Medical practitioner criticise nation's approach to HIV/AIDS

Kubease (Ash), Aug 17, GNA- Dr. Nicholas Antwi, Director of the Chronic Diseases and HIV/AIDS Treatment Centre, at Kubease in the Ejisu-Juaben District of the Ashanti Region, has criticized the nation's approach towards the fight against the disease. He said even though the fight against the HIV/AIDS was towards its prevention and control, it was also important for scientists to discovery a cure for the disease.

In an interview to GNA at Kubease, Dr. Antwi, who recently claimed he had discovered a cure for HIV/AIDS, said he was reacting to a directive from the Ghana AIDS Commission to deface the inscription "Don't be confused, AIDS is curable," on a sign post he erected. He said the inscription was not mere words but a reality and dared relevant the authorities to take steps to challenge the veracity of his discovery.

Dr. Antwi said "As a law abiding citizen I have complied with the directive but finds it difficult to understand why the appropriate authorities are only disturbed by the inscription and not what I have to offer."

He said a delegation made up of representatives from the AIDS Commission and District Health Directorate called on him recently and insisted that he should erase the phrase claiming it was misleading. Dr. Antwi said efforts to convince the delegation about the efficacy of his HIV/AIDS drug proved futile as they maintained that he should register with the Ghana Traditional Healers Association to warrant further deliberations.

The Director of the Health Facility said he challenged government to provide 10 HIV/AIDS patients for him to treat and that he was looking forward to the day that his request would be granted to justify his claim.

Dr, Antwi said he had so far treated over 80 HIV/AIDS patients with several others presently receiving treatment, maintaining that the cure for the disease was not beyond his reach.

He said even though he had erased the inscription due to the respect he had for the authorities, he would continue to challenge the notion that HIV/AIDS had no cure. 17 Aug 07