STIGMATIZATION INTERFERES EFFORTS TO PREVENTING HIV/AIDS

DATE: 1ST FEBRUARY, 2012
For more than two decades, HIV related stigmatization, discrimination and denial have characterized the pandemic and presented a major challenge to the effectiveness of prevention, care and treatment programmes. Much of the societal and individual reaction towards people with HIV/AIDS arises from the perception attached to the virus. Even though most Ghanaians are much knowledgeable about how the disease is acquired but still believes it is an only immoral person who acquires the virus. In an exclusive interview with some of HIV/AIDS infected individuals they noted with concern that the consequences of stigma and discrimination are wide ranging which include being shunned by families, peers and the wider community, poor treatment in health care and education vetting, an erosion of rights, psychological damage and a negative effect on the success of HIV testing and treatment. AIDS stigma and discrimination exist world-wide although they manifest themselves differently across countries, communities, religious groups and individuals. In an interview with Sena news, the head of programmes for HIV/AIDS, Ms. Faustina Ocansey of NETWOMEN PLUS, intimated that stigma not only makes it more difficult for people trying to come to terms with HIV and manage their illness on a personal evel but it also interferes with attempts to fight the AIDS epidemic as a whole.
She emphasized that, due to the stigma attached to the disease, people fail to check their status in order not to be bothered by the outcome in case it is positive, which to her is a detriment to the fight against the disease in the country and Africa as a whole. She explained that if the country wants to curb the rapid spread of the virus especially among the youth, then it should be ready to assist in the fight against the discrimination and stigma meted out to HIV/AIDS infected people. The phenomenon is becoming more worrisome, in that most people with the virus are unwilling to disclose their status due to its associated stigma. This trend is what Ms. Ocansey observed, could trigger the infectious ratio, thus bringing prevention attempts to zero. Again here in Ghana, there are myths associated with the transmission process as some people believe strongly that the infection has also spiritual connotations, hence do not take safe and protected sex seriously. Sena news in our quest to intensify public education on the disease, will continue to seek answers and solicit the support of all to reduce the prevalent rate, if not eradicate it completely.
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NETWOMEN PLUS SENSITIZES THE PUBLIC ON HIV/AIDS

DATE: 25TH, NOVEMBER, 2011
Networking Positive Women for Development (NETWOMEN PLUS) a non-governmental organization, has held a sensitization programme today to discuss issues relating to HIV/ AIDS. The educative programme which is organized every third Friday in the month, saw a lot of people patronizing with majority of them being HIV infected and affected ones. The programme is held to give hope to the already infected individuals and to sensitize the general public about the need to prevent HIV/AIDS and it related stigmatization. The HIV/AIDS Virus according to statistics continue to spread daily as most individuals are unaware of their status. Knowing your status can help every individual to avoid spreading the virus, if he/she is infected. It is against this background, that NETWOMENPLUS targets orphaned vulnerable HIV/AIDS Infected children, infected and affected individuals. The organization assist these infected people to go through counseling for them to be able to understand and live with the virus as most individuals when diagnosed with the HIV virus, become vulnerable to any negative advice. HIV infection in humans is considered pandemic by the World Health Organization. Nonetheless, complacency about the Virus may play a key role in HIV risk.
From its discovery in 1981 to 2006, the HIV Virus which develops into AIDS, has killed more than 25 million people and also infects about 0.6 % of the world wide population. Addressing the gathering, Mr. Richard Agbeyenga explained that the HIV/ AIDS disease is not as fearful as before as there are medicines now that any infected person can take to live much longer, adding that if someone should die of the disease then it is the decision of that person. He advised all not to shy away from knowing their status as it would go a long way to help them, saying that knowing your status would help you to know what to do to live longer.
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