World AIDS Day

People from around the world recognize WAD with various activities, everything from protests to vigils, to remember those and speak out for those infected and affected by HIV/AIDS. In Accra, the Ghana AIDS commission culminated a week of activities with an awareness walk through the downtown core of the city. As the heat is so intense at this time of year, the walk began at 6 am and I regret that yours truly wasn’t up to the task to rise and shine for any cause at that hour. I did however recognize the day in what I hope isn’t a unique way. I underwent VCT (voluntary testing and counseling) and got myself tested for HIV.

My colleague Jody, has been volunteering with a VCT clinic in Accra and they were holding a VCT screening at a major internet café in the city. We wanted to support the initiative so I went with her and Caitlin. The VCT was a very simple set-up with one room, one counselor and one lab technician. I’m not sure what made me want to get tested but I think I did it as an advocacy tool to tell people that they shouldn’t be afraid or ashamed of the process. To get tested is a positive life choice. You can find out you’re positive and from that point take precautions to not infect others and take better care of yourself to avoid opportunistic infections. You can find out you’re negative and value the choices you have made and continue to make positive choices to avoid infection. The process of VCT is supposed to be empowering and to learn one’s status is not a death sentence.

I was happy to see that an organization was implementing a practical recognition apart from the advocacy walks and awareness gatherings for World AIDS Day. Although few people attended the session, those that did were made aware of the actions that may put them at risk of HIV and what it means to live positively with HIV. As we later learned, even of the few people that attended the screening, one was infected. Often times it is difficult to measure impact of such an event but to know that that one person can begin making positive choices in their life means that change is being made.

In sub-Saharan Africa, Ghana has a relatively low prevalence rate of HIV, however this leaves no room to be complacent. The most common concern is the stigma and discrimination that continues to arise in the communities. The theme of this year’s WAD in Ghana targeted leadership as the key area where stigma and discrimination could be reduced. In Ghana, this is precisely where the education needs to be coming from, the chiefs, priests, imams, and politicians that are held in such high esteem in the community. There is also a lot of misperceptions and misinformation about HIV and AIDS in Ghana and many people will look to their leaders for the facts and truth. They hold the power of effecting change and I pray that they will see the need to make HIV/AIDS a priority.

Photo: Caitlin and I at the Society for Women and AIDS in Africa Gala at the Canadian High Commission (I think we were trying to experiment with the night settings on my camera)