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HIV/AIDS: stakeholders speak against stigma, encourage testing
Dr Hanson-Nortey addressing the workshop
Calls have been made to the public to reduce the stigma surrounding HIV and rather intensify testing in the wake of increasing infections in the country.
Various stakeholders at a media workshop in Accra recently on the theme “Rethinking HIV interventions for Vulnerable Populations in the country” noted that stigma attached with HIV and AIDS disease remain one of the setbacks that prevent people from checking their status or seeking medical help on the epidemic globally.
Dr Nii Nortey Hanson-Nortey, a public health consultant and Vice Chairman of Ghana Country Coordinating Mechanism of the Global Fund stressed among other things, the need to reduce stigma surrounding HIV testing as well as make HIV testing centres and kits readily available, especially to key population and vulnerable groups such as young people and female sex workers among others.
Dr Hanson-Nortey also called for the operationalisation of the National AIDS Fund to among other things promote access to healthcare for the vulnerable groups in society.
Dr Henry Nagai, Chief of Party at JSI Care Continuum speaking on updates on HIV and AIDs control in the Western Region said in the rethinking process it was imperative to involve non-health actors for a more comprehensive approach in the fight against HIV and AIDS.
“One of the key things I think can be done in the process of rethinking is reducing stigma” Dr Nagai said.
According to her a Human Rights Steering Committee was setup to include other stakeholders in the universal goal of reducing infections on vulnerable populations.
He said it is a narrow view point that healthcare is only given by healthcare providers or at healthcare institutions. Everything contributes to healthcare giving, iterating the importance of inter-sectorial collaboration with the fight against HIV and AIDs.
“This is because vulnerable populations need direct support from organisations that are not health sector based,” he noted
The Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Officer at the National AIDS Control Programme (National AIDS Control Programme), Kenneth Danso, described the country’s HIV and AIDS prevalence as a “generalised epidemic” and said testing was the only way to put those reactive to the virus on early treatment and for person’s negative to take precautionary measures against the infection.
Mr Danso said testing to know one’s HIV status would enable the country achieve the UNAIDs 95-95-95 target of having 95 per cent of Persons Living with HIV knowing their status, 95 per cent on anti-retroviral treatment and 95 per cent attaining viral suppression by 2025.
Currently, Ghana has achieved 71-99-79 of this target, which implies that more people do not know their HIV status and many of such were also not virally suppressed.
The President of GHANET, Mr Ernest Ortsin, urged the public to be wary of unorthodox medications purporting to cure HIV/AIDS, saying, “There is no data that proves that traditional medicine can cure HIV.”
“The anti-retroviral medication do not cure HIV/AIDs, they suppress the virus” Thus advising the public to desist from trying to cure the disease with unorthodox medicines.
At the end of 2021, 16,938 new HIV infections were recorded in the country. Recent data from the NACP indicated that a total of 23,495 tested positive for HIV in Ghana for the first half of this year.
In Ghana out of every 100 people tested, two were likely to have the infection.
The workshop was organised by Ghana HIV and AIDS Network (GHANET) with sponsorship from PEPFAR, USAID, EPIC, through Civil Society Institute for HIV and Health in West and Central Africa (CSHU-WCA) and ENDA SANTE (Senegal).
By Portia Hutton-Mills
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Prof. Mike Oquaye accuses gov’t of ‘secret trial’ of Chief Justice
Former Speaker of Parliament, Professor Aaron Mike Oquaye, has criticised the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) over what he described as the mishandling of the suspension of Chief Justice Gertrude Torkonoo.
He is unhappy with the constitutional provision requiring the hearing of the Chief Justice’s case to be held in-camera.
“I am concerned about certain issues that I consider vital, particularly the trial in-camera provision. You will ask yourself what the rationale is for that provision in our constitution, what is its purpose, and if we are to give it a purposeful interpretation, where shall we go? The purpose is it to benefit the people of Ghana as a whole, that the Chief Justice must be trial in-camera…”
He added, “From the very beginning, the constitution tells us justice belongs to the people, it emanates from the people, justice belongs to all of us people, one may say that this provision could be advarance to the one that says trial must be done in-camera.” he said in an exclusive interview with JoyNews.
Prof. Oquaye also raised concerns about the transparency and integrity of the process.
He argued that the judiciary must be insulated from political interference, adding that the current handling of the matter risks eroding confidence in the rule of law.
The Chief Justice was recently suspended following allegations of misconduct, after which a formal petition was submitted to President John Mahama, prompting the formation of a committee to investigate the matter.
The proceedings, however, have largely been conducted in-camera, drawing criticism from sections of the public and some legal minds.
While the NDC government maintains that the suspension was carried out in accordance with constitutional provisions, Prof. Quaye argues that the secrecy surrounding the process undermines the principles of accountability and due process.
Source:Myjoyonline.com
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Committee on Roads and Transport engages Transport Ministry
The Parliamentary Select Committee on Roads and Transport has paid a familiarization visit to the Ministry of Transport and its agencies to perform its legislative oversight and foster collaboration in Ghana’s transport sector.
The visit by the 17-member Committee led by its Chairman, Isaac Adjei Mensah, who is also the Member of Parliament for the Wassa East Constituency in the Western Region, was aimed at getting updates on ongoing projects and foster direct dialogue with agencies under the Ministry’s purview.
The Chairman of the committee described the visit as “a strategic and symbolic gesture” and emphasized the importance of direct engagement with sector leadership to enable informed legislative support.
The Transport Minister Joseph Bukari Nikpe outlined some reforms including a framework to regularize commercial motorcycle operators, popularly known as Okada by lowering the minimum rider age from 25 years to 21 years, which is near completion and will soon be presented to Parliament.
He also mentioned the reviving of Ghana’s national carrier via a public-private partnership, upgrading airport infrastructure, studying coastal routes to ease road congestion, opening a new DVLA branch in Adenta, and upgrading the Ghana Civil Aviation Training Academy.
The minister also disclosed that the ministry is in the process of procuring new buses for Metro Mass and STC.
The other Members of the visiting Committee were Chiwitey Dari Andrew, Vice Chairperson and MP for Sawla/Tuna/Kalba; Osei Nyarko Kennedy, MP for Akim Swedru and the Ranking Member; Francis Asenso-Boakye, MP for Bantama; Frimpong Kwame Ohene, MP for Asante Akim North; Cudjoe Doyoe Comfort, Ada MP; Marfo Ahenkorah Kofi, MP for Achiase; Mahama Toure Naser, Ayawaso East MP; Ziedeng Anwataazumo Bede, MP for Lawra and Mubarak Seid, MP for Sunyani East.
The Committee also visited the Civil Aviation Authority and the Civil Aviation Training Centre to be acquainted with its functions and operations.
