Ghana joins world to mark world AIDS Day
This year’s World AIDS Day was yesterday marked in Accra with a call on Ghanaians to end stigmatising and discriminating against people living with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.
The day, commemorated on December 1, is set aside to remember the millions of lives that have been lost to AIDS, with the first case of the disease identified in 1981.
This year’s event is on the theme: ‘Take the rights path.” Ending AIDS together; stepping up prevention.’
Speaking at a National Durbar to commemorate the day, the former Majority leader, Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, said stigmatisation undermined the progress made to combat the disease.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu emphasised the importance of treating all individuals with dignity and respect, regardless of their health status.
He pointed out that the global fight against HIV is hindered not by a lack of knowledge or tools but by structural inequalities, saying, “In Ghana, these inequalities disproportionately affect women and girls, who make up two-thirds of those living with HIV.”
“Adolescent girls, in particular, account for the majority of new infections among young people” he added.
The former Majority leader stressed the importance of addressing gender-based violence, harmful cultural practices like child marriage, and the silence surrounding these issues in many communities.
He also highlighted the government’s efforts to invest in antiretroviral medicines and secure long-term funding for HIV programmes in collaboration with the Ghana AIDS Commission and the Ministry of Finance.
“We must work towards building a society where no one is left behind, where every person living with HIV has access to the treatment they need and where discrimination is no longer a reality. To achieve this, I recognise the urgent need to make clinical tests for HIV/AIDS available through the National Health Insurance Scheme,” he outlined.
The Director General, Dr Kyeremeh Atuahene, also noted that the country’s HIV prevalence remains relatively low at 1.5 per cent and over the years, there has been a significant expansion of access to life-saving prevention, treatment, and care services across the country.
“Policies and proven strategies have been implemented to enhance the national response and accelerate progress towards the ambitious 95-95-95 targets, which aim for 95 per cent of people living with HIV to know their status, 95 per cent of those diagnosed to be on treatment, and 95 per cent of those on treatment to achieve viral suppression,” he explained.
Moreover, he emphasised that the economic benefits of investing in HIV treatment and prevention are undeniable. We must recognise HIV care and support as an investment in Ghana’s future.
“A healthy population is essential for economic growth and sustainable development,” he highlighted
The Presidential Advisor on HIV/AIDS at the Office of the President, Dr Mokowa Blay Adu-Gyamfi, also expressed the government continued commitment to improve access to HIV services, overcoming stigma, and a future free from AIDS.
BY EMMANUELLA MBAMA AKIMBI
