Government to establish HIV testing centres

Government is to establish centres for voluntary HIV/AIDS counseling and testing as part of priority interventions to deal with the pandemic, described as leading cause of death in Africa. About 25 million people on the continent live with the HIV virus whilst about 90, 000 lives have already been lost in Ghana to the pandemic as at December last year.

The Deputy Programme Manager of the National AIDS Control Programme, Dr Mokowa Adu-Gyamfi, said some health centres including the Atua Government Hospital in the Eastern region are currently running a pilot programme on voluntary counseling and testing, especially in the prevention of mother-to-child transmission, which is also another focus for action.

She said this when she gave an overview of the AIDS scourge at a six-day training workshop on AIDS in Accra attended by midwives from the Central, Western and Greater Accra regions. It was organised by the Ghana Registered Midwives Association (GRMA).

The voluntary counselling and testing programme to be extended to the Bawku area and the Maamobi Polyclinic would later cover schools, tuberculosis and sexually transmitted clinics and other key areas.

Health experts and other stakeholders have called for voluntary counselling and testing to help individuals know their HIV status and make informed choices.

It is one of the key strategies in making information available to curb the rising incidence of the disease. Ghana, as at December last year, had recorded some 43, 000 cases, which health authorities say might only be 40 per cent of actual cases.

The Minister for Women's Affairs Mrs. Gladys Asmah, said midwives, by the nature of their work, are better placed in the communities to assist pregnant women and their families make informed decisions in the prevention of the disease.

Asmah said if given the necessary skills in counselling and on mother-to-child transmission, midwives could help reduce the spread of the disease. She explained, "Unless efforts are strengthened to further reduce the problems associated with HIV/AIDS and bring health to the doorstep of every woman and every family, all our efforts will continue to be swallowed up by increasing and emerging issues."