Sekondi, Nov 09, GNA - A five-day non-residential workshop on the Community Collaborative Care and Support Project (COMCASUP) for People Living With HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) ended in Sekondi at the weekend. The Catholic Relief Service (CRS) and Strengthening HIV/AIDS Response Partnership (SHARP) organised the workshop that was funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

The Metropolitan HIV/AIDS Committee also supported the workshop. Addressing the workshop Mr John Dominic Andoh, Project Coordinator of COMCASUP, said 35 caregivers drawn from non- governmental organisations and Community-based organisations engaged in HIV/AIDS work in the Shama-Ahanta East Metropolis (SAEMA) attended the workshop. He said participants were taught techniques in caring and supporting PLWHA and how to reduce stigmatisation and discrimination against them through counselling.

Mr Andoh urged the participants to visit PLWHA in their homes and workplaces when necessary and refer them to health facilities for treatment of opportunistic infections.

He said training of caregivers for the COMCASUP had been held in seven districts in the Western Region within the Sekondi-Takoradi Diocese of the Catholic Church.

The districts are Wassa West, Ahanta West, Amenfi East, Amenfi West, Nzema East and SAEMA.

COMCASUP is a five-year project from 2005 to 2009 being implemented in the Sekondi-Takoradi, Obuasi and Koforidua dioceses of the Catholic Church.