Stigmatization and discrimination against PLHIV must stop - WAAF

Dr. Nee Ashiley Vanderpuye, Chief Executive Officer of the West Africa AIDS Foundation (WAAF), on Tuesday said there was shortage of HIV Test Kits and anti-retroviral medication in the country.

Speaking at a one-day training programme for health workers on HIV organized by the WAAF at Takoradi, Dr. Vanderpuye expressed concern that the shortage could lead to increase of HIV infections in the country.

She said, “Anti-retroviral medication must be provided for patients in order to prevent new HIV infections”.

Dr. Vanderpuye said stigma and discrimination against People Living with HIV (PLHIV) was an obstacle in the fight against the virus and that stigma and discrimination against PLHIV was preventing people from undergoing Voluntary Counseling and Testing.

Mr. Alex Boakye, Monitoring and Evaluation Officer of WAAF, urged health workers to educate their clients about HIV to help reduce stigmatization and discrimination against People Living with HIV.