By Laudia Sawer
Ashaiman, Dec. 8, GNA – The Ashaiman Municipality has recorded a total of 298 new infections of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) between January and October 2023. Mrs. Patience Ami Mamattah, the Director of Health Services for the Ashaiman Municipality, disclosed in an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Tema that 409 infections were also seen in the full year of 2022.
Mrs. Mamattah said the 298 were made up of 116 males and 182 females, adding that a total of 298 new infections were documented in the first half, while 115 were seen between July and October.
On Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission (PMTCT), she indicated that a total of 90 pregnant women tested HIV-positive (new infections) between January and October 2023, out of which 86 were successfully put on treatment.
This, she said, was made up of 85 at the first visit at the antenatal, while the remaining five tested positive at 34 weeks of gestation when retested after testing negative at the initial.
She said 101 of the pregnant women were already HIV-positive patients before getting pregnant, adding that 103 of them were already on anti-retroviral (ART) treatment before getting pregnant.
The Ashiaman Health Director further said 127 babies were put on ARV prophylaxis to prevent mother-to-child infection.
She said the Directorate would continue to intensify its HIV awareness creation and screening at public gatherings such as the Farmers Day celebration.
She urged the public not to discriminate against people living with HIV but rather to show them love, as stigmatisation kills faster than HIV.
Mrs Mamattah “Someone living with HIV is just like you. Do not point fingers at persons living with HIV.”
She said it was better to know one’s HIV status than remain ignorant, as quality of life was still assured if tested positive for HIV due to the availability of treatment.
She urged pregnant women to willingly avail themselves of the test and take their medications to prevent transmitting HIV to their unborn babies.
She encouraged the public to practice the ‘ABC’ of sex to protect them against the virus by either abstaining, being with one partner, or using condoms.
GNA