Twifo Ntafrewaso (C/R), Dec. 6, GNA - Mr Joseph Foster Andoh, District Chief Executive, (DCE) for Twifo Heman- Lower Denkyira on Tuesday, commended the Twifo Oil Palm Plantation (TOPP) Limited, World Vision, Ghana and Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana (PPAG) for making tremendous contributions in the crusade against the stigmatisation and discrimination of People Living With HIV/AIDS (PLWA).

This was contained in an address read on his behalf at a durbar to mark World Aids Day at Twifo Ntrefrewaso. He urged political, traditional, religious and administrative leaders to collaborate in the fight against stigmatisation and discrimination. He also advocated for Universal Access and Human Rights for all people affected with the HIV/AIDS disease. Mr Andoh said one major challenge to the national response "is the uptake of service with reference to counselling and testing services". He regretted that less than ten percent of Ghanaians know their HIV status.

The aim for this year's campaign therefore is to embark on activities that encourage people to "know your HIV status" being undertaken nationwide by the Ministry of Health, whilst emphasizing Human rights issues, which impact on HIV/AIDS".

Dr. Cyril K. Krah Resident Medical Advisor and Work Place HIV/AIDS Prevention Programmed Co-coordinator at TOPP said this year, 199 identifiable groups comprising 8,686 persons were counselled, whilst 38 people out of 1,086 tested were HIV positive. In October and November this year, he said a mobile Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT) campaigns were carried out in six communities, during which 721 persons were tested with 10 of them being HIV positive. The VCT campaign at work places also tested 365 persons with 5 coming out positive.

So far the clinic has registered 210 PLWA and many of them are being helped with medications.

He said the availability of anti- retroviral drugs at the district hospital is impacting positively on their programmes. "Aids is no longer a death sentence but it's important to get everyone tested so that those who positive would avail themselves of the treatment. He said it is the responsibility of all to know one's status and appealed to all pregnant women to go for testing "so that the tragedy of having children infected with the virus is prevented, since the treatment also prevents mother to- child transmission." Mr Emmanuel Ahiable, Estate Manager of TOPP, who presided over the function, appealed to the people to go for voluntary testing to know their status. 06 Dec. 09