By Michael Foli Jackidy, GNA
Ho (V/R), July 9, GNA – The Joint Network of Communities of Persons Living with HIV (NAP+ Ghana, YHAG and KP+ Ghana) has cautioned against public communication that could reinforce stigma and discrimination following discussions surrounding the recent recruitment exercise into Ghana’s security services.
In a statement issued by the Joint Network, the organisations expressed concern over comments attributed to the Minister for the Interior, saying that while medical screening formed an important part of recruitment into the security services, the manner in which information relating to HIV-positive applicants was communicated had generated fear, exposed applicants to public ridicule and caused psychological distress.
The groups commended the Ghana AIDS Commission for clarifying that the reported 1,300 HIV-positive cases identified during the recruitment exercise were consistent with Ghana’s national HIV prevalence of about 1.49 per cent.
They stressed that HIV was not a crime, and that living with HIV should never be used as a basis for public shame, exclusion, or discrimination.
The statement cited Section 34 of the Ghana AIDS Commission Act, 2016 (Act 938), which prohibits employers from denying employment, dismissing or subjecting any person to discriminatory treatment solely because of their actual or perceived HIV status.
It also referred to Article 17 of the 1992 Constitution, which guarantees equality before the law and protection against discrimination, urging employers, including public institutions, to base recruitment decisions on merit, competence and legitimate occupational requirements rather than misconceptions about HIV.
The organisations noted that advances in treatment had enabled people living with HIV to lead long, healthy and productive lives, adding that scientific evidence showed individuals who achieved viral suppression through effective treatment could not sexually transmit the virus.
They said there was therefore no scientific basis for automatically considering every person living with HIV medically unfit for employment.
According to the statement, public disclosure of HIV-related figures without adequate explanation risked reinforcing harmful stereotypes, discouraging voluntary HIV testing and undermining decades of national investment in HIV prevention, treatment and anti-stigma campaigns.
The groups appealed to the Government to reassure the public that all recruitment processes would comply with the Ghana AIDS Commission Act, the Constitution, labour laws and Ghana’s international human rights obligations.
They further called on the Government to ensure that no applicant was denied employment solely because of actual or perceived HIV status unless such a decision was supported by a clearly established occupational medical requirement based on law and scientific evidence.
The organisations also urged public institutions to strengthen confidentiality during medical screening exercises and continue investing in HIV prevention, testing, treatment and anti-stigma programmes.
The Joint Network appealed to the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) to monitor the recruitment process, investigate complaints of discrimination and collaborate with the Ghana AIDS Commission and other relevant institutions to enforce the anti-discrimination provisions contained in Act 938.
The statement further urged Ministers of State, heads of public institutions and other public officials to exercise caution when making public statements on HIV-related issues, stressing that such communication should be scientifically accurate, human rights-based, respectful of confidentiality and free from language that could promote stigma or discrimination.
“Words matter. A single public statement can either encourage people to know their HIV status or discourage thousands from accessing testing and treatment,” the statement said.
The organisations also expressed solidarity with applicants who might have been emotionally or psychologically affected by the public discussions, assuring them that their dignity, rights and opportunities should not be determined by their HIV status.
The Joint Network reaffirmed its commitment to supporting individuals whose rights might be violated and called on all stakeholders to work together to eliminate HIV-related stigma while promoting equal opportunity and respect for human rights.
It noted that Ghana had made significant progress in its national HIV response over the years and urged the country not to allow fear, misinformation or insensitive public communication to reverse those gains.
The statement called for a society where people were encouraged to know their HIV status without fear, where human rights were respected and where employment opportunities were determined by competence, integrity and ability rather than stigma or discrimination.
GNA
Edited By: Maxwell Awumah/Kenneth Odeng Adade