Stigmatization of HIV/AIDS victims still remains a major challenge, which impedes the Commission’s vision of reducing the spread of the infection.
Fear of stigma, discrimination, and potential violence may keep people from disclosing their status to family, friends, and sexual partners.
Stigma discourages people from seeking information and programs, for fear it will make others think they have HIV, are promiscuous or unfaithful, or are members of populations associated with HIV.
This action impedes the Commission’s vision of reducing the spread of the infection.
“Stigma is one of our major challenges; unlike other diseases, HIV is seen as a disease for people who are immoral and sexually promiscuous.
Currently, per the Ghana AIDS Commission Act, if you stigmatize somebody on the grounds of his or her status, you could go to jail for 18 months with a fine in addition.”
The Western Regional Technical Coordinator of the Ghana AIDS Commission, Dramani Yakubu, speaking on the Western Echo Show, advised people of such practices.
Mr. Dramani disclosed that HIV/AIDS is growing rapidly, mostly among female sex workers, which was obtained through the Integrated Bio-Integrated Behavioral Surveillance Survey (IBBS).
He posits that the region came in second with 60,000 sex workers after Greater Accra. According to him, the prevalence of the virus cuts across regions and the nation at large.
“We work with organizations to generate data. We do the IBSS in some areas. In the last one that we did, it pointed out that there is a growing rate of sex workers in the country.
As of 2020, there were 2,482 venues identified where sex workers operate; in the Western region, a total of 232 venues were identified. There are about 90 roaming sites identified.
Nationally, data show that we have about 60,000 female workers.”
Giving a piece of advice to the public, Mr. Dramani encouraged individuals to get tested for HIV/AIDS.
