Bolgatanga, Dec. 28, – The Upper
East Regional Technical Coordinator of the Ghana AIDS Commission, Dr Gifty
Apiung Aninanya, has expressed worry that stigma and discrimination were still
the major challenges in the prevention of the HIV transmission and provision of
proper health care to clients.
Stigma and discrimination she
said, came in different forms, which increases the burden of the people living
with the disease.
Dr Aninanya made this known
during an advocacy workshop organized by the Commission for religious leaders,
herbalists and media personnel, aimed at strengthening the Commission’s working
relationships with its implementing partners.
Dr Aninanya explained that People
Living with HIV (PLHIV) are often stigmatized and discriminated against through
an ill believe that the disease was a punishment for their misdeeds.
She rubbished the claim that
women were responsible for transmitting HIV and other Sexually Transmitted
Infections (STIs) and said the disease is transmitted through contact with
contaminated HIV blood, which most often came through unprotected sexual
intercourse.
She bemoaned the spate at which
some religious and community leaders in the country denied expectant couples
from marrying because of their HIV status. “People Living with HIV have the
right to marry and they should not be denied their choice of partners” she
said.
She said “the Ghana AIDS
Commission ACT 938, frowns on discrimination and stigmatisation of people
living with HIV and persons who inflict any form of stigma and discrimination
against them would not go unpunished.”
She used the occasion to caution
media practitioners in the region to be circumspect in their choice of words
when reporting on HIV/AIDS related issues and admonished health workers to be
modest and welcoming in attending to the needs of PLHIV.
Dr Aninanya debunked claims by
sections of the public that the country had found a cure for HIV. “Some
religious leaders are discouraging some of our clients from taking the drugs.
There is no cure for AIDS, so whereas you pray for God’s support, continue
taking your drugs” she advised PLHIV.
The Regional Medical Herbalist,
Mr Benjamin Yaw Esson, warned herbalists to refrain from deceiving the public
that they had cure for HIV/AIDS, because there was no any scientifically proven
medicines for curing HIV/AIDS.
Mr Zakaria Braimah, Upper East
Regional Director of Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), entreated herbalists to
seek approval from the authority and other regulatory bodies before selling
their medications to the public. “Under no circumstance should a drug be sold
or administered on anyone without the approval of the authority.”
Dr Samuel Aborah, Clinical
Coordinator at the Upper East Regional Hospital said it was vital to allow
management of all CHPS centres to administer antiretroviral drugs to PLHIV to
help reduce new HIV infections.
GNA
Caption:
1. DR Gifty Apiung Aninanya,
Upper East Regional Technical Coordinator of the Ghana AIDS Commission
2. Some of the stakeholders at
the meeting.
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