HIV/AIDS outbreak at Ho Technical University false – Ghana Health Service

The Volta Regional Office of the Ghana Health Service has debunked reports that there is an outbreak of HIV/AIDS at the Ho Technical University.

The Volta Regional Health Directorate of the Ghana Health Service in a comprehensive review revealed that there has been no surge of HIV cases at Ho Technical University or any other university in the region.

In an unverified post on a blog, it was reported that over 400 students from Ho Technical University had tested positive for HIV/AIDS and had been asked to go home.

In a statement, the directorate added that HIV testing data from health facilities in the Ho Municipality and the entire Volta Region revealed no increase in recorded HIV cases.

The directorate, however, warned that HIV is still real, and all must endeavour to live positively through sexual abstinence or by both uninfected partners being faithful to each other, and by the consistent use of condoms

Read the statement shared by citinewsroom.com below:

FALSE REPORTAGE ON THE HIV INCIDENCE IN THE HO TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY

The attention of the Volta Regional Health Directorate has been drawn to an online publication by an unverified and unknown news portal ‘ajnewonline.com’ with the headline “Hookup Trend Leads to HIV Outbreak at Ho Technical University: Over 400 students suspected positive”.

The publication has subsequently been quoted by various social media actors without any form of due diligence.

The Regional Health Directorate by this release is informing the public to disregard the said publication since it is false and unfounded.

A review of the HIV testing data in all the health facilities in the Ho Municipality and the rest of the Volta Region does not suggest an increase in recorded HIV cases within any facility or the Region as a whole. For the avoidance of doubt, the region states emphatically that there has not been a surge of HIV cases in the Ho Technical University or any other tertiary institution in the Volta Region.

The Volta Regional Health Directorate and its partners have over the period successfully implemented several strategies to fight HIV/AIDS. These strategies seek to reduce new infections by 85% and eliminate mother-to-child transmission.

The Region however encourages its inhabitants to avoid stigmatization and fully lend themselves to the disease awareness campaigns and tailor-made services that meet their specific needs so as to consolidate the gains made in HIV prevention, testing, and treatment. HIV services are available in all private and public health facilities in the Volta Region.

The public is assured that their right to privacy and confidentiality will always be upheld as is the case in all disease conditions.

In conclusion, let us take note that HIV is still real, and all must endeavour to live positively through sexual abstinence or by both uninfected partners being faithful to each other, and by the consistent use of condoms.

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