Workshop HIV/AIDS ends in Winneba

A one day workshop on HIV and AIDS for representatives from government and non-governmental institutions in Winneba has been held at Winneba.

The workshop, which was organized by the Effutu Municipal HIV/AIDA Committee and sponsored by the Ghana Aids Commission, dealt with workplace policies towards the reduction of the disease.

Participants were drawn from departments, Institutions and private business people in the Effutu Municipality, to enable them to prepare policies at their various workplaces, to curb the spread of HIV and AIDS and also reduce discrimination among the infected and affected workers in the area.

Mr Clifford Simpson, Effutu Municipal Hospital HIV and AIDS co-ordinator, Mr Emmanuel S. Martey, Municipal Youth Co-ordinator and Mr Ebenezer Woode from the University of Education, Winneba were the facilitators.

They took participants went through topics such as stigmatization, the spread of HIV and AIDS amongst workers and their families, providing protection for People living with the HIV and AIDS from discrimination.
Other topics treated were adherence to human rights issues of workers living with the disease, advocacy for support from stakeholders in support of HIV and AIDS victims, promote counselling and voluntary testing among workers, capacity building of family members of infected workers to give home based care and ensuring that HIV and AIDS information of staff are kept strictly confidential.

Mr Clifford Simpson said HIV and AIDS is a social issue, which effects the socio-economic development of a country and hoped that various departments and institutions would help reduce its spread.