Ghana Mineworkers Union organises VCT on HIV/AIDS

Accra, Oct. 20, GNA - The Ghana Mineworkers' Union (GMWU) has organized two separate Voluntary Counseling Testing (VCT) on HIV/AIDS for its constituents at AngloGold Ashanti and Ghana Manganese Company Limited.

The first VCT, which took place at Obuasi in the Ashanti Region, targeted wives of the mineworkers. It was funded by the Union and management of AngloGold Ashanti. Other health related issues were also tackled during the exercises. The second test was for the mineworkers themselves and some community members at Nsuta Tarkwa in the Western Region, which was funded by the International Federation of Chemical Energy Mine and General Workers' Union (ICEM). The Ghana Manganese Company and GMWU offered logistical support.

A statement issued by the Union on Tuesday and copied to the Ghana News Agency said, in all, more than 1,413 people benefited from the exercise. The exercises were organized as part of efforts to sensitize workers, their families and community members on the HIV/HIDS pandemic, which continues to claim thousands of lives. The exercises were also to motivate the workers to check their status and take the necessary precautionary measures to protect themselves against the disease. A Senior Nursing Officer at the Tarkwa Government Hospital, Madam Agnes Gertrude Cudjoe gave the assurance that confidentiality of the results would be upheld. She commended the effort of the International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Union, the Ghana Mine Workers' Union, GMWU and the Ghana Manganese Company for initiating the VCT exercises. Madam Cudjoe noted that having HIV does not mean one has AIDS, adding that ignorance of one's status could make issues complicated. "The surest way for individuals, groups and government to contain the effects of the global pandemic, is to know one's status," she noted.

She advised people leaving with the disease to take the Anti Retroviral drugs regularly in order to improve on their health. "My humble appeal to those with the disease is that, they should take their Anti Retroviral Drugs which are now available in all the major hospitals to enable them to live healthier lives". The Training and Development Coordinator of the Ghana Mineworkers' Union, Mrs Vida Brewu said the collaboration between the Union, its international affiliate, ICEM, and the two mining companies, had brought to the fore the value they place on workers. She advised that people, who tested positive during VCT exercises, should be encouraged not to engage in reckless lifestyles that would spread the disease. Mrs Brewu in commenting on the data generated from the exercise emphasized that gender inequality in the mining industry was given credence with male workers dominating the sample size. The Human Resource Manager of the Ghana Manganese Company, Wisdom Adjei Mensah said the exercise was the first of its kind, which took place in the company although they had outsourced the awareness creation on the disease. He said the company has an HIV/AIDS policy and it was prepared to incorporate the relevant portions of it (the policy) into the workers and management Collective Bargaining Agreement. Meanwhile the leadership of the GMWU had expressed satisfaction about the enthusiasm demonstrated by the mineworkers and community members towards the behavioral change awareness campaign and training of Peer educators and counselors. The GMWU commended the managements of the two mining companies for their logistics support to the Free VCT programme. The Union intends to conduct more VCTs and other health and safety exercises in other mines before the end of the year. 20 Oct. 10