First Lady Rebecca Akufo-Addo being screened
First Lady Rebecca Akufo-Addo has called for the full support and participation of men in addressing the problem of mother-to-child HIV transmission, as well as breast cancer in Ghana.
According to her, although issues of prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV and breast cancer may focus on women, the involvement and support of men in addressing these issues cannot be overemphasized.
“We as women look to you for encouragement, support and guidance. Without your support, all the achievements we have chalked so far will be lost, we need you now more than ever if we are to make greater strides,” she stressed.
The first lady was speaking in Ho, the Volta regional capital, during the launch of the National Acceleration Plan for Paediatric HIV Services.
The National Acceleration Plan for Paediatric HIV Services is a five-year strategic plan aimed at putting 90 percent of estimated number of children and adolescents (0-19 years) living with HIV on treatment by 2020. It is expected to drastically avert HIV/AIDS-related morbidity.
According to the Ghana AIDS Commission, the national HIV prevalence amongst pregnant women attending antenatal clinic in 2016 is 2.4 percent.
Mrs Akufo-Addo bemoaned that although the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV services are being provided in more than 2,000 facilities in Ghana to prevent new HIV infections in children, mother-to-child transmission of HIV is still above 10 percent, while coverage of care for children and adolescent is still below 30 percent.
This, she mentioned, is unacceptable, making it more important “to drive us all to urgently move beyond business as usual, to fast-track the implementation of critical services for our children and adolescents.”
She, therefore, called for all an hands-on-deck approach to solving the prevalence of HIV/AIDS cases in the country.
The first lady also pledged to use her position as a steering committee member of Organisation of African First Ladies (OAFLA) and the Premier Ambassador of Ghana for HIV advocacy to better the lives of women and children.
She also expressed concern about the prevalence of breast cancer, which is the leading cause of cancer deaths among women in Ghana, citing a GLOBOCAN report which indicates a prevalence of 37 in every 100,000 people.
The first lady added that for the more 4,000 Ghanaian women who suffer breast cancer each year, 70 percent of breast cancer cases are reported and diagnosed late, making it incurable.
Mrs Akufo-Addo, therefore, encouraged all women to screen regularly and report all anomalies as soon as possible since breast cancer is curable, especially if detected early.
The Volta Regional Minister, Dr Archibald Yao Letsa, expressed worry that the region witnessed an increase in HIV prevalence from 1.7percent in 2015 to 2.7percent last year, and therefore, called for targeted effective prevention interventions such as health education and behavioural change communication.
He also stressed the need to step up outreach activities, as more individuals could be ageing with HIV unknowingly.
The Deputy Director General of the Ghana Health Service, Dr Gloria Quansah, added that Ghana must demonstrate leadership in the global efforts to end the AIDS epidemic by 2030, as it one of the 35 UNAIDS fast-track countries.
She also called for renewed efforts from all stakeholders to reduce new HIV infections in all age groups, especially in children and adolescents.
As part of the launch, the Organisation of African First Ladies Against HIV/AIDS (OAFLA) Ghana Chapter, in partnership with the Ghana AIDS Commission, Alere Incorporated and Roche Products Ghana Limited, undertook a two-day HIV, breast cancer and general health screening for the locals.
From Gibril Abdul Razak, Ho