By Joyce Larko, Christian Council of Ghana

Adwoa Amina (not her real name) is a beautiful young woman who works as a sales person for an organization in the Ga West Municipality, in Ghana. Adwoa’s fiancé suddenly died after a series of health complications. Soon after his demise, Adwoa started losing weight and suffered from one sickness to the other. She was later diagnosed HIV positive. In her attempt to avoid the stigmatization that is associated with most persons living with HIV/AIDS in her community, she decided not to disclose her status to anyone.  Her health deteriorated. Her family took her to a prayer camp to seek spiritual help. But she did not get better despite a series of “spiritual cleansing”.

Adwoa was at the blink of death when the Christian Council of Ghana (CCG), as part of its HIV/AIDS Stigma sensitization programme, visited the prayer camp. She met with the Council officers for counseling. Adwoa confessed to being HIV positive and that she had not told anyone for fear of being stigmatized. She disclosed her status, on condition that the council does not inform any one in her community.

Through the help of the Council, she started undergoing treatment at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital. Today, Adwoa continues to take antiretroviral drugs and her health has improved.

The story of Adwoa points to the fact that stigmatization continues to affect persons living with HIV/AIDS and their fundamental human rights. Stigma hinders them from accessing treatment.

CCG strongly advocates that no person living with HIV/AIDS should die because of stigmatization. Treatment is available for all.

The Council in collaboration with WACC and DFID (UK's Department For International Development), is committed to eradicate HIV/AIDS related stigma and discrimination through a 3-year project launched in July 2008.  (See details here…)

For more information about the project, contact: Project Manager, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it  

Also read a recent report about the project here… and WACC Message on World AIDS Day 2010 here...

To learn more about WACC programme on HIV and AIDS, Communication and Stigma go to: http://www.waccglobal.org/en/programmes/hiv-and-aids-communication-and-stigma.html

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