Pending the release of the 2015 HIV prevalence statistics in the country, the Lower Manya municipality in the Eastern region continues to hold the unenviable tag as the country’s hottest and most dreaded HIV epicenter.
This was revealed by Mr. Isaac K. Antwi, district HIV coordinator of the municipal health directorate, Lower Manya during Thursday’s annual performance review meeting at Kpong. Addressing participants cutting across health practitioners and directors across the municipality to review the performance of health workers and institutions in Lower Manya, Mr. Antwi noted that even though the directorate still awaits the 2015 figures to access the prevalence rate of the country in the past year, the 2014 HIV survey which puts Lower Manya on top of the chart with 8.5 % prevalence rate still stands. This is indeed a worrying trend especially in a country whose national prevalence rate stands at 1.3%.
Mr. Antwi noted that though the 2014 figure for the municipality was bad, it was a slight improvement over the 2013 rate which stood at an all-time high of 11.3% which also was the highest in the country at the time.
Mr. Antwi discounted perceptions that the high figures could be as a result of other infected people streaming in from neighbouring districts and towns to access health facilities in the municipality, maintaining that the figures really was an indication of the infection rate of residents within the municipality.
On ways to combat the further spread the disease, Mr. Antwi said his outfit was spearheading a lot of public education to make citizens conscious of the dangers inherent in engaging in indiscriminate and unprotected sex. He said they were also actively engaged in radio education as well as community education programmes to reach people with the message.
The HIV coordinator added that they were equally strategically reaching their targets through the churches and schools in order to create the awareness as well as through various groups.
On any possible repercussions for the people of Lower Manya as the hub of HIV infections in the country, he was categorical that the image of the municipality as the leader in terms of HIV prevalence rate in the country would not be adversely affected. He compared the situation to earlier occurrences in other societies whose situations he said were worse but were able to overturn the tide as a result of massive commitment to fighting the scourge.
He was particular about pregnant women whom he advised to access ante-natal services so as to determine their HIV status in the run-up to delivery. According to Mr. Isaac Antwi, this is to ensure that expectant mothers who test positive to the disease are adequately catered for to prevent a mother-to-child transmission of the virus.
He further advised men to stand by their wives during the pre-natal services and come with them to the hospitals.
Source: ritefmonline.org
