Through Awareness Programs, HIV/AIDS Will be Eliminated in Ghana by 2030: AFP and UNAIDS

Atuabo Freeport Ghana Limited, (AFP) and UNAIDS have signed a five year agreement for UNAIDS to carry out AFP’s HIV/AIDS awareness program as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility. The MoU is signed with an aim to eliminate HIV/AIDS in Ghana by 2030. According to UNAIDS, it is necessary to raise awareness among Ghanaians because people especially living in rural areas of Ghana don’t like using condoms, some don’t want to know their HIV status and others have multiple sex partners.

HIV/AIDS awareness is important in view of the fact that the project (construction and operation of a specialized deep-water petroleum and hydrocarbon logistics base in Atuabo, Western Region) is likely to attract migrant workers, traders to the project area who may engage in unprotected sex.

UNAIDS Country Coordinator in Ghana, Mr. Girmay Haile, during the signing, said they are working hard towards ensuring that employers at various companies will urge their workers to use condoms, know their HIV status and reduce their sex partners.

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Atuabo Freeport, Steven Gray, said, “An effective dialogue will not only benefit Atuabo but also its community and a wider corporate network.”

The MoU between the two entities will allow UNAIDS and AFP to corporate in the following areas:

Corporate social responsibility to achieve zero new HIV infections, zero AIDS related deaths and zero discrimination in communities within the project area.

Implementation of HIV/AIDS prevention program to include: HIV and AIDS sensitization and outreach programs for community members and workers, distribution of information, education and communication materials as well as condoms and development of workplace policy on HIV/AIDS.

Provision of a medical facility for HIV/AIDS testing, treatment and counseling.

Source-Medindia