About 200 people screened for HIV/AIDS at Shama

Shama (W/R) Nov. 01, GNA-About 200 people on Thursday accessed free Voluntary Counselling and Testing to know their HIV status at Shama. The screening programme was organized by the Western Regional Ghana Health Service (GHS) as part of its collaboration with the International Organisation of Migration (IOM) to provide health information and services to returning migrants.

In an interaction with the inhabitants of the area, Dr. Linda Vanotoo, Regional Director of Health, urged returning migrants to avail themselves of the free voluntary counselling and testing. She said the IOM was assisting migrants to know their HIV status because of the health hazards they were exposed to in their host countries.

Dr. Vanotoo asked parents to educate their children to lead moral lives and to protect themselves from sexually transmitted diseases. Mr. Joseph Amoah, Shama District Chief Executive, asked the people to take good care of their health because the country needed healthy people to develop.

He said the Western Region has the second highest rate of HIV/AIDS infection in the country because of its proximity to Cote d'Ivoire. Mr. Amoah spoke against stigmatization of victims of the disease and asked the people to stick to one partner and to avoid casual sex. Dr (Mrs) Maame Pokuah Amo-Addae, Shama District Director of Health, educated the people about HIV/AIDS.