AIDS Test Reduces Police Hospital Attendance

The mandatory HIV-AIDS test instituted by the top brass of administrators at the Police Hospital in Accra, has drastically reduced the patronage of pregnant women to the medical centre. Instituted just a little over a month ago, the mandatory HIV-AIDS test is to determine the status of all pregnant women and their unborn babies, so as to help check the spread of the deadly disease.

But while the Police administrators look to have the best of intentions, pregnant women out-patients think otherwise. THE SUN has learnt that ever since the institution of the mandatory test, nearby hospitals such as SSNIT HOSPITAL, LA GENERAL HOSPITAL and the 37 MILITARY HOSPITAL have announced increases in out-patient intake by between 30 and 48 per cent according to reliable hospital sources. THE SUN gathered that over there unless specifically requested, no HIV-AIDS test is conducted on pregnant women. It will be recalled that a little over a month ago all pregnant women in attendance at the Police Hospital were required to undergo an HIV-AIDS test, which nurses explained away to be mandatory as a new policy.

That Tuesday morning, many heavily pregnant women escaped into their waiting cars and drove off, insulting the Hospital Staff including Dr. Amo Mensah, who had encouraged them to undergo the test. For the brave number who ventured to undertake the test in groups of four each, several of the numbers were told to invite their husbands or a Pastor or a close relative, which gave the game away that they had turned positive for the judgment-day-like test. But despite the frightening nature of the test, a smiling bunch came out of it walking chest-high even with their protruding bellies, thanking God Almighty and singing Christian hymnals and Islamic tunes in adoration.