Ending AIDS By 2030: Ghana AIDS Commission calls for collaborative support
The Ghana AIDS Commission has called on the general public to support the fight against the spread of HIV in the country as the nation seeks to end AIDS by 2030 per the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs) target.
The Commission has expressed worry about how the number of positive cases of HIV continues to increase annually.
The 2022 data from the Ghana AIDS Commission shows that a total number of 354,927 persons in the country are HIV positive, a 2.7% increment from the previous years.
The upsurge in cases is a result of persons with the virus unknowingly spreading it to negative individuals.
Moreover, there are some HIV carriers who because of stigmatization do not want to visit any health facility to be under Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) to avoid the spread of the virus in the body.
The Commission says most people living with HIV who know their status are on treatment.
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“72 percent of persons living with HIV know their status and 87 percent of those who know their status are on Antiretroviral treatment “, Patricia Anum-Dorhuso, Communications Officer of the Commission noted in an interview with The Ghana Report.
Ghana AIDS Commission in a wake-up call to end the menace by 2030 has established an HIV Response Support Fund where the public can donate any amount to support the reduction of HIV new infections, eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV, and stop HIV stigmatization.
The fund is also to be used to improve the quality of life of persons living with HIV.
Individuals who are willing to contribute towards the action of ending AIDS according to the Commission are to dial *9898# on MTN and Vodafone networks.
Alternatively, interested persons are to contribute to the national HIV&AIDS fund accounts of the Bank of Ghana.
The Commission moreover appealed to the public to educate each other on the possible ways by which HIV can be reduced.
“If a person is living with HIV, there is still hope, there is treatment. Let us all show love to them and encourage them to adhere to their treatment.”
“They should take their medication as prescribed. Let us talk about HIV at home, in the community, and let us talk about the stigma too. There is a need to drive down stigma. Seriously, it is a significant barrier to testing, treatment and care”, Patricia Anum-Dorhuso added.