Minimising Stigmatisation of Hiv/Aids persons in curbing the spread of the pandemic in the Sunyani Municipality: the role of relations, friends and other Community Members.

The HIV and AIDS appeared on the world scene in the early 1980s. Since then millions of infected persons have died and are still dying every passing day. Its devastating and destructive impact is felt much in the Sub-Saharan Africa which houses two-thirds of all the infected persons globally (UNAIDS, 2008). Though the introduction of an Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) into the healthcare system is impacting greatly on the health conditions of the HIV infected persons accessing this drug, there is still not a vaccine that can cure the disease completely (Blechner, 1997). The stigma and the choice of derogatory words referring to the HIV/AIDS disease contribute to the spread of the disease (Angleton, 1998). The objectives of the study were to assess the extent at which HIV/AIDS persons are stigmatised, analyze the type of care and support given by relations, friends and community members to infected persons, assess the effectiveness of the existing HIV/AIDS educational programmes in addressing the dangers of stigmatising HIV/AIDS infected persons and to assess the progress so far made in addressing the spread of the disease in the Sunyani Municipality. The case study approach was used to collect data with a sample size of two hundred household respondents. The snowball technique was adopted for the study as it is a sensitive domain. Institutional questionnaires were also used to collect information from institutions like the Municipal Health Directorate, the Municipal Assembly, Concern Universal, Planned-Parenthood Association of Ghana and the 6th March Women’s Foundation as well as the Seventh Day Adventist Church and the Islamic religious bodies. Interview guide was used to solicit information from the 13 PLHIVs and five known relations. The survey revealed that stigma is deeply-rooted in the community as 58.5 percent of those interviewed were not willing to disclose their HIV status if tested positive whereas 41.5 percent respondents were willing to disclose their positive HIV status to a spouse and children and other close relations. None would disclose to a friend. The study revealed that the support needed by the people living with HIV/AIDS included empathy, companionship, love, confidentiality, socialisation, nutritious diets and continuous supply of Antiretroviral Therapy (ART). The educational campaign in addressing the dangers of stigma and its attendant spread of the disease in the study area is woefully inadequate and that much effort needs to be done. One significant revelation of the study was that the health workers insist on confidentiality as AIDS victims queue with all other patients seeking medical care. The PLHIVs who have disclosed their HIV status to others were happy about the kind of support like financial, companionship and pieces of advice they receive from them. They have not regretted for doing so. Since the PLHIVs have not disclosed to friends, their (friends) views could not be sought. In conclusion, it is anticipated that ending stigma is one of the most effective approaches to address the AIDS menace hence all stakeholders including international, sub-regional, national and local institutions and governments globally as well as civil societies marshal resources to fight this deadly disease.

Source: KNUST