Posted on allafrica.com
Bolga — The Upper East office of the Ghana Health Service (GHS) has launched the "know your status HIV/AIDS campaign", targeting over 200,000 people.
The programme involves convincing people to volunteer to be counseled and tested for HIV and was launched on Thursday by the Regional Director of Health Services, Dr. Koku Awoonor-Williams in Bolgatanga.
He explained that it was better for one to know one's status early because continuous treatment with the Anti-Retroviral drugs could keep one healthy and strong and also protect them from advancing into the AIDS stage when one suffers all the opportunistic infections.
He urged all concerned to go to either the Regional Hospital or any of the district Hospitals for counseling and testing.
He expressed concern at the high prevalence rate of HIV in the Kassena Nankana District, which is 2.8 per cent as compared to the Regional rate of 2.0 per cent and the National rate of 1.7 per cent and urged all health personnel to step up the campaign against HIV/AIDS.
The Director called for team work and commitment, saying that even though the Regional Health Service faced some challenges, they could be solved if all focused their attention at tackling them. "The Upper East can make a difference, so let us make it happen", he told the workers.
Mr. Samuel Anyogdem, Regional Coordinator of HIV/AIDS, said six district hospitals in the region administered Anti Retroviral therapy that was available for all HIV positive people helping them to maintain their health.
He said those tested positive were linked to NGOs and faith based organization that support people who are infected or affected.
He noted that the Anti Retroviral Drugs were meant to be taken for as long as one remained infected and that could be for an entire life time without stop.
"Being HIV Positive does not mean death as some people think because with the treatment one can live a healthy life just like any person without infection", he said
