I nearly committed suicide after my public HIV test was positive — Former AIDS Ambassador

Former AIDS Ambassador and actress Joyce Dzidzor Mensah has opened up about her struggles with suicidal thoughts after receiving a positive HIV test result in public.

Joyce, who had previously denied being HIV-positive, decided to undergo the test in a public setting due to mounting criticism and insults regarding her status.

Speaking on Onua FM’s ‘Efie Ne Fie’, she revealed that she had initially planned to end her life following the public test but was ultimately dissuaded by support from someone in Germany.

"I did that test with the intention that afterwards I was going to commit suicide but I changed my mind because I got help from Germany. I was just leaving suicide notes behind through my actions on social media but I got help," Joyce shared during the interview.

She went on to explain that the individual who reached out to her reminded her of her responsibilities as a mother and the impact her death would have on her children.

“The person advised me that I have children who need me and even if I do not love myself, I have children and should think about what they will go through when I die,” she stated.

The revelation comes after a controversial journey for Joyce, who was appointed as an HIV campaigner by the Ghana AIDS Commission in August 2011 after testing positive for the virus in 2007.

However, in December 2014, she publicly denied her HIV-positive status, causing controversy and leading to the termination of her contract with the Commission.

Despite the termination, Joyce continued to face public scrutiny and criticism, eventually prompting her to undergo a public HIV test in 2021.

This decision was fueled by the relentless insults and backlash she received for her earlier denials.