As high as over Seventy-Three Thousand (73,000) persons are living with HIV/AIDS in the Ashanti Region posing a threat to residents as stigmatization remains high.
This was disclosed by Executive Director of ProActif Global, Nathaniel Oduro who believes stakeholders must up their advocacy on HIV/ AIDS and its stigmatization.
He notes that stigmatization comes as pushback for persons living with the disease to go into hiding and not seek treatment.
Mr. Oduro is however calling on residents in the region to take an interest in their sexual partners so as not to contract the disease.
“Let’s take the Ashanti region, for instance, we have a little over seventy-three thousand persons living with HIV AIDS, I mean (73,245) per the 2020 data which was released in Ashanti Region by the AIDS Commission and if these people decide not to seek treatment again because of the stigma the viral load will go up”
“Persons living with HIV in those days were seen as weak, slim and very sick but today it’s not like that. HIV no dey show face, you can’t just look at somebody because he is looking good and say he does not have AIDS, there is medication now, and you will see a beautiful lady looking good and when you have unprotected sex there could be trouble”.
“Precaution is needed in sexual relationships of any kind. I will urge us all to take care of ourselves, especially the youth who throw wind to caution in their sex life”, he advised.
“We need to fight the stigmatization of AIDS, it is bad and if not checked will push persons living with HIV AIDS into hiding and that could push the spread of the disease more. When they hide they won’t go for medication but may be sleeping around and the infections could be more”, he warned.
