More HIV/AIDS patients in Brong-Ahafo Region on anti-retroviral therapy

Two-hundred-and twenty-two men and 643 women living with HIV/AIDS were placed on Anti-Retroviral Therapy in Brong-Ahafo Region from January to June,   Mr Emmanuel Obeng-Henneh, Regional HIV/TB focal person, has said.

Speaking at stakeholders’ meeting on HIV/Tuberculosis and malaria at Abesim on Tuesday, said the patients were new infections.

It was organized by the Hope for Future Generation (HFFG), a non-governmental organisation (NGO) working to enhance the general wellbeing of women and children and attended by queen mothers, chiefs and civil society organizations.

Mr Obeng-Henneh said though the Region’s HIV prevalence stood at 2.0 percent, the virus was fast spreading and appealed to chiefs, community leaders and civil society organisatuons to collaborate to bring the spread of the virus under control.

He expressed concern that sale of medicines as a cure for HIV/AIDS was affecting strict adherence to active Anti-Retroviral Therapy.

On TB, he said 882 cases were detected in the region from January to September and the treatment success rate stood at 90 percent.

Mr Obeng-Henneh said 65 percent of TB deaths recorded in the region were linked to HIV/AIDS and appealed to the public to help detect TB cases and also assist patients to access treatment.

He commended NGOs and civil society organizations in the region for their support in tackling HIV/AIDS and TB.

Mr Anthony Ofori, Malaria Focal Person at the Brong-Ahafo Regional Directorate of the Ghana Health Service, said children less than five years and pregnant women were the malaria most affected people.

He said with the implementation of the National Malaria Control Programme (NMCP), deaths in malaria related cases had declined drastically but expressed worry that some pregnant mothers failed to attend regular antenatal clinics which is a major contributory factor to maternal mortality and child morbidity.

Mrs Rose A. Baalabore, Brong-Ahafo Regional Coordinator of HFFG, said the meeting provided a platform for the NGOs to educate the general public on its SHARPER HIV projects being implemented in 10 districts.

She said the SHARPER project, when well implemented, would add momentum to the success stories of HIV and TB in Brong-Ahafo Region.

Source: GNA