Off the wire
• New tactic helps UN agencies provide aid to remote areas in northeast Nigeria  • China to do a remake of famous Soviet movie "Amphibian Man"  • PM sets sustainable economic growth target of 4-5 pct of GDP for Latvia  • Estonia to hold additional training exercise for reservists  • EU's Tusk says returning to Polish politics not on short-term horizon  • Norway's central bank recommends more equities in sovereign wealth fund  • New HIV infections among adolescents projected to rise by nearly 60 percent by 2030 if progress stalls: UNICEF  • Emirati player Abdulrahman crowned AFC Player of the Year 2016  • Russian-Chinese Association of Culture and Arts Universities formed  • 89 civilian casualties reported from hostilities in Libya in November, UN mission says  
You are here: 　 Home

Ghana pledges to eliminate stigma associated with HIV

Xinhua, December 2, 2016 Adjust font size:

The Ghanaian government on Thursday said it will continue in its efforts to eliminate stigma associated with HIV until it has reached every single person that needs HIV services.

At a durbar to mark the 2016 World AIDS Day in Koforidua, some 80 km east of the capital Accra, Chief of Staff at the Presidency Julius Debrah called on stakeholders to ensure that HIV does not become Ghana's story as HIV has remained the leading cause of death among adolescents in Africa with young girls more affected.

Debrah said the threats and effects of stigma have led to some of citizens being left behind in the HIV prevention effort despite the country's policy to leave no one behind and services must be targeted at each subgroup depending on their peculiar needs.

Health professionals were present at the durbar which attracted school children, traditional rulers to offer medical screening for HIV testing and counseling, breast and cervical cancer, Tuberculosis among others free of charge to participants.

Though Ghana has made huge strides in the fight against HIV and AIDS, experts say urgent attention is needed to get life-saving treatment to children and women who are infected and to sustain efforts aimed at preventing new infections.

The HIV prevalence rate in Ghana, according to the 2014 Demographic and Health Survey, stands at 2.1 percent.

World AIDS Day is set aside on the global calendar every Dec.1 to draw attention to the HIV pandemic, take stock of challenges and to remember persons who have died from AIDS. Endit