16-12-2011
Narration: Available statistics from the 2010 HIV Sentinel survey conducted nationwide has shown an unprecedented increase in HIV prevalence rate in the Upper East Region recording as high as 2.4 percent compared to the country’s median HIV prevalence rate of 1.5. This comparably leaves the region with one of the highest prevalence rate in the country, thereby thwarting the effort of the region’s health sector. The Deputy Upper East Regional Minister, Mrs. Lucy Awuni who made the disclosure described the situation as unacceptable. Mrs. Awuni sad this at the occasion of the commemoration of World AIDS day at Bolgatanga on the theme: “Getting to Zero, the Role of the Youth” Mrs. Awuni lamented that until stakeholders redouble their effort in ensuring a massive reduction in the prevalence rate of the disease, the fight against the deadly scourge in the region would be a mirage. Correspondent Isaac Asare has the rest of the story for Radio Ghana.
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The Upper East Region could not participate in this year’s World AIDS Day which fell on December, 1st, 2011 with the theme “Getting to Zero”. This was due to the fact that the region was to have its turn with the second edition of the Meet-the–Press series. The Deputy Upper East Regional Minister, Mrs. Lucy Awuni said Ghana’s sub-theme; ‘The Role of the Youth’ is adopted to reflect both the impact of HIV on the youth and the potential of the youth to significantly contribute to reducing new HIV infections. The choice of the national themes she explained takes into account the need for greater involvement of the youth in the national response and the essence to drawing the attention to issues of youth and HIV. This she noted is in conformity to the objectives of the World AIDS Day, which is geared at promoting leadership commitment and accountability in responding to the epidemic, a potential threat to Ghana’s development as a middle income country. She noted that despite the remarkable success made with regards to HIV reduction in all other regions of the country, the situation in Upper East is different as the rate of infection keeps going up. Mrs. Awuni was sad that despite the combine effort of the health sector of the region and its partners, nothing concrete had been achieved in respect to the rate of infection in the region. Mrs. Awuni lamented that until stakeholders attach strong commitment in dealing with the situation, the fight against the deadly HIV scourge would yield no expected results. She called on stakeholders involved in the teaching, prevention and awareness creation programmes to feature the youth in their activities so as to achieve the national target of zero infection, zero discrimination against victims and zero HIV related deaths. She also charged stakeholders particularly the media to inform and educate the masses on HIV and AIDS issues. The media she stressed should disseminate facts on HIV and AIDS that will help in the relief of physical and psychological pain of people living with the disease. In a speech read for him, the Regional Director of Health Services, Dr John Koku Awoonor-Williams, announced plans to establish HIV satellite centres at the sub district levels to bring Anti Retroviral Therapy’s (ARTs) to the doorstep of people living with the disease. The Chairperson of NAP+, a network of people living with HIV, Madam Teni Ayuupaadu, told Radio Ghana that stigma and discrimination still remains their major challenge to the fight against the disease and called for concerted effort to stop the practice. She also mentioned transportation as one of the challenges since most persons living with the disease lack the financial zeal to travel and access medication, especially at the ART centres. This year’s regional durbar attended by students of health training institutions including departmental heads was accompanied by free HIV Testing and Counseling for people who want to know their status as part of the “Know Your Status Campaign” that is being waged against the HIV pandemic.
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