Employers tasked to show love and compassion to employees living with HIV and AIDS

01-12-2011            

As we celebrate World’s AIDS Day today, Youth Harvest Foundation Ghana, an NGO, is urging all employers to stop discriminating against their AIDS-affected employees and the society in general against those infected by the virus. Efforts must therefore be made to recognize their contribution and promote their active participation in all aspects of the AIDS response. This will help improve their condition and make them feel part of the society. Speaking to Radio Ghana at Bolgatanga, the Programmes Coordinator of Youth Harvest Foundation Ghana, John Kingsley Krugu said it is high time people recognize the need to show love, support and compassion to people living with HIV and AIDS and to commemorate those who have lost their lives due to the deadly scourge. He said people living with the disease should be recognized and be seen as powerful role models in guiding us to better approaches to prevention, sustainable health and human dignity. He added that as people aiming at a common goal, there is the need to unite in the fight against the disease by being aware of HIV act accordingly to prevent its spread. The time to act he said is now. Mr Krugu he said HIV and AIDS affects mostly the youth between the ages of 15 and 35, the reason being that the youth are the most sexually active people and constitute 50 percent of the total population affected with HIV in the country. The youth he further stated indulge in unprotected sex and sometimes live promiscuous lifestyles with multiple partners. This, Mr Krugu noted tend to increase the possibility of getting infected with the disease. He was of the view that factors such as lack of information and education on sex, pressure from friends and the media to be sexually active and being in control of their health care like having to attend to a doctor with their parents also contribute in making them vulnerable to the spread of the virus. He disclosed that HIV and AIDS is by far the most deadly disease claiming the lives of over 25 million people since its discovery. About 33.2 million people worldwide live with the disease as of 2007 making it the most critical epidemic recorded in history. In preventing its spread, Mr. Krugu called for the collective effort of all and stressed the urgent need for people to know their HIV status. According to him, the road to achieving this year’s theme:” Getting to Zero” is foreseeable since the strategies and promises made in UNAIDS adopted strategy for 2011-2015 are audacious, concrete and practical. The strategy he explained aims to advance global progress in achieving country set targets for universal access to HIV prevention,care and support and to halt and reverse the spread of HIV and moreover contribute to the achievement of the Millennium Development goals of 2015 owing to the growing HIV concerns raised worldwide. In realizing the vision of the said theme, Youth Harvest Foundation Ghana, he assured aspires to intensify its educational campaign among the people of the region against the devastating impact the disease has globally, and also encourage all youth groups to rise up to the challenge and organize programs to combat the causes of the deadly disease. He further expressed his outfit commitment to encourage young people to update their knowledge on the dangers of the disease and commit themselves to prevent its spread.

 GBC                                                 END                                          IA/