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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YOUTH URGED TO ADVOCATE FOR DECENT WORK

The youth have been called on to advocate for Decent Work as it is the surest way of eradicating poverty in the country. There is a decent work deficit-challenge, gaps and exclusions that working people face in the world of work and this deficit negates government effort of eradicating poverty and achieving the overall Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). This call was made by Mr. Joseph Osei Owusu in Accra during the Youth Policy Dialogue to mark the International Youth Day. He said hundreds of thousands of workers lose their jobs merely for attempting to organize trade unions or to carry out trade union activates at their workplace, adding that 80% of these are the youth. Mr. Owusu lamented that some 200 million children aged 5-14 go to work instead of school and about 12.3 million people are trapped with force labours with more than 2.2 million people dying from work related disease and accident. According to him, there is lack of decent work and this affects young people particularly. Mr. Owusu noted that Decent work is a key element to build fair, equitable and exclusive societies being based around the principles of employment creation, workers right equality between men and women, socially protected and socially dialogued, adding that decent work is a strategy to achieve sustainable development that is centered on people. He has therefore appealed to all Civil Service Organisations (CSO) to vigorously advocate for decent work targeting young people, decision makers, employers and the government and the campaign must use different tools and strategies adapted to different audience.

YOUTH URGED TO ADVOCATE FOR DECENT WORK

The youth have been called on to advocate for Decent Work as it is the surest way of eradicating poverty in the country. There is a decent work deficit-challenge, gaps and exclusions that working people face in the world of work and this deficit negates government effort of eradicating poverty and achieving the overall Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). This call was made by Mr. Joseph Osei Owusu in Accra during the Youth Policy Dialogue to mark the International Youth Day. He said hundreds of thousands of workers lose their jobs merely for attempting to organize trade unions or to carry out trade union activates at their workplace, adding that 80% of these are the youth. Mr. Owusu lamented that some 200 million children aged 5-14 go to work instead of school and about 12.3 million people are trapped with force labours with more than 2.2 million people dying from work related disease and accident. According to him, there is lack of decent work and this affects young people particularly. Mr. Owusu noted that Decent work is a key element to build fair, equitable and exclusive societies being based around the principles of employment creation, workers right equality between men and women, socially protected and socially dialogued, adding that decent work is a strategy to achieve sustainable development that is centered on people. He has therefore appealed to all Civil Service Organisations (CSO) to vigorously advocate for decent work targeting young people, decision makers, employers and the government and the campaign must use different tools and strategies adapted to different audience.

A NEUROLOGIST CAUTIONS WOMEN AGAINST HIGH HEEL SHOES

A neurologist, Dr. Richard Nyarko of the Centre for Neurology Science and Surgeon has cautioned women who are fond of using or wearing high-heel shoes to desist form the habit as it has a high risk of damaging their spine. He gave this caution during an exclusive interview at Nungua. According to him, high –heel shoes, in-take of excessive alcohol, carbohydrate and oily foods, and unbalanced meals have a tendency of affecting our spines. He said bad sleeping postures, inadequate rest as well as stress are all causative agents of spinal destruction, thus reducing an individual’s lifespan. Dr. Nyarko hinted that, one of the most worrying health problems these days is spinal problem which he attributed to lack of proper care for the spine. He has therefore called for a regular check up of our spines to avoid decay.

GPA URGES GHANAIANS TO DEVELOP GOOD READING HABBIT

The Ghana Publishers Association has made a passionate appeal to all Ghanaians to take advantage of the forthcoming Book Fair and improve the reading culture of the country. This appeal was made by the Executive Secretary of the association, Mr. Fauna Atta Frimpong in an exclusive interview with Regina Asamoah in Accra. He said, the association in its bid to help Ghanaians improve their reading culture, has changed the book fair which was held every two years to an annual event. Mr. Frimpong noted that this year’s book fair which comes off in November is targeted at the Children since they are the future leaders and hence their reading habit must be improved. This year’s fair is on the theme ‘Child Literacy, the Foundation for Future Development. A reading nation is a winning nation’ and expected to yield the highest record of attendance. Mr. Frimpong has therefore urged all Ghanaians to make reading part of their daily activities since knowledge acquisition is through reading.

WOMEN’S PARTICIPATION IN POLITICS AND DECISION MAKING ON THE DECREASE

In recent years, Ghana has been ranked as one of the best countries which is working towards implementing and consolidating democracy. However, the reality is that, there are low levels of women’s participation both in policy-making and government representation. Presently, women account for only nineteen (19) out of two hundred and thirty (230) positions in parliament, representing 8 .3% and only 6.5% of District Chief Executives within local government structures and as few as eleven (11) out of one hundred and seventy (170) metropolitan/municipal District Chief Executives. This low numbers limit women’s contribution to development, poverty reduction and to the achievement of gender equality. In view of this, the Women in Law and Development in Africa (WiLDAF Ghana) in partnership with Gender Studies and Human Rights Documentation Center, the Hunger Project, International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA Ghana) has launched a project dubbed “Good Governance through Increase Women’s Participation in Ghana’s Political Processes (We Know Politics II)”. The project which is expected to last for three years is targeted at twenty-four districts in ten regions. The aim of the project is to create an enabling environment where women are able to effectively participate in politics and public life. The beneficiaries of the project include women, people with disability, youth, traditional authorities, female members of parliament and men. The Minister for Women and Children’s Affairs, Juliana Azumah-Mensah launched the project and encouraged all women to avail and involve themselves in politics in order to address women’s issues at the local and national levels.
Regina Asamoah