Over 400 residents of Agbogbloshie and its environs on Tuesday joined Accra Brewery Limited (ABL) and the Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH; a German development agency to commemorate the 2015 World AIDS Day.

The event held at the Agbogbloshie Market attracted over 400 residents who went through Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT) for HIV / AIDS; Syphilis and hepatitis B screening and vaccination; malaria screening;  Blood Pressure and Blood Sugar testing; and Weight and Height measurement for BMI calculation.

Hajia Kande Yussif, a beneficiary of the exercise who is the Unit Committee Chairman for Korle Dudor Electoral Area and a resident of Agblogbloshie  said “HIV/AIDS and hepatitis B,  are two of the most dreadful infections especially in densely populated communities such as  this, which is why I am overjoyed to see ABL and GIZ here today to continue with the awareness creation and prevention of these sexually transmitted diseases. I am also comforted to undergo the free hepatitis B screening and vaccination which are not easily accessible under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS)”.

Speaking at the commemoration, Joyce Ahiadorme, Corporate Communications Manager of ABL, noted that the company understands that its profitability depends on healthy communities which is in line with ABL’s  commitment to its sustainable development goal - Prosper .

‘‘The annual commemoration of World Aids Day in the Agblogbloshie community demonstrates our love for Ghana and commitment to being a force for good especially in the communities within which we operate. We want to create a thriving world through the provision of such health interventions to individuals who otherwise cannot access or afford it’’.

Accra Brewery has since 2009 observed World Aids Day in Agblogbloshie, to sensitize residents on the dangers HIV/AIDS, routes to transmission and prevention methods.

The event held  on every  December 1, was expanded  in 2014 with support from GIZ  to screen 500 residents for Blood Pressure, Blood Sugar, Weight and Height for BMI, Breast screening as well as  the registering of minors and the aged onto the NHIS platform

Since its establishment in 1931, ABL has positioned itself as a community oriented company.  Not only does it support the health needs of communities through its annual Adabraka health screening exercise organised in partnership with the Graphic Communications Group Limited (GCGL), it also, has on numerous occasions, donated medical equipment, educational material, amongst a host of other social amenities to communities within its operational area.