The Sagnarigu Municipal Assembly on Thursday, December 1, organized the 2022 International AIDS Day with school children at the Northern Business Senior High School (NOBISCO) to educate the teenagers on the causes and effects of the viral disease as well as the preventive measures.
The students were also encouraged to take their personal hygiene seriously in order to avoid contracting other diseases that would undermine their growth.
The Municipal Chief Executive for Sagnarigu, Mr. Mohammed Ahmed Yakubu, in his remarks explained the World AIDS Day was set aside to create awareness on the pandemic disease, remember those who have passed on and also to celebrate victims living with the disease and as such increase the access to treatment and preventive services.
Mr. Ahmed Yakubu stated that HIV/AIDS today is no longer the same compared to the past and argued years back the pandemic was perceived as the deadliest disease with high rate of fear and anxiety each time it was mentioned.
According to him, many people died before their time mainly due to fear, anxiety and stigmatization, emphasizing that today the story is different as people with HIV/AIDS are looking healthier and can live several more years longer than people with acute malaria and other chronic diseases.
Highlighting on the global theme for this year celebration: “20 years of Multi-sectorial HIV Response: Accelerating Progress to End AIDS”, the MCE said the theme suggests that, all stakeholders are to be applauded to take steps in addressing the inequalities that are holding back the progress in ending AIDS and to celebrate 20 years of successful HIV multi-sectorial response in Ghana.
“Indeed, we have a long way to reach this far and as a country that believes in equality and togetherness, we should tab our backs and say Naatuma to ourselves for the significant progress made thus far.”
He however urged the students and teachers to treat persons living with the disease devoid of discrimination and stigmatization as they will do to those without the virus.
Meanwhile, the Sagnarigu Municipal Focal Person who doubles as Assistant Director at the Assembly, Madam Paulina Ayawa told THE CUSTODIAN the day was significant in the calendar of public health.
She intimated it also gives both private and public institutions to create more awareness on the status of the virus, the preventions and the care for it, positing the day has been significantly put aside to ensure people observe it globally in memory of the dead and also as a warning to living.
Madam Paulina stated over the years for Ghana and the worldwide there have significant progress in terms of care and treatment and articulated HIV/AIDS is not fearful as it used to be.
“So the lessons that we’ve learnt so far is that HIV/AIDS are no longer an issue even though it’s there but people are able to take very good care of them, so there’s no panic, there’s no fear. HIV is real – yes – it is a disease that can be handled carefully provided you get early detection and treatment” she emphasized.
Stigmatization She added the persistent issue of stigmatization is as a result ignorance and called for intensive public education but she didn’t also hesitate to query that there are also patients who are on constant drugs as a result diabetes, hypertension, and malaria among others.
