The Ghana AIDS Commission (GAC) has taken a firm stand, reminding the nation that it’s not HIV, but stigma and discrimination, that cause unnecessary deaths among people living with HIV (PLHIV).
Dr. Samuel Yao Atidzah, Executive Director of GOSANET Foundation, underscored this sentiment on Zero Discrimination Day. He stated:
“Stigma and discrimination hurt, kills faster than the disease itself.”
PLHIV, he explained, often isolate themselves out of fear, shunning testing and treatment opportunities, which jeopardizes both their own lives and public health.
Similarly, in earlier media initiatives led by GAC, Dr. Kyeremeh Atuahene described distressing findings from the Ghana Statistical Service.
78% of women and 72% of men with awareness of HIV admitted to harboring discriminatory attitudes, such as refusing to buy produce from someone with HIV or opposing children with HIV attending school with others.
Dr. Atuahene lamented that these deep misconceptions fuel dangerous discrimination.
At a training session held for journalists on Zero Discrimination Day, the Director-General reiterated that stigma, more than the illness, poses the greatest threat to PLHIV.
He emphasized the media’s vital role in promoting equality, dispelling myths, and reporting responsibly to prevent prejudice.
The Ghana AIDS Commission is clear: proactive compassion beats fear; testing and treatment beat silence. By dismantling stigma, society paves the way for better health outcomes and full realization of people’s rights.
Source: Myxyzonline.com
