Extended family helps orphans

Accra, May 2, GNA - Mrs Akua Ofori-Asumadu, President of the Society for Women and AIDS in Africa (SWAA) Ghana, on Tuesday lauded the effort of caregivers in mitigating the impact of the HIV/AIDS pandemic on AIDS orphans.

She said the psychosocial support from the extended family system had played a significant role in maintaining the children and that could not be under emphasized due to the increasing number of children left in the wake of the disease.

Mrs Ofori-Asumadu, who was speaking at a press conference to draw attention to the World AIDS Orphanage Day which falls on May 7, said besides the family support; there were nongovernmental organisation (NGOs) such as the SWAA which were working to give hope to HIV/AIDS orphans.

She said SWAA was working in five HIV/AIDS prevalent areas which included: Western, Central, Volta, Ashanti and the Eastern Regions to improve the capacity and strengthen families to provide them better care and support for people living with the AIDS. She said SWAA in partnership with other NGOs would on the World AIDS Orphanage Day organize sensitization programme for communities in the quest for creating a better life for the orphans. Mrs Ofori-Asumadu said SWAA was working in collaboration with politicians, religious and traditional leaders to mobilize resources to support individuals, improve supply and access to drugs and ensure that all children affected by the pandemic had access to education.