HIV/AIDS- THE SILENT KILLER WE ARE IGNORING TO OUR WOE!

Ghana’s fight against HIV/AIDS has been dealt a significant blow, with a staggering 50 new cases recorded daily,
according to Dr. Kyeremeh Atuahene, Director-General of the Ghana AIDS Commission. This alarming rate has
sparked concerns about the country's ability to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3 by 2030.
Speaking at a Health Walk and Rally to commemorate World AIDS Day, Dr. Atuahene emphasized that HIV
remains a major public health concern, with AIDS being one of the top 10 causes of death in Ghana. He urged
Ghanaians to take advantage of the free HIV testing and treatment services available nationwide.
Dr. Atuahene stressed that preventing new HIV infections is crucial, and this can be achieved by adhering to
prevention methods. He also called on Ghanaians to contribute to the AIDS fund, ensuring that free testing services
can be sustained for all.
It seems that the passion that accompanied the fight against HV/AIDS decades ago, is on the wane. Off late, one
hardly hears about the infection in public discussions, even though we all acknowledge that it is still here, and
raging.
The alert given by Dr. Kyeremeh Atuahene, Director-General of the Ghana AIDS Commission, that at least fifty
people in Ghana are diagnosed each day with the disease, should serve as a wake-up call to all of us.
Many Ghanaians continue to be profligate, without a sense that a killer which promises great misery in one’s final
days, is still on the loose.
It is our hope that the government and public would heed the warning in time, to avoid a tragedy in future, both at a
personal level and at the national level.
(EDITORIAL of the Daily Searchlight of 27 th November, 2024).