The Director–General of the Ghana AIDS Commission, Dr Kyeremeh Atuahene has revealed that the Galamsey menace can substantially contribute to new HIV infections and further undermine progress towards achieving the elimination agenda.
Dr Atuahene said a recent study that assessed the impact of natural resource extraction projects on HIV Transmission risk in local communities in 16 sub-Saharan African countries including Ghana reports that mine opening increases the odds of HIV reinfection almost two-fold and that the strongest effect was seen in 20 – 29-year-olds.
It also found that new mine openings were associated with risky sexual behaviours such as having multiple sex partners, high-risk sexual partners, and unprotected sex with high-risk sex partners.
The Director-General of the Ghana AIDS Commission said these findings by Dietler et al shorturl.at/bU279 should strengthen our resolve as a country to end this menace. He advised that HIV programs in mining communities should expand services to cover miners including galamseyers and women in such communities to help prevent new infections.
He promised the commission will work with the chamber of mines and stakeholders in the mining communities to strengthen research and HIV service delivery.
The Director–General of the Ghana AIDS Commission was speaking at a national durbar in Accra to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the commission and also commemorate this year’s World AIDS Day.
Dr Kyeremeh Atuahene reiterated that the responsibility lies on everyone to protect him or herself from HIV infection by adopting protective behaviours such as partner reduction, correct and consistent use of condoms and testing for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. He said knowing your HIV status is an important part of effective HIV Prevention.
He said the commission is strengthening partnerships with key stakeholders such as the media, religious bodies, traditional authorities, professional bodies and other civil society organizations, and the public and private sector organizations in working together to achieve the elimination agenda.
Source: Ebenezer Amankwah
