Don't stigmatise HIV sufferers

Zangbalun Bomahe-Naa Chief Alhassan Issahaku Amadu on Monday said a more robust approach is needed by Ghana to attain its target of preventing new HIV infection, stigmatisation and zero discrimination.

He said more resource allocation was needed to ensure the successful implementation of the Policy to facilitate the nation’s quest to achieve its new set of objectives.

Chief Alhassan made the suggestion at a regional dissemination of the National HIV & AIDS, Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI) Policy workshop held in Tamale.

The one-day meeting brought together representatives of civil societies, faith based organization and security officials to make contributions to the reviewing of the policy.

He called for the integration of the Policy into the Municipal Metropolitan and District Assemblies planning process and see to its implementation to demonstrate true sense of ownership, accountability, transparency and good leadership.

He appealed to the public to strive to reduce risky behavior that could change their HIV status from negative to positive and vice versa.

Dr Joseph Amuzu, who represented the Director of the Ghana AIDS Commission, explained that the essence of the policy was to provide guidance to other HIV-related policies, interventions and programmes to reduce the impact of HIV & AIDS, STI-related morbidity and mortality in the country.

The new policy he said also provides guidelines on HIV & AIDS treatment, prevention and care community systems.

He said although the policy under view was put together by experts, more inputs was needed on some of the provisions which suggest the promoting of the use of condoms at the basic school and prisons.

Dr Amuzu said issues relating to whether it was mandatory for a man or woman who had tested HIV positive should inform the partner or not, and the legality of mandatory testing for new couples by some churches a prerequisite before marriage.