Ghana must do more to fight HIV-related stigma

Accra, June 10, GNA – Madam Comfort
Asamoah-Adu, Executive Director of the West Africa AIDS Program, and
IST (WAPCAS), an NGO, said the issue of stigma and discrimination continues to erode
Ghana's successes in the fight against HIV, especially among
key population.

She said that if Ghana would be able to make disappear
with HIV problems by 2030, then every effort should be made to eliminate
stigma, which was rampant at all levels.

Ms. Asamoah-Adu said that there was still a
high level of HIV stigma at the community and health facility level, and
the general population and therefore his organization was working in the communities and
in some facilities, to help reduce this stigma through various abilities
construction activities and outreach in partnership with traditional leaders
and members of the community.

WAPCAS, is a civil society organization that has worked in
Ghana for 23 years, providing services in the areas of HIV and
reproductive health, as well as tuberculosis for key populations and others
in some Ghanaian communities of Greater Accra, East, West,
Brong Ahafo and the Ashanti regions.

S addressing to the Ghana News Agency on the
Asamoah-Adu said the Atlantic Working Group had organized an evaluation workshop in Accra.
Organization in 2018 became the sole recipient of Global Fund support for
provide health services to the key population and to people living with HIV and AIDS
in Ghana, by promoting their human rights and other means of strengthening the community system
activities in some 33 districts.

The meeting was a CSO commitment to inform
participants in WAPCAS activities and ask for their support and support
suggestions that would improve the work.

Ms. Asamoah-Adu stated that the organization was
also providing technical and financial support to other civil society organizations, including the
Hope for future generations (HFFG) and Pro-link Ghana so that they too can
implement part of the projects.

She said the project that started in 2018
would end in 2020, providing services to the key population in 20 districts,
was intended to support the National Tuberculosis Program and the National HIV Control Program.
program.

She explained that the proposed projects
capacity building and community building for people living with HIV, TB
patients and the key population "so that they can freely access the services
health facilities ".

She said that the management of STIs at different levels
were also performed, while HIV testing and management in the community was ongoing.
to help stop the spread of new HIV infections.

Ms. Asamoah-Adu said as part of the path
media engagement would be organized to deepen the
understanding of the issues so that the media can support the campaign
stigmatization, as CSOs rediscover their advocacy with all
levels to help reduce stigma.

Ms. Cecelia Senoo, Executive Director of
Hope for future generations, said his organization as a sub-recipient of the
Support, had implemented the program with WAPCA in recent years
six months.

She stated that the meeting had thus allowed
players the feedback and contributions needed to help support the implementation and
improve the work in progress.

GNA