UEW HIV/AIDS Unit Launches Sensitisation Campaign
The HIV/AIDS Unit of the University of Education, Winneba (UEW), in conjunction with the Anti-Retroviral and Treatment Unit of the Winneba Municipal Hospital, has organised free diabetes, malaria and HIV/AIDS testing with counselling for staff and students of UEW.
The screening, which took place on Wednesday, 11th August, 2021, at the Jophus Anamuah–Mensah Conference Centre, was aimed at raising awareness on HIV/AIDS and helping beneficiaries of the exercise know their blood pressure, diabetes and HIV/AIDS status. The exercise also included counselling sessions with recommendations and advice on some preventive measures.
Senior Administrative Assistant, HIV/AIDS Unit, Ms. Ajarah Salifu, expounded her outfit’s intent for the sensitisation campaign on the free HIV/AIDS testing and counselling programme. She urged all staff and students to involve themselves in such activities anytime the opportunity comes their way to know their fate and take the necessary actions.
In an exclusive interview with the Senior Midwife and HIV/AIDS Coordinator, Winneba Municipal Hospital, Mrs. Felicia Antwi, lamented the low patronage of HIV/AIDS testing.
“To know your HIV/AIDS status is very important because if you don’t know your status and you’re living with the virus/disease, you can easily spread it around. Some misinformation about this virus must be cleared. Some people think that we the health personnel disclose the status of affected persons to others when the said persons test positive for HIV/AIDS. This is not true. Because disclosing one’s status to people comes with punitive actions or sanctions. Others also think that HIV/AIDS medicines are sold and that it is very expensive. This isn’t true either because persons living with the virus receive free medical care including all drugs,” she opined.
Mrs. Felicia Antwi encouraged members of the University community not to panic but rather be bold to get tested and to know their status to get help swiftly from health personnel if it is so detected.
Some students and staff also expressed delight in the screening exercise. They indicated that the exercise should be a continuous feature rather than an occasional event to keep members of the University community on their toes in dealing with health issues. They also said that the publicity for the screening was low and encouraged the Unit to get more staff and students involved.
