The Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) has commended Ghanaians on the progress made towards achieving the set target of less than 5% new HIV infections by 2015.
CDD-Ghana further commends the Network of Persons Living with HIV and AIDS (PLs) for their continuous advocacy on the rights of their members, the Ghana AIDS Commission, development partners, key line ministries, departments and agencies as well as civil society organisations on efforts being made towards a sustained national HIV response.
As the world mark World AIDS Day in Ghana on the sub-theme ''Ghana towards an HIV free generation through Prevention of Mother-to-Child transmission of HIV, Safe Sex and Stigma Reduction'', CDD-Ghana urges all stakeholders, particularly government, to intensify efforts to fast-track their actions for all Persons Living with HIV and AIDS to have regular and continuous access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support services. This must be done in an environment free of stigmatization and discrimination against Persons Living with HIV/AIDS.
The global theme for this year is, ''Close the Gap''. Closing the gap also means that as many Ghanaians as possible must know their HIV status and feel comfortable in declaring their HIV status in the open.
This will happen only if HIV infected persons feel they will not be stigmatized and discriminated against. Preventing Mother-to-Child transmission also means that all the hospitals are equipped with the necessary test kits to conduct tests on new babies as soon as they are born in order to confirm their status and provide the necessary assistance.
Consequently, as a nation, we must, redouble our efforts towards addressing HIV and AIDS stigmatization and human rights abuses of Persons Living with HIV and AIDS by following the example other African countries like Sierra Leone to promulgate an HIV Law to protect the fundamental human rights of Persons Living with HIV and AIDS.
In a statement issued signed by the Communication Officer at CDD-Ghana, Mina Okuru, Communication Officer and copied to Zaa News observed that this is the only way that Ghana can truly reduce HIV and AIDS related infections, deaths and stigma and hence ‘closes the gap'. In view of this, the CDD-Ghana urgently calls on the Government of Ghana to increase funding to the Ghana Aids Commission to facilitate the effective implementation of the National HIV & AIDS Strategic Plan (NSP) 2011-2015.
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