Over 200 people tested HIV/AIDS positive in Sissala East

June 26, GNA – Over 200 persons in Sissala East Municipal area have tested HIV/AIDS positive over the past four years with more new cases recorded this year, according to statistics presented by the Municipal Health Directorate.In 2017, out of 3,059 diagnosed, 50 people tested positive for the disease, representing 1.6 per cent and in 2018, out of 4,699 diagnosed, 45 were tested positive, indicating 1.0 per cent incidence rate.There was no report of death but he blamed pervasiveness of the disease in the Municipality on lack of sustained campaign and irresponsible sex life style by the people.The Tumu hospital has enough anti-retroviral drugs available and urged the public, particularly young men and women, to always feel free to move to community health centres dotted around the area for testing to ascertain their status and take precautionary measures against its spread.He expressed worry that currently only women in labour, blood donors and critically ill persons were the only people testing to know their status.GNA

• He urged the public to be concerned about other illness such as hepatitis and hypertension.
• Mr Bapula described the growing HIV/AIDS phenomenon as a “time bomb”, which could explode anytime soon if preventive measures were not stepped up to tame its transmission.
• “That seemingly disappearance of HIV/AIDS campaign even nationwide, coupled with the inadequate logistics like the testing kits, and also financing of events and programmes about HIV/AIDS sensitization and education should be brought back,” he saidThe Sissala East Municipal Director of Ghana Health Service, Mr Alex Bapula, who presented the statistics to the Ghana News Agency in Tumu, added that, as at June 2019, about 12 new people had been tested positive for the viral disease.
• In 2015, out of 2,933 people tested, 40 had the disease, representing 1.4 per cent prevalent rate while in 2016, out of 3,287 tested, 36 people tested positive, representing 1.1 per cent.
• Over 200 people tested HIV/AIDS positive in Sissala East
  

By Mohammed Balu, GNATumu (UWR).