HIV is no longer a disease – US Press Attaché

Health News Thursday, November 29, 2018

Source: Ghananewsagency.org

2018-11-29

Ms. Naomi Mattos, press officer at the US Embassy in Accra, observed that HIV is no longer a disease but a condition requiring support to "eliminate" the stigma and discrimination associated with it.

She added that it was time for people to understand that the situation is a problem for everyone and avoid discriminatory attitudes.

Ms. Mattos said this when she had had contact with staff at the Ho Municipal Hospital as part of the activities marking World AIDS Day this year and the tenth anniversary of the plan. US President's Emergency to Fight AIDS (PEPFAR) in Ghana.

PREFAR is campaigning on the sub-theme "HIV-related stigma and anti-discrimination: just stop it" and targets 14-18 year olds with prevention and protection messages.

"We need to recognize that we are part of the solution and do not become an obstacle," said Mattos. She called on the media to participate in the fight against stigma and discrimination in order to reach the targets set at 90-90-90 for 2020 and fight against AIDS. world in 2030.

Agenda 90-90-90 means that 90 percent of people will know their HIV status, 90 percent will receive antiretroviral therapy and 90 percent of people with the disease will have viral suppression by putting HIV and AIDS under control and avoiding the spread. .

Ms. Dzid Enyonam Kwame, a media expert at PEPFAR, noted that stigma continues to hinder progress in eradicating HIV in the country and called for concerted efforts to address this challenge. She urged health workers and caregivers to lead the anti-stigma campaign professionally, whether on duty or not, and to encourage people to be tested and informed. have access to care.

Ms Kwame said that confidentiality was essential to eradicate stigma and asked health workers, the main source of hope for people living with HIV to maintain trust. Reverend John Azumah, HIV ambassador, said health workers could help fight stigma by complying with medical data regulations.

He added that stigma has discouraged more than half of the 350,000 people living with HIV in Ghana from seeking medical care, which has increased prevalence. Reverend Azumah said that practices in health facilities, such as naming, marking cases and designating special beds for HIV-positive people, should be stopped.

He asked people living with HIV to use a reporting platform developed by the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice to seek redress.

Reverend Azumah called on stakeholders to consider teaching the teaching of HIV care providers in health training institutions to "remove" the stigma and discrimination experienced by nurses before they enter in the common rooms.

Mr. Charles Torkonoo, a director of the Ho Municipal Hospital, said that the institution was planning to create a purpose-built, well-resourced anti-retroviral center in a user-friendly environment and urged A support.