New Edubiase (Ash), Dec 28, GNA - Mr Francis Kudjoe Dorpenyoh, Adansi South District Chief Executive, has entreated society to respect the rights of People Living With HIV/AIDS (PLWHAs). He said under the constitution, PLWHAs were entitled to their fundamental human rights just like any other Ghanaian. Speaking at the closing ceremony of a two-day workshop on HIV/AIDS at New Edubiase on Tuesday, Mr Dorpenyoh said it was therefore unlawful for anyone to deprive PLWHAs their rights to life, health and work.

The workshop was organised by the Community Collaborative Care and Support Project (COMCASUP), an NGO-based in Obuasi for the Adansi South HIV/AIDS Advocacy Group on the Rights of PLWHAs. The DCE advised Ghanaians to stop the stigmatisation of victims of the pandemic since this will ostracise them from the society and would therefore, force them to go underground to spread the disease.

Mr. David Kwasi Amankwah, the District Director of Health Services, said the disease was no more a health problem but a socio-economic problem, which needed a multi-sectoral approach to combat it. Mr. Thomas Frimpong, COMCASUP Project Co-ordinator, said the workshop was aimed at waging a campaign against the stigmatisation of HIV/AIDS victims and to equip the participants with lobbying skills to be able to mobilise resources to support PLWHAs.