Upgrade Kpone Health Centre to dispense antiretroviral drugs – HIV Ambassador
Reverend John Azumah, an HIV Ambassador for the Ghana Aids Commission has called for the upgrading of the Kpone Health Centre to enable it dispense the antiretroviral drugs in the district.
He said people living with HIV in the district travel to Tema, Ada and Sogakope to purchase their drugs.
He noted that this was very stressful and costly for the about 800 people living with the virus in the district.
He indicated that until the health centre was upgraded to a polyclinic status, People Living with HIV/AIDS in the district had to go through that plight before getting their monthly drugs.
Rev Azumah made the call on Monday during a presentation at the Third General Meeting of the Kpone-Katamanso District Assembly (KKDA).
He called on the Assembly members and men in the district to encourage pregnant women to attend antenatal early and check their status in order not to transfer the virus to their unborn children.
Rev Azumah, who has been staying with the virus for 13 years, encouraged Assembly Members to test and know their status as the everybody was at risk.
He noted that he was currently taking care of nine orphans living with the virus due to the inability of their mothers to check their status early and protect their children.
Mrs Patience Ami Mamattah, Acting Kpone District Director of Health Services, in a presentation on tuberculosis, said TB was fatal and highly communicable and therefore called on the Assembly members to educate their electorates on its dangers and transmission.
She said people coughing for more than two weeks should be prompted to undergo the free test
Mr Ellis Afari, Presiding Member, KKDA, called on residents in the district to support HIV and TB patients instead of neglecting them.
Alhaji Antiaye Tetteh, District Chief Executive of KKDA, said 2013 had been a successful one for the Assembly as many developmental projects were carried out.
Source: GNA