People living with HIV bemoan shortages with drugs at ART centres

Story: Benjamin Xornam Glover, Bolgatanga The periodic stock-outs of antiretroviral in recent times, lack of vitalfol, a critical drug as well as the lack of regents for CD4 count machines in the Upper East Region has been identified as some of the impediments impeding success towards universal access to HIV prevention and treatment in the Upper East Region. The Regional President of the Network of Persons Living with HIV and AIDS (NAP +GHANA), Madam Comfort Ayamga disclosed this at the Upper East Regional celebration said as the nation reflect upon efforts to accelerate progress and expand access to HIV services, all must endeavour to ensure that universal access to treatment for all persons living with HIV and AIDS becomes a reality. Addressing a gathering on a day that brought together people from around the region to raise awareness about HIV and AIDS and demonstrate solidarity in the face of the pandemic, Madam Ayamga said persons living with HIV need and have a right to an environment conducive for the reduction of stigma which kills faster that HIV. She therefore called on all especially the political, traditional and religious leaders as well as the media and other stakeholders to work together in partnership to create a Ghana free of HIV related stigma and discrimination which will lead to the reduction of the spread of the disease. “Universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support and the reduction of stigma and discrimination are issues we all fight for everyday. This year’s theme is “Getting to zero: zero new HIV infections. Zero discrimination. Zero AIDS related deaths” with a sub-national theme being “Accelerating the National Response towards the Millennium Development Goals”. The Deputy Upper East Regional Director of Health Services in charge of Administration, Mr Lucio Dery disclosed that the Regional Health Directorate has started a programme to scale up HIV and AIDS services which focuses in individual around the region having access to HIV prevention, access to treatment, care and support. All this is said will eventually dovetail into the national efforts of getting to zero. He said by the close of this year, four more designated health centers would be providing HIV treatment adding up to 10 already existing sites offering antiretroviral treatment in the region. “These are strategically placed sites that will make HIV drugs accessible to many more people who need,” he said. On elimination of mother -to-child HIV transmission, Mr Dery said all Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) centers up to Community Health Planning Services (CHPS) centers are providing services aimed at prevention of motor to child transmission of HIV. This, he said is targeted to achieve universal access to prevention, treatment, care and support. The Deputy Upper East Regional Minister, Mr Daniel Syme emphasized the resolve of government to continue in its pursuit of an aggressive public health approach to rendering HIV prevention, treatment, care and maintain support services and appealed to corporate organizations to contribute towards the response to the HIV and AIDS menace. He also cautioned all Municipal and District Chief Executives in the region to ensure that the 0.5 per cent share of the District Assemblies Common Fund(DACF) which is allocated to addressing HIV and AIDS issues are strictly applied for the purpose for which it was created. This admonition come in the face of a recent audit conducted early this year by the Ghana AIDS Commission to determine the compliance of the assemblies on the release of the 0.5 per cent of the DACF which revealed that some assemblies in the region have not complied with the directive for the past two years. Apart from the directive to the assemblies to adhere, Mr Syme proposed that the Ghana AIDS Commission should collaborate with the DACF Administrator to have the mandatory 0.5 percent of the fund deducted at source and paid into the individual accounts of the MMDAs as it is being done for the Disability Fund. -End-