Minister calls for male involvement in PMTCT

Mr Antwi-Boasiako Sekyere, Eastern Regional Minister, has called for male involvement and the mobilizing of church leaders and communities to support pregnant women to know their HIV status, and to provide support for them when they test positive.

He explained that such practice would not only help the women to stay health and longer, but would also help prevent mothers from passing on the virus to the new born babies.

This, he said, could help the country to attain the aim of a generation free of HIV infections.

Mr Antwi-Boasiako made the call at different churches in the Koforidua Municipality when he led the Eastern Regional AIDS Committee to talk at the churches on Sunday, as part of activities organized to mark World AIDS Day in the Region, which falls on Monday, December 1.

Some of the churches visited were the Assemblies of God, Central, Church of Pentecost, Nkubem, Global Evangelical Presbyterian Church and the Apostolic Church, Central, all in Koforidua

This year's day is being observed under the theme:” Towards an HIV-free Generation Through Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission (PMTCT) of HIV, Safe Sex and Stigma Reduction.”

He expressed worry about the persistent high HIV prevalence in the region, and appealed to the churches to support efforts at eliminating discrimination and stigmatization.

Mr Antwi-Boasiako appealed to the churches to help support and care for People Living With HIV (PLWHIV), by setting a day aside annually to pray for PLWHIV, and counsel them.

He explained that if all churches in the country could devote a day on their calendar annually for the PLWHIV, it could go a long way to bridge the gap in funding and ending the AIDS pandemic in the country.