Community expresses shock on watching film on HIV/AIDS

Akwetey, (V/R), Dec. 30, GNA- The entire community of Akwetey, in the Adaklu-Anyigbe district expressed their shock and fear about AIDS after watching a documentary on how the disease affects the physical structure of individuals arising from HIV.

The programme on Thursday night attracted the entire community for whom the occasion also served as a diversion from the routine dull nightlife for lack of electricity.

It was organized by the Volta Regional Directorate of the Department of Women in collaboration with the Regional Hospital in Ho. There was deep silence and intermittent expressions of surprise and shock by the people as they watched scenes of the types of opportunistic diseases attributable to HIV.

Some of the people who spoke to the Ghana News Agency on condition of anonymity said they were brought much closer to and better informed on the seriousness of HIV/AIDS by watching the documentary. Dr Anthony Ashinyo, Medical Officer in charge of HIV/AIDS at the Regional Hospital told the people that what they saw was a not fiction, but realities of the conditions of people who suffer the disease. He urged the people to be careful with their sex lives and try as much as possible to refrain from extra-marital sex, and cautioned those not yet married to endeavour to exercise self-control.

Dr Ashinyo said when the urge to have casual sex becomes too strong to control then condoms must be used and used properly. Dr Ashinyo advised against the resort to self medication in attempts to treat sexually transmitted and skin diseases because that could complicate conditions should one be HIV positive. He advised that people should take their time to examine their partners thoroughly for any abnormal manifestations of sexually transmitted and skin diseases if they were about to engage in casual sex.

Dr Ashinyo said preferably casual sex should take place with lights on to afford the opportunity to examine each other.

He however cautioned against people being labelled as having HIV because of any skin or sexually transmitted diseases that they might have, and that it was only scientific tests at the hospitals that could determine whether one was HIV positive or not.

Miss Lena Alai, Volta Regional Director of the Department of Women urged the people to be faithful to their partners, in order not to invite misery into their homes through HIV.

She said HIV has the potential to aggravate poverty in families and communities because victims and their caretakers would not be able to engage in productive work.

Miss Alai told the GNA that her office has elaborate plans to undertake community HIV/AIDS education in the region through innovative methods.

She however said the major obstacle to achieving that aim was the lack of a roadworthy vehicle, which limits the Department's community work to within a few kilometres radius of Ho. 30 Dec 06