Stigmatization of AIDS victims must be stopped-Awuku-Amoah
Audrey Micah, Ghanadot

Accra, July 17, Ghanadot - Professor Sakyi Awuku-Amoah, Director-General of the Ghana AIDS Commission, has disclosed that for national responses to the HIV/AIDS epidemic to thrive, the nation has to embark upon the issue of stigmatization holistically.

According to him, certain institutional policies and practices aimed at curbing the spread of the disease are rather contributing to the high level of discrimination and stigmatization.

He said this at the Second Civil Society Forum on the critical role of women in the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals, MDGS in Accra.

The forum which was organized by the Voices of African Mothers, (VAM) was expected among other things to inform the participants of the positions of their individual countries in the execution of the goals and their limitations.

According to him, the situation where couples are required to get tested by the leadership of churches before they are allowed to marry is not the best approach to tackle the problem.

Explaining further, he said, currently, only 10% of Ghanaians know their HIV status because of discrimination and stigmatization, adding that stigmatization kills more people with HIV than the virus itself.

Professor Awuku-Amoah entreated the Ghana AIDS Commission to come out with pragmatic policies and programmes that will ensure a lasting solution to the problem.

Micah Audrey