Sunyani Kuronti-Hene Condemn Religious Leaders Who Describe HIV Patients As Prostitutes/Womanizers


Ghana HIV and AIDS Network (GHANET) has held their Annual General Meeting and capacity building at Sunyani the regional capital of Brong Ahafo.

Theme for this year’s annual general meeting was “Accelerating to Zero HIV Together -The Role of CSOs.” GHANET partnered with Ghana AIDS Commission, USAID, UNAIDS, UNFPA and FHI360.

Nana Oboaman Bofotia Boamponsem, Koronti-hene of Sunyani who chaired the ceremony said, many religious leaders in the country link/tag people living with HIV as being prostitutes/womanizers and such behaviour will let HIV patients hide themselves from the public. He charged religious leaders to desist from such behavior.

Nana Bofotia thanked GHANET for such an initiative and asked for more Civil Society Organizations to come on board to assist the government in eradicating the disease from the country. He spoke against stigmatization against HIV patients and urged all present at the meeting to give rightful information to authorities and that will help

fighting any deadly disease in the country.
Deputy Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, Mr. Justice Samuel Adjei, who spoke on behalf of the Hon. Regional Minister charged Politicians, traditional rulers, members of the clergy, members of the media, parents, teachers and community members in their role of advocacy and service provision on HIV and AIDS in our local communities.

He said the theme for the 2014 meeting “Accelerating to Zero Together-the role of civil society organizations” is very laudable and appropriate, since it presents the opportunity to gain an upper hand in the fight against HIV and AIDS in our dear nation.

He noted that, The 2001 Declaration of Commitment on HIV and AIDS Document agreed by United Nations (UN) Member States made an explicit call for the full involvement of civil society actors (including people living with HIV) in the planning, implementation and evaluation of HIV and AIDS programs. “Although civil society organizations have a long history of advocacy and service provision on HIV and AIDS in our local communities, the Declaration’s call provides impetus for renewed attention to the role of civil society organizations in HIV and AIDS prevention and eradication.”

According to him, the government has adhered to various international commitments to addressing universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support and protection of persons infected and affected by the various.

Kofi Oppong Kyekyeku (KOK)
www.newshuntermag.blogspot.com

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