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Capacity Building Workshop for Greater Accra Queen Mothers

 

Queen mothers in Greater Accra Region have been given education on HIV to enhance their knowledge and understanding of key aspects of HIV management to enable them to sensitize their communities on issues such as stigma reduction, prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV, reduction in new HIV infections among adolescents and behaviour change.

The sensitization was done at a workshop with funding support from the UNDP. The workshop is one of many others, meant to complement on-going national initiatives such as the Free to Shine Campaign and the National Prevention Coalition toward realisation of pressing national and global targets particularly the 90-90-90 and the SDGs.

Delivering the Welcome Address, Mr. Kyereme Atuahene the Acting Director General of GAC emphasized the importance of achieving the 90-90-90 treatment targets to achieve epidemic control. He said despite on-going sensitization, many people shy away from testing to know their HIV status due to stigma and other factors. Even people who are HIV positive, do not access treatment for similar reasons. He stressed the importance of adhering to antiretroviral treatment, adding that it is the globally recognized and most effective way of managing HIV. He urged the queen mothers to encourage their communities to test to know their HIV status and access treatment if tested HIV positive.

Nana Teiba Chinbua, Head of Governance at UNDP, said to be able to end AIDS by 2030 would mean countries harnessing the strengths of already existing community and traditional structures to strengthen HIV prevention and eliminate HIV-related stigma and discrimination.

Dr. Fred Nana Poku, the Director of Technical Services at GAC expanded on the role of traditional leaders in the national HIV response. He explained the concept of prevention of mother-to child transmission of HIV and how queen mothers can help achieve this, especially with adolescent girls.
Ms. Winifred Armah-Attoh, a resource person from the National AIDS/STI Control Program, took the queen mothers through basic information on HIV such as facts about HIV and AIDS, modes of transmission, prevention and myths and misconceptions.

Ms. Rita Afriyie, the Technical Coordinator for Greater Accra Region talked on addressing stigma and discrimination in the community.

About 50 queen mothers from across Greater Accra Region availed themselves for the programme

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The Ghana AIDS Commission is a supra-ministerial and multi-sectoral body established under the Chairmanship of H. E. the President of the Republic of Ghana by Act 2016, Act 938 of Parliament. The objective of the Commission is to formulate policy on the HIV and AIDS epidemic and...

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