December 1 is observed as World AIDS Day to highlight the work done to eliminate the epidemic. The theme for World AIDS Day 2021 is “End inequalities. End AIDS. End pandemic”. With a special focus on reaching people left behind, World Health Organization, WHO and its partners are highlighting the growing inequalities in access to essential HIV services.
This day raises awareness and unites people worldwide in the fight against the global health issue, it is also vital to fight the shame around it and focus on administering care and support for those who are already living with the disease.
The Acting Technical Coordinator of Ghana AIDS Commission, W/R, Francis Antonio has spoken with Spice Fm ahead of the observance of the day. He spells out the goals and vision of the Commission to achieve epidemic control by 2025. He states that,” As part of the SDG goals, we want to end AIDS by the year 2030. For us to end the virus, it means that everyone who has the virus should be on treatment and by doing that, it will mean we will have no body migrating from HIV to AIDS.”
Meanwhile, he noted that, new infections were being recorded in Ghana under the calendar year, 2020 citing Western Region as part of the top five regions with the highest records. The rest of the regions who have the high prevalence of the virus are Ashanti, Greater Accra , Eastern and Central.
In the Western Region, more than 1,200 people were infected with the virus in the year 2020. On the district level, EKMA made a record of 165 infections whilst STMA recorded more 270 infections. The prevalence of the virus is mostly among the youth especially girls who engage in unprotected sex and get infected with the virus.
Francis Antonio maintained that, there are new about 18,000 new infections recorded which is scary indicating that people are not adhering to the preventive measures put in place and that makes the commison’s vison of achieving their goals impossible.
He mentioned that , more than 5,000 people between the ages of 15 – 24 are infected with the virus showing that many people are either not acquiring the right information. Also noting that, about 80% of the new infection comes about through unprotected sex.
Next year, more than 12,000 people lost their lives as result of contracting the AIDS.
The Ghana AIDS Commission as part of the observance of the Day, would embark on community outreach to cretae awareness on the virus and engage communities in other activities.
