Churches asked to stop demanding HIV/AIDS test before marriage

Takoradi, Dec. 1, GNA - Mr Jacob Ntiamoah, Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Focal Person for HIV/AIDS, on Tuesday asked Churches to desist from compulsorily letting members undergo HIV/AIDS test before marriage. He made the call at the celebration of this year's World AIDS Day organized by the Ghana Young Men Christian Association (YMCA) at the YMCA Vocational Training Institute at Takoradi.

The Day was under the theme: "Achieving Universal Access and Human Rights".

Mr Ntiamoah said the insistence on HIV/AIDS test before marriage by some Churches infringe on the human rights of couples to keep the result of the test confidential as pastors would have to be informed of the outcome. He said nobody could be forced under the laws of the country to take HIV/AIDS test if they do not want to.

Mr Ntiamoah said the Churches could counsel couples and give them the freedom to decide whether or not to take HIV/AIDS test or go ahead with their marital plans.

He said the Churches themselves must take up the matter and discuss the human rights issues involved to enable them decide whether to scrap the practice.

Mr Ntiamoah said some embassies have been refusing to grant visas to some people because of their HIV/AIDS status.

He said there was the need to educate people to voluntarily undergo HIV/AIDS test to know their status and said the high level of stigmatization against people living with the disease was hampering progress being made through education.

Mr Ntiamoah said about 10 per cent of Ghanaians have undertaken voluntary counselling and testing.

He said the Ghana AIDS Commission requires all companies and organizations to have workplace HIV/AIDS policy to protect people living with the disease from stigmatization.

Mr Ntiamoah spoke against homosexuality and lesbianism saying some boys are now using diaper as a result of their involvement in homosexual activities while some lesbians are having serious psychological problems. 1 Dec. 09