The Director General of the Ghana AIDS Commission (GAC), Dr Kharmacelle Prosper Akanbong, says stigmatization and discrimination remain the biggest burden for the nation in the fight against HIV and AIDS. 

He said Persons Living with HIV (PLWH) must not suffer social exclusion but acquire good jobs and live comfortably. 

“The PLWH also have the liberty to enjoy promotions too,” Dr Akanbong stated and called for strong stakeholder support towards addressing the societal stigma and discrimination of the PLWH. 

Dr Akanbong made the call when speaking at the opening session of a two-day workshop on strengthening legal assistance organisations' involvement in service provision for HIV and Tuberculosis (TB) at Abesim, near Sunyani. 

He emphasised that continued stigma attached to HIV as well as the discrimination against the PLWHs ought to be tackled for the last time, describing HIV as a manageable chronic condition like diabetes and hypertension. 

The Director-General said that with strict adherence to drugs, the PLWHs could lead healthy and productive lives like any other human being. 

The GAC, in collaboration with the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), with support from the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and the Global Fund, organised the workshop. 

It forms part of a nationwide series being held across the southern, middle, and northern zones to address stigma, discrimination and human rights issues associated with HIV and TB and being attended by legal practitioners, traditional leaders, law enforcement officers, educators, and civil society actors. 

Dr Akanbong noted that despite several interventions put in place to tackle stigma and discrimination, the PLWHs continued to suffer social exclusion. 

He cited that it was unfortunate that about 1,300 applicants who applied could not have the chance to join security services due to their HIV status. 

Dr Akanbong said the GAC required strong support from influencers, chiefs and queens, opinion leaders, the media, civil society actors, human rights activists, security services, and everybody towards addressing HIV-related stigma and discrimination. 

The Deputy Commissioner of CHRAJ, Mercy Larbi, expressed worry that societal stigmatisation discrimination as well as breaches of confidentiality remained barriers to accessing healthcare, social service, and justice, particularly for vulnerable groups. 

She noted that social exclusion discouraged vulnerable individuals to check and know their HIV status, and attributed stigma and discrimination to certain misconceptions and myths about HIV which ought to be tackled head-on.