HIV persons appeal to pharmacists to end strike

Persons Living with HIV (PLHIV) on Thursday appealed to Government Hospital Pharmacists Association (GHOSPA), to end its strike action, to enable PLHIV to receive antiretroviral (ARV) drugs to prevent HIV deaths.

Mr Kofi Amofa, President of the PLHIV, lamented that the strike was negatively affecting the health of PLHIV, and there was the fear that the situation could result in more HIV deaths in the country this year.

Speaking at a press encounter in Accra, he said: “We are calling on the pharmacists to consider the plight of PLHIV and make special arrangements for us to go for our drugs.  We are not getting antiretroviral drugs when we visit the hospitals”.

Mr Amofa said the shortage of ARV undermines the management of HIV and AIDS as the drugs were a life saving intervention for members of the group.

He asked government to ensure that GHOSPA ended up its strike ‘’for PLHIV to get their life saving ARV at all times from health centres’’.

Mr Raymond Ahorlu, Greater Accra Regional Chairman of PLHIV, said irregular supply of ARV was a major problem affecting HIV management.

Mrs Martha Gyansa-Lutterodt, Director of Pharmaceutical Services at the Ministry of Health, said pharmacists on Monday started emergency services at the various health facilities while measures were being taken to resolve the GHOSPA problem.

Dr Vera Opato, HIV Coordinator of the Ghana Health Service, said pharmacists had made the drugs available despite the strike action, and asked PLHIV to go to the hospitals for the drugs.

Mrs Gifty Torkornu and the Reverend John Azumah, both ambassadors of HIV and AIDS, appealed to government and GHOPSA to consider the plight of PLHA and solve the problem.

Source: GNA