General News of Thursday, 5 December 2002

Source: Ghanaian Times

Tears at AIDS drive grounds

The “Wanwang” Park at Wa where the Upper West Regional HIV/AIDS Committee organised its AIDS day celebration was suddenly turned into a mourning ground when an HIV/AIDS patient stepped out to give an account of the ordeal she was going through.

While some of the spectators, especially women, cried loudly as if they were standing by a corpse, others sobbed softly and soaked their tears with their handkerchiefs. The presence of the woman also drew the attention of so many people to the ground particularly young boys and girls who wanted to catch a glimpse of her.

Incidentally, it was the first time in the region that an HIV/AIDS patient had decided to brave the storm to educate others on the disease, hence the heavy crowd that could have easily caused a stampede. The woman (name withheld) claimed that she had it years ago from her husband who died about four years ago.

Before the introduction of the woman, Dr Edward Gyader, medical director of Wa Regional Hospital, said the region recorded 240 cases between January and October this year, as against 228 recorded last year. “We must now begin to take every bit of education on HIV/AIDS very seriously, because whether we like it or not, the disease is at our doorsteps.”