Communities urged to patronise HIV voluntary counselling and testing centres

Hohoe, March 20, Ghanadot/GNA - Dr Edwin K. Danoo, Medical Superintendent of the Hohoe District Hospital, on Wednesday called on communities in the district to patronize Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT) for HIV/AIDS and Tuberculosis centres for psycho-therapy and analysis.

The VCT Centre, which is operational since last September, has a total of 50 clients currently undergoing psychotherapy and treatment with additional 40 others on follow-up visits after diagnostic counselling and testing.

Dr Danoo who was commissioning a GH˘2,200 sanitation facility sponsored by the Hohoe branch of the Ghana Registered Nurses' Association (GRNA), said it was prudent that general health and HIV status of individuals was known to them, in order that, they do not pry into the very lifestyles that could lead them into being infected by HIV and other diseases.

He said there were drugs with high efficacy levels, which are tried and tested to protect patients against opportunistic infection adding that it was necessary to know one’s HIV status in order to be guided.

Dr Danoo said the hospital had a modern laboratory, built from its internally generated revenue and that it would soon operationalize the Ear, Nose and Throat unit.

He was saddened that patients continue to disregard the use of the hospital's state-of-the-art physiotherapy unit with a seating specialist, many of whom rather preferred the Volta Regional or Korle Bu Teaching hospitals for equal medical services such as stroke, hypertension, diabetes, fractures and dislocations, joint pains and arthritis.

The Medical Superintendent appealed to the people of Hohoe to assist the management to construct a fence wall around the hospital to safeguard the land from encroachers.

Madam Emma Azumah, Counsellor in-charge of the Centre, said her outfit was preoccupied with diagnostic counselling and testing, prevention of mother-to-child transmission, counselling and provision of anti-retroviral therapy.

GNA

 

	Web www.ghanadot.com