Over 2000 people living with HIV receive ART
A total number of 2,663 People Living With HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) have been enrolled for Anti-Rectroviral Therapy (ART) at various ART centres from January to September, 2014 in Brong-Ahafo Region.
Mr. Emmanuel Obeng-Hinneh, Regional HIV/AIDS Coordinator for the Ghana Health Service (GHS) said in a speech read for him at the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) National World AIDS /Wellness Day celebration on Monday in Sunyani.
The programme on the theme “Close the gap – Ghana towards an HIV free generation through PMTCT, Safe sex and Stigma reduction” was organised by Jhpiego, an affiliate of Johns Hopkins University which is promoting and strengthening HIV/AIDS awareness campaign in the GAF.
It was sponsored by United States of America (USA) Department of Defense (DoD) HIV Prevention Programme (DHAPP) under a three-year (December 2012 – December 2015) US Department for DoD funded programme under the USA President’s Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) being implemented by Jhpiego to provide quality HIV/AIDS Prevention and Care Services in the GAF.
Mr. Obeng-Hinneh revealed that a total of 52,698 Ante-natal clients (ANC), representing 96 per cent of all ANC registrants from January to September 2014 were tested for HIV, disclosing that 1,143 representing two per cent of the total number tested were found to be positive.
He said they were all given Anti Rectroviral Drugs (ARDs) to prevent the transmission of HIV to their babies, adding that the Region was also now tracking all HIV exposed babies by testing them at six weeks of their lives with a Laboratory Machine located at the Sunyani Regional Hospital.
This enabled them to detect cases in children as early as possible in order to provide early intervention, he indicated, adding that the Region in 2013 recorded a marginal increase in HIV Prevalence among pregnant mothers from 2.0 percent to 2.1 percent.
That, he noted, could be attributed to a consistent rise of HIV Prevalence in Wenchi since 2010.
Mr. Obeng-Hinneh expressed worry that in 2013, the HIV prevalence in Wenchi rose from 2.8 percent to 3.8 percent, saying to address the trend the GHS through the Brong-Ahafo Health Directorate, the Wenchi Municipal Health Directorate and the Wenchi Methodist Hospital had instituted an intensive advocacy, communication and social mobilization in Wenchi and its environs to avert the trend.
Major (retired) Regina Isabel Akai-Nettey, Senior Technical Advisor of Jpiego, stated “the project’s goal is to contribute to GAF’s efforts to mitigate the impact of HIV/AIDS on GAF beneficiaries – soldiers, their families, Ministry of Defence (MoD) civilian employees and local communities.
Major (Rtd) Akai-Nettey said Jpiego had since January 2013 been working with the USA DoD to reduce the incidence of HIV/AIDS and stigmatization in the GAF.
“Jhpiego is helping the GAF to continue to strengthen its role throughout the seven garrisons of Accra, Takoradi, Tamale, Tema, Kumasi, Ho and Sunyani by developing an overarching GAF HIV/AIDS strategy to guide implementation of prevention, care and treatment activities and cross-cutting initiatives to reduce gender-based violence, stigmatisation and discrimination,” she emphasised.
Major (Rtd) Akai-Nettey added that Jpiego was also working with DoD and GAF to enhance the HIV/AIDS services at 37 Military Hospital and Medical Reception Stations (MRSs) in the garrisons by rehabilitating the HIV counseling spaces, accrediting the laboratories, developing and implementing performance standards for HIV care and treatment services as well as improving the health management information systems (HMIS).
Source: GNA