HIV and AIDs still a matter of concern in STMA 

By Mildred Siabi-Mensah

Sekondi, Sept. 08, GNA – Dr. Kofi Sutherland, the Sekondi – Takoradi Metropolitan Director of Health, said HIV and AIDs were still public health hazards that must fully be given attention by all stakeholders to end it by 2030. 

According to him, statistics regarding the Metropolitan status indicated that in 2020, a total of 9,273 persons were tested with 514 being positive, 2021 recorded 596 positives from 12,300 that were tested while January to August 2022 has 217 from 5116 tested. 

Also, the Metro tested some 470 men sleeping with men with 410 put on PrEp-medication while 755 female sex workers were also tested. 

The Metropolitan area recorded 12 new infants with the condition due to mother to children transmission and 30 children defying the prophylaxis, a situation that may not foster the achievement of the 2030 vision. 

Dr. Sutherland at the HIV and AIDs Stakeholders meeting at Sekondi said the statistics were indeed worrying. 

“We have not even paid attention to key areas like transport sectors, the security services and serious hideouts within our communities ….infact education and awareness must be increased in this regard,” he said. 

The Metro Director of Health was worried that not much education and awareness on the condition has been preached in recent times. 

He called on the media to give attention to the condition, the religious leaders to preach about the surge in the diseases and the need for affected to take their drugs amid prayers and Community and family support for affected people. 

Ms. Cecilia Oduro, the Executive Director of Life Relief Foundation, one of the NGO in the HIV and AIDs sector called regional prevalence of 1.7 percent was a matter of concern. 

He noted the incidence of new infections soaring higher adding, ” we need as Stakeholders to raise awareness and education on the different ways of transmission among the youth and school children and do more on other interventions like community testing services, support model of hope members to educate and the use of the media, NCCE and the Information services”. 

The MCE also called on health professionals to value confidentiality of patients, the need for communities to avoid stigmatization and discrimination to help the affected to access health care. 

GNA