Canada-based rapper Lanie Banks joins UNASO for training to mark World TB Day

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Canadian-Ugandan rapper Lanie Banks has partnered with The Uganda Network Of AIDS Service Organisations (UNASO) to help raise awarness countrywide about HIV and tuberculosis (TB).

UNASO recently held the second “Yes, We Can End TB” training in eastern Uganda that attracted music and arts celebrities from Mbale, Bukwo, Busia and Tororo districts. World TB day, was marked in Butaleja district under the theme “Yes! We Can End TB”.

UNASO said in a statement that the commemorative training held at the Rocy Hotel in Mbale district from September 20^th to 22nd was an opportunity to raise awareness about the burden of tuberculosis (TB) worldwide and the status of TB Prevention and care efforts. It was also an opportunity to mobilize political and social commitment for further progress in efforts to end TB.

Participants focussed on how to orient the community members with facts on HIV and TB spread plus structural, cultural and social barriers that need to be broken, in commemoration of World TB Day.

“Celebrities usually create a huge impact in society when involved in raising awareness because they inspire many people especially the young in society and it is one of the best ways of passing advocacy messages to the communities,” UNASO said in a statement.

During an internet video, call session with the training facilitators, Lanie Banks a major partner whose real name is Micheal Osings narrated that TB was the ninth leading cause of death worldwide and the leading cause from a single infectious agent, ranking above HIV/AIDS. Over 25% of TB, deaths occur in the African Region. The emergence of multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) poses a major health security threat and could risk gains made in the fight against TB.

He stated that World TB Day provided a platform for affected persons and communities, civil society organizations, health-care providers, policy makers, development partners to ddvocate, discuss and plan further collaboration to fulfil the promise of reaching all people with quality TB prevention and care services as well as enabling TB prevention through multi-sectoral development eforts.

During the training, contemporary skits in terms of drama and comedy for all ages were generated. The drama and skits, UNASO said in a statement, aimed at portraying the characters with dignity and model positive behaviours that did not show women only as victims or men as monsters. Not only were the short dramas meant to entertain but also to ensure that people were not laughing at or minimising HIV and Tuberculosis infected persons as this goes against the spirit and overall goal of world tuberculosis day.

Peace Nabududa who was the lead facilitator at the three-day training said that it was tempting to desire solutions to problems presented by the story within the same drama, however,  leaving the story hanging was an excellent choice to keep  people talking about the story line.

Lamu Edet, a co-facilitator  mentioned that the dramas were non-judgemental and never portrayed extreme violence such as women being beaten or raped, because it dehumanises the characters.

“The skits aimed at letting the audience know SGBV, HIV Infection and TB contraction happened in other ways. They enable the audience share a language about what they actually experienced and help the audience to keep talking, reflecting about the drama and skits in their daily lives and hence the skits covered only HIV/AIDs Awareness, TB Spread and SGBV Prevention,” Lamu Edet said.

Certificates were awarded to the participants and  T-Shirts and caps that have TB and HIV advocacy messages were availed to enable them do social behavioural communication through fashion. Musicians promised to sensitize fans through music compositions, media platforms such as radio, television and social media and involve other health partners like Reproductive Health Uganda during public gatherings. Some promised to take their parents for cancer screening.