Establish HIV Support Fund

Establish HIV Support Fund

Religious bodies have been urged to establish HIV Support Fund to lend a hand to HIV patients to enable them have access to anti-retroviral drugs in order to prolong their lifespan.

Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies have also called upon to design activities to reduce the economic impacts of AIDS on infected and affected households in the country.

 The CEO of Global Media Foundation (GLOMEF), Raphael Godlove Ahenu stated this at a separate forum on stigmatization and discrimination against People Living with HIV and AIDS at Nwawasua in the Sunyani Municipality.

 The programme was organized by Global Media Foundation with financial support from Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA Ghana) and the Mission of Hope for Society Foundation.

In all more than 200 people from the Church of Pentecost and the Apostolic Church Ghana at Nwawasua benefited from the sensitization programme. 

The programme was aimed at educating and sensitizing the general public on negative socio-economic effects of stigmatization and discrimination against People Living With HIV/AIDS. It was also aimed at changing the perception of the public towards HIV and AIDS patients. 

Mr. Ahenu noted that spread of HIV is strongly influenced by surrounding social, cultural and economic environment.

 He continued that the socio-cultural and the political structure which provide the framework of governance have implications for the pattern of spread and nature of responses to the epidemic.

He pointed out that depending on the level of the epidemic, HIV and AIDS in turns affects the social-cultural and economic systems of a country.

The Gender and Youth Development Officer of GLOMEF, Lovelace Kpogo entreated the clergy to stop using the pulpit to preach political issues that will bring division into country, but rather use it to preach against stigmatization and discrimination against People Living With HIV and AIDS.

The Director of Operations at GLOMEF, Victor Fosu Boamah, also stressed the need to ensure the identification and adoption of socio-cultural practices which promote relevant HIV prevention, care and support as well as reinforce positive behavioral change.

He further reiterated that his outfit will enhance the capacity of stakeholders to address issues related to HIV and AIDS, human rights and the rule of law.

The Presiding Elder of the Nwawasua Apostolic Church Ghana, Steven Yembila who is also the Unit Committee Chairman of the area, thanked GLOMEF for its effort to educate them on the deadly disease.

 He urged the public to show love, sympathy and support to people living with the disease.