things have got slightly better since I last did a shift on the labour ward, but not better enough, and not fast enough.”

“It raises a lot of questions about who looks after the people who look after us,” Ambika says. “All these people… they’re humans just as much as we are. And they are as fallible. They are as prone to illness, as prone to mental health issues as the rest of us, and I think we often tend to forget that.”

 

Watch This Is Going to Hurt on Showmax: https://www.showmax.com/eng/tvseries/vjgu7411-this-is-going-to-hurt

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People & Lifestyle

OldSwat features Unsigned and Talented artist; Quame Rhymz on “Obrefour”

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Obrefour

Ghana-born Belgian music producer known as OldSwat has started an initiative to give unheard, talented and unsigned artists the platform to share their stories with the world. “Obrefour” featuring Quame Rhymz is the first single off this project. The 14-track project titled “The Discovery” album features 14 talented up-and-coming artists from Ghana. (more…)

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Consolidated Bank Ghana LTD Leads GHS 600 million Note Programme Listing for Kasapreko Co. PLC on Ghana Fixed Income Market

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IMG 20240219 WA0018

Consolidated Bank Ghana LTD (CBG) in a strategic partnership as a joint lead arranger has lauded Kasapreko Co. Plc, an indigenous beverage manufacturer, for its ambitious growth plans following the official listing of the Series 1 GHS 600 million Note Programme on the Ghana Fixed Income Market (GFIM).

The funds raised will bolster Kasapreko Co. Plc’s working capital, financing capital expenditures such as operational expansion, and refinancing short-term debts.

Speaking at a joint press briefing in Accra, the Managing Director of CBG, Mr. Daniel Wilson Addo, emphasized the significance of the transaction, indicating that this is the first time an indigenous Ghanaian Bank has worked with an indigenous manufacturing company to raise funding from local pension funds in the public market. This signifies fostering strong partnerships among indigenous companies to overcome financing challenges innovatively. 

He added that the funding which is at a cost significantly lower than the Ghana Reference Rate (GRR) for borrowing will cushion Kasapreko Co. Plc’s operations significantly.

He underlined the importance of addressing risks associated with Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) while encouraging financial institutions and industries to develop financial structures that meet the evolving risks effectively.

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Mr. Addo stated, “This transaction is a testament to our overriding ambition to make an impact in the communities in which we operate. We stand with you in good times or in bad times”.

According to Mr. Addo, the support for Kasapreko Co. Plc highlights the economic impact of CBG’s lending philosophy.

The Managing Director of Kasapreko Co. Plc, Mr. Richard Adjei, welcomed the innovative financing source, describing it as a relatively cheaper capital and sustainable solution for business growth.

Mr. Adjei expressed his gratitude towards CBG for enabling them to explore alternatives beyond traditional Banks. With the infusion, Kasapreko Co. Plc aims to expand production capacity and enhance its participation in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), having already exported products to Kenya and South Africa.

In attendance were Management members of the Consolidated Bank Ghana LTD (CBG) including the Deputy Managing Director of Operations and Technology, Mr. Thairu Ndungu; Deputy Managing Director of Corporate Resources, Madam Nana Ama Poku and Director of Finance and Strategy, Mr. Charles Appiah and other senior executives of the Bank.

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Mr. Gregg Pitt, Deputy Managing Director; Mr. Humphrey Hessel-Appiah, Finance Director; Mr. Gerald Bonsu, Commercial Director; and Mr. Isaac Adjei, a Board Member, all of Kasapreko Co. Plc were also present.

Consolidated Bank Ghana LTD (CBG) is wholly owned by the Government of Ghana and operates as a universal Bank with 114 branches in 13 regions of Ghana. The Bank has strong government support, a large SME client network, and a pool of diverse talent.

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Telecel Ghana Network Update

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Telecel Launch

Telecel Ghana has multiple sources of internet services through SAT3, WACS, ACE, and submarine fibre links to other international providers.

On the 12th of March 2024, Telecel Ghana lost internet capacity provided by WACS subsea cable, and immediately switched to ACE to maintain service.

On 14th March 2024, Telecel Ghana lost internet connectivity from its remaining providers SAT3 and ACE due to a cut in their undersea cables. This resulted in the disruption of data services on Mobile and Fixed networks.

Telecel Ghana has now secured new internet capacity and is progressively adding more capacities through local and international partners, including other Telecel subsidiaries. This, is in addition to local caching solutions which are enabling access to some content services such as YouTube, Facebook, Netflix etc.

Telecel Ghana sincerely appreciates the patience and understanding of its customers during this period. All customers will be refunded accordingly. 

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Please note that information circulating on social media platforms about the disconnection of Telecel Ghana due to debts owed is false and should be disregarded.

