DCE appeals to donor agencies to sustain HI/AIDS programmes

Apam, July 6, GNA – Donor agencies must sustain their support for the fight against HIV/AIDS in view of the global economic crunch, Mr. Theophilus Aidoo-Mensah, the Gomoa West District Chief Executive, has said.

He said any attempt to use the economic situation to withdraw their support for the fight against HIV/AIDS would create disaster in some developing countries, especially in Africa and Asia.

Mr Aidoo-Mensah was speaking at a workshop on HIV/AIDS organized by the District AIDS Committee for traditional healers.

He appealed to traditional medicine practitioners to let people suspected of having the virus to go for voluntary counseling and testing (UCT) before admitting them.

The DCE expressed concern about unavailability of anti retroviral drugs to cater for people living with the virus.

He said Apam Catholic Mission Hospital needs the drugs for 81 people with the virus but only 24 have access to the drug and appealed to the government to produce more of the drugs locally.

Mr. Eric Akobeng, Gomoa West District HIV/AIDS Focal Person, appealed to orthodox and traditional medicine practitioners to collaborate in their search for a cure for the pandemic.

“No absolute cure has been found for the pandemic, therefore there is the need to combine preparations from traditional healers and orthodox medicine to boost the immune system to make patients live longer,” he said.

Nana Kwame Arhin, President of the District branch of the Ghana Federation of Traditional Medicine Practitioners appealed to the Copyrights Administrator to assure them of protecting their products from piracy.

GNA