By Christine Naadu Lartey, GNA
Tema, Dec. 03, GNA – Mr Ludwig Teye Totimeh, the Tema West Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), has expressed the commitment of the Tema West Municipal Assembly (TWMA) to increase access to HIV testing, treatment and care.
Mr Totimeh, at a programme to commemorate the 2025 World AIDS Day, said the assembly would continue working with the Ghana Health Service, non-governmental organisations, and community stakeholders to increase HIV testing campaigns, eliminate mother-to-child transmission, and ensure uninterrupted access to antiretroviral therapy.
He added that cost, distance, or fear should not be a restriction for the people of Tema West to know their status.
The MCE stated that reducing stigma and discrimination remained a key priority in the HIV fight.
He noted that stigma continued to be one of the biggest barriers to ending HIV/AIDS and stressed that HIV was not a moral failing but a medical condition.
He stated that people living with HIV deserved dignity, respect, and love, and he called on families, workplaces, schools, and religious institutions to foster environments that uplift rather than isolate.
Mrs Comfort Amese-Zoiku, the Tema West Municipal HIV Coordinator, explained that World AIDS Day was primarily about HIV prevention.
Mrs Amese-Zoiku mentioned that HIV cases were increasing steadily and emphasised the importance of educating adolescents and the public about preventive measures.
She said the theme for this year’s celebration, “Overcoming Disruptions, Transforming the HIV Response,” reflected the obstacles that prevented people from accessing testing and knowing their status.
She stressed that without knowing one’s status, an individual could unknowingly transmit the virus to others.
Mrs Amese-Zoiku added that myths and misconceptions in society posed a major challenge, explaining that many people still believed HIV could be transmitted through casual contact such as sharing a bed, eating from the same plate, drinking from the same cup, or even breathing the same air.
She stated that such misconceptions fueled stigma and prevented individuals from seeking testing and treatment, indicating that health education was essential in correcting these false beliefs.
She added that by educating adolescents, they would be able to spread accurate information to their peers, families, and communities, helping to reduce stigma.
Mrs Amese-Zoiku confirmed that HIV test kits, treatment, and counselling were provided free of charge and were available at all pharmacies and health facilities in the municipality and beyond.
Mrs Patience Rabiatu Abila, the HIV focal person for TWMA, explained that the municipality used World AIDS Day to raise awareness, especially among young people.
She observed that many youths were focused on seeking contraceptives to prevent pregnancy but paid less attention to preventing sexually transmitted infections, including HIV, stressing that HIV was a lifelong condition and prevention remained the best option, although treatment was available.
Mrs Abila stated that school children participated in the celebration to receive the needed information on HIV, expecting that they would carry the message to their communities, family and peers.
She said the event, organised by the assembly and the Health Directorate, was aimed at expanding access to HIV testing, treatment, and care, combating stigma, and reminding the public that HIV affects everyone regardless of age, gender, or social status.
She emphasised that contracting HIV did not make anyone less human and called for collective efforts to support affected individuals and fight the virus together.
GNA
Edited by Christabel Addo