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SuperSport to air 13th African Games on DStv & GOtv from March 19

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2023 African Games Logo

SuperSport International have confirmed that the ongoing 13th African Games will telecast on DStv and GOtv from 19th to 23rd March 2024.

The broadcast will cover a wide range of sports disciplines. Given that this is also an Olympics year, the athletics, track, and field which began today may be the most significant sport fans across the continent would love to follow.

Currently Nigeria and South Africa, led by Egypt (first), are ranked second and third, respectively, on the medal standings.

Ahead of the live feed on your DStv and GOtv starting tomorrow 19th March 2024, SuperSport is streaming live the games on the DStv Stream and GOtv Stream apps.  Subsequently from tomorrow the broadcast would be open on DStv 248 (Variety 4) (DStv) and GOtv channel 131 (Select 2).

The 13th African Games are already delivering unforgettable experiences, reconnect your decoder to be part of a celebration of diverse sporting talent and cultural unity live from Accra Ghana.

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Hollard Ghana Empowers Student Entrepreneurs with Second Edition of Streetwise Finance Business Challenge.

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Winner HSBC

Hollard Ghana, the country’s favourite insurer, with subsidiaries Hollard Insurance and Hollard Life, awards Jnelp Innovations, a student entrepreneur, with GHC 40,000 as funding at the just-ended Hollard Streetwise Finance Entrepreneurship Business Challenge held at the University of Cape Coast. 

In collaboration with the University of Ghana Business School and the University of Cape Coast, the grant-based program showcased ten talented student-led businesses that presented their business ideas to a distinguished panel of judges in a bid to secure funding. Zenags Organics won the second-place prize of GHC 20,000, and Career Path won the third-place award of GHC 10,000.

Speaking on the essence of the event, Alexander Osei Mensah, General Manager of Operations at Hollard Insurance, described the initiative as a testament to the insurance group’s efforts to nurture entrepreneurial spirit and innovation among the youth.

“As a company that does well by doing good, our purpose is to bridge the gap between the corporate world and academia. Being an entrepreneurially driven company, Hollard believes in enabling its community to create better futures. Since universities are essential in nation-building and the training ground for business leaders, we focus on engaging tertiary students to ensure they are enabled to succeed in the future with Hollard’s support. In doing so, we aim to inspire more students to explore opportunities that will lead to successful employment upon graduation, particularly through entrepreneurship,” Alex added.GROUP HSBC

Portia Sackey, the founder of Jnelp Innovations, expressed her satisfaction with the event’s outcome, stating, “We are thrilled to be winners of the Hollard Streetwise Finance Business Challenge.   We are grateful to Hollard Ghana for this opportunity to help small businesses thrive. With this funding, we will expand our business by investing in research and development for our skin product and purchasing a tricycle and two extra automatic filling machines to enable us to meet the demanding markets with our products”. 

The success of the second edition of the Streetwise Finance Business Challenge reinforces Hollard Ghana’s commitment to fostering economic growth and empowering the next generation of business leaders. The company remains dedicated to supporting initiatives that contribute to the overall development of Ghana’s entrepreneurial landscape. Student startup businesses participating in the competition include Overseas, Gamkrib, Delsoy Foods, Shuttle Track, Prifrimps Food, Geia Technology, and Firefly I.O.

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Keren Arthur, PhD, the Director of the D-Hub, urged the winners to be strategic in their decisions while remembering that entrepreneurship is an experimental process. 

“Adopt a step-by-step process for using funds and know that entrepreneurship requires a small-scale pilot before major investment. To the other businesses who competed, don’t give up. This event has added to your story, and I hope this will make you stronger and even more committed to taking the ideas forward. The doors of the D-Hub are always open to help you chart the next chapter of your story,” she added.

 

The country’s favourite insurance group is Hollard Ghana, with subsidiaries Hollard Insurance and Hollard Life Assurance. The group combines its deep local knowledge of the market, having previously operated in Ghana for 25 years as Metropolitan Insurance, with the world-class expertise of an international insurance brand in 18 countries worldwide. With feet firmly planted on Ghanaian soil but headquartered in South Africa, Hollard delivers innovative insurance solutions customised to the unique risks Ghanaians face. Hollard offers various life and general insurance products, including funeral, personal accident, motor, business, travel, home, and more, and can be reached via 0307000599. Beyond various nationwide office branches and Hollard 2U franchise shops, Ghanaians can find Hollard at Shell Fuel Station Welcome Shops, Melcom stores and online at www.hollard.com.gh, www.melcom.com/hollard-insurance and www.jumia.com.gh for all their insurance needs.

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Team South Africa withdraws hockey from African Games due to poor pitch conditions

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sa hockey

South Africa’s hockey teams have decided to withdraw from the 2023 African Games hockey competition due to concerns regarding the poor quality of the pitch at Theodosia Okoh stadium in Accra. (more…)

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