The Greater Accra Region, according to regional prevalence rate of HIV/AIDS in Ghana, is the second highest with a drastic increase in prevalence from 2010 figure of 2.6 percent. The current prevalence rate of the Region stands at 3.1 percent.
The worrying and disturbing status of the nation’s capital was disclosed by Mrs. Rita Afriyie, Technical Coordination Consultant of the Technical Support Unit of the Regional Coordinating Council, in Tema, where the 2015 Greater Accra Regional World AIDS Day durbar was held.
The global theme for the celebration was – ‘Ending the AIDS epidemic as part of the sustainable development goals.
However, the national celebration was themed: ‘Fast track meeting of the health needs of children towards an HIV-free generation,’ and the day is marked on every December 1 in Ghana.
Mrs. Afriyie, delivering the status of the Regional Response of the HIV/AIDS prevalence report, explained that the HIV epidemic in the Regional is a generalized one. Mrs. Rita Afriyie identified lesbianism and homosexuality, youth between the ages of 12 and 24, female sex workers, female head-porters and persons living in slums as pockets of the highly affected brackets in the region.
Socio-cultural and economic factors braced with poor sanitation, institutional challenges in providing care and support to the infected in the society, The chronicle, are the major determinants of the increase in the prevalence rate in the Greater Accra Region.
The good news, nonetheless, she mentioned, was that in 2014 the regional achieved 73 percent, representing 118,472 of its larges coverage of 161,914 for HIV testing of pregnant women.
Another, she said, is that Ghana is recognized for its achievement in reducing new infections among children.
The regional and country achieved the UNAIDS objective of 90-90-90 targets by 2020, and Mrs. Rita Afriyie said Ghana will start the process to ensure that 90 percent of all persons living with HIV know their status.
Besides, the Ghana AIDS Commission, with the support of the general public, will accelerate the implementation of comprehensive, targeted prevention and treatment programmes for the citizenry. Resources, she went on, will be focused on children to ensure that they have access to services to help stop and manage the virus.
She encouraged the citizenry not to shy away from testing their HIV status, because it is an important step in determining one’s future. The Greater Accra Regional Minister, Joseph Nii Laryea Afotey Agbo in a Keynote address read on his behalf by his Deputy, Isaac Nii Djagmah Vanderpuje hope that Ghana would develop a comprehensive national HIV and AIDS strategic plan to address the needs of all groups and achieve the global fast-track 90-90-90 targets for Ghana in 2020.
The minister pledged government support to help implement the provisions of the HIV/AIDS strategic plan 2016 – 2020.
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