Disclosure of HIV/AIDS victims should be discouraged

An appeal has been made to the Ghana AIDS Commission to discourage the practice in which some HIV/AIDS have to disclose their identity and family backgrounds when they appear on the television to educate the public about the dangers of the pandemic.

Odeneho Kwaku Appiah, immediate past president of the Youth in Action, a network of youth groups in Kumasi, said this is because such a practice only helps members of the public to get to know the victim more and expose such victims to further ridicule, including the victim's innocent family members.

He made the appeal when he addressed an end-of-year forum of the 'Nyame Na Aye Kuo', a social youth group in Kumasi on Tuesday.

"It is completely wrong to assume that HIV/AIDS patients will win the sympathy of the public and enjoy their support when they come on the screen to educate people on AIDS mentioning their names and family lineage", he stressed.

Odeneho Appiah observed that their education could yield better dividends if such AIDS victims appear on the screen blind-folded and without disclosing their identity, family background and roots.

He expressed grave concern about the tendency of most non-government organisations conducting their campaign messages on AIDS focusing mainly on the use of condoms to the absolute neglect of the other methods like abstinence and faithfulness.

Odeneho Appiah admitted that even though condoms were another method of avoiding AIDS, abstinence and faithfulness by spouses were the surest guarantee to protecting people from falling victim to the AIDS menace and should therefore be given greater prominence.

Miss Lucy Baidoo, secretary of the society, called on social groups to shift from using their groups as for only merry-making to using them as platforms for educating their members and friends about the dangers of HIV/AIDS and other national issues.