Senior Programme Officer of the National AIDS/STDs Programme, Winifred Naa Okarley Armah-Attoh has shed light on the transformative impact of Antiretroviral Therapy (ARV) in Ghana’s fight against HIV/AIDS.
According to her, the introduction of ARVs in 2003 marked a turning point, offering a lifeline to both patients and healthcare.
“At that time, when ARVs came in, it was like a saviour, not just for the clients but also for us, the health workers,” Armah-Attoh expressed in an interview with Johnnie Hughes on 3FM Sunrise Morning Show on Monday February 19.
Reflecting on the pre-ARV era, Mrs Armah-Attoh recounted the despair experienced by health workers and patients alike when there were limited options for HIV treatment.
She described the heartbreak of diagnosing individuals with HIV only to be unable to offer them any hope for survival, and highlighted the psychological trauma health workers faced when witnessing their clients succumb to the virus without adequate treatment options.
“It was heartbreaking because there was nothing we could do about it. We the health workers, because we were going through psychological trauma to see our clients going when we cannot provide them with any other help apart from talking to the person who wouldn’t listen,” she said.
According to Mrs Armah –Attoh, “Since the inception of ARV treatment, significant progress has been made in expanding access and coverage across Ghana. Armah-Attoh revealed that from the initial three facilities providing ARV services, the programme has now expanded to encompass 753 facilities across all 16 regions of the country. Currently, over 222,000 individuals are receiving ARV treatment, with more than 150,000 achieving viral suppression”.
The Senior Programme Officer emphasized the importance of addressing HIV-related stigma, which persists despite advancements in treatment and education.
“Stigma has been there for years before even the advent of HIV,” Armah-Attoh stated, drawing parallels with historical stigmatization of diseases like leprosy and tuberculosis. She underscored the crucial role of education in dispelling misconceptions surrounding HIV transmission and reducing fear and discrimination.
She stated that “stigma comes from we the very people who are with the people, stigma comes from we the health people who even take care of these people.”
Mrs Armah-Attoh also urged the public to recognize that HIV is not a death sentence and emphasized the importance of knowing one’s status. With continued access to ARV treatment and concerted efforts to combat stigma through education and awareness, Ghana is making significant strides towards achieving its goal of ending the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
By Joselyn Kafui Nyadzi