Audio By Carbonatix
Efforts to contain the spread of the HIV in the Eastern Region is being hampered by the shortage of HIV testing kits and regents to determine the CD4 counts of people diagnosed to be HIV positive in the region.
The CD4 count of a person diagnosed as HIV positive determines if the fellow could be put on anti-retroviral therapy and to help control the ability of the individual to infect other persons with the virus.
As a result of the shortage of the HIV testing kits, the region is concentrating its efforts on the Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV, yet investigations conducted by the Ghana News Agency (GNA) indicate that, pregnant women in some health facilities are not tested for their HIV status due to the shortage of the testing kits.
As a result of the situation, 105 leading Civil Society Organizations that had been funded by the Ghana AIDS Commission to promote various activities to help reduce the rate of HIV infections in the region are not likely to meet their targets.
The investigations also revealed that, even some health facilities in the region had challenges in getting testing kits to diagnose patients suspected to be HIV positive.
Currently, the region is expecting its next supply of 12,000 HIV testing kits next month but that could not meet the needs of the region for a month because according to some health officials who spoke to the GNA on condition of anonymity, the region would need about 15,000 testing kits for a month and 90,000 testing kits for six months.
The HIV testing kits are not for sale on the open market and are supplied through the official drug supply system of the Ministry of Health.
The Eastern Region had been recording the highest anti-natal HIV prevalence in the country since the discovery of the virus in the country in the 1980s until last year when it was overtaken by the Central Region.
Currently, the anti-natal prevalence of the region is 3.6 percent, two years ago it was 3.2 percent against the current national prevalence of 2.1 percent.
DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.
Tags:
DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.
Latest Stories
-
Association of Small-Scale Industries empowers trade executives in Bono East with a mentorship programme
3 minutes -
AMA evacuates refuse along Graphic Road, warns against indiscriminate dumping
8 minutes -
STC interdicts driver over Pokuase overtaking incident
12 minutes -
Ekumfi: How $6m EXIM participation built a $53m industrial asset — now poised for a 24-Hour Economy breakthrough
13 minutes -
4 arrested, 142 parcels of suspected Indian hemp seized as officers reject GH¢50k bribe
14 minutes -
No MMDCE can say they don’t see galamsey – Local Government Ministry
15 minutes -
Ghana, Germany explore stronger partnership in technical and vocational education
21 minutes -
AMA urges motorists and road users to comply with traffic regulations
22 minutes -
Sam George urges One Million Coders participants to complete all three levels
23 minutes -
Communications Minister announces 2,800-site telecom expansion during Volta visit
24 minutes -
Impunity fuelling sexual abuse in Ghana – Angela Dwamena-Aboagye
25 minutes -
NUGS condemns alleged sexual abuse by Obuasi SHTS headmaster, calls for prosecution
29 minutes -
President Mahama urges investors to employ trained local residents as 1,238-acre industrial park takes off
33 minutes -
Media doing its job, but politicians fuelling insults on social media – NMAG president
34 minutes -
Child protection must be the state’s responsibility, not NGOs’ burden – ARK Foundation Boss
40 minutes