More than 46,000 people living with HIV refuse treatment

General news for Friday, September 18, 2020

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

2020-09-18

The Ghana AIDS Commission (GAC) has revealed that some 46,000 HIV-infected people have refused to accept treatment for the deadly disease.

According to the Director General of the Commission, Kyeremeh Atuahene, this worrying trend has presented a new challenge for the national HIV epidemic control and viral suppression program.

He said this problem has also caused an increase in new cases registered in some areas.

Speaking during a meeting with Graphic Communications, Mr. Atuahene said that the Commission in its attempt to control the national prevalence which currently stands at 342,307, this development has become a major impediment to ensuring that.

In an attempt to give reasons as to why some patients have refused to seek proper treatment, Mr. Atuahene noted that while many patients are still living in denial of their new states, others are also holding back due to the stigma that it entails being HIV. patient in this part of the world.

On the other hand, it revealed that other patients have opted for supposed traditional cures and treatments by spiritual leaders.

“Some say that they have done nothing to contract the virus, while others also refuse treatment for fear of being stigmatized in health facilities; which I agree is very high and we are working day and night to address … Some feel that once they visit a health facility for antiretroviral drugs, they will be identified by other people who will subject them to stigmatization “, quoted as having said .

Atuahene said that the HIV prevalence rate in Ghana was 2.0%, while infections among people 15-49 years old were 1.70%.

According to the details of the 2019 fact sheet, the country recorded 20,068 new HIV infections and 13,616 deaths that year.

He added that of the new infections, 17,096, which represent 85%, were 15 years and older, while 2,972, which represent 15%, were children 14 years or less.