Declining Public Awareness Fueling HIV Stigma in Ghana — Advocate
HIV Awareness Advocate Ohemaa Gifty Torkornoo has warned that Ghana’s declining levels of public education on HIV/AIDS are contributing to rising stigma, misinformation, and reluctance among newly diagnosed persons to seek treatment. According to her, the country risks reversing gains made in the fight against the disease if communication and sensitisation are not strengthened.
Speaking on the Business Breakfast on Zed as part of activities marking World AIDS Day, Ohemaa said the roots of today’s stigma can be traced to early public health campaigns that instilled fear instead of understanding.
“The initial education on HIV destroyed everything,” she said. “People were told not to get close to persons living with HIV, so now many still believe that even eating with someone who has HIV means you will get it.”
She stressed that nearly 40 years after the first case was recorded in Ghana in 1986, many Ghanaians still operate with outdated information from the early years of the epidemic.
“I must say that against 29 years into 40 years, education has gone down,” she noted. “Those who even test today, knowing that they are positive, they are self-stigmatizing. They will not go for the medication because of the 1986 information they had.”
Ohemaa described the consequences of this knowledge gap as severe. She said many people living with HIV face isolation, internal shame, and confusion about treatment options. She recounted instances where newly diagnosed persons question whether HIV still exists or turn to spiritual interventions instead of enrolling in antiretroviral therapy.
“Somebody will test positive today and ask, ‘Does it still exist?’ Then they go to their pastor, or they take anointing oil and eat apple thinking it will cure them,” she lamented.
She argued that these misconceptions persist because HIV sensitisation has been reduced to an annual event.
“The sensitisation shouldn’t be occasional. We shouldn’t be waiting for December to be sensitizing the public. HIV is not an annual occasion. It is everyday. As I’m talking to you right now, somebody is getting infected. Somebody has just tested positive. So the education must also be every day,” she insisted.
The advocate warned that waiting for World AIDS Day to communicate about HIV sends the wrong message to the public, reinforcing the false belief that the disease is no longer a national concern.
“If you wait every year to give education, people won’t take you serious. People will not understand that the condition exists,” she said.
Beyond calling for more education, Ohemaa appealed for stronger support for people living with HIV who have boldly come forward to share their stories publicly. She said advocates like herself have taken significant personal risks to fight stigma but lack the resources to sustain their outreach.
“Most of us have come out to talk. We have sacrificed our lives. My face is out there. I have a family, but my family cannot fight for my stigma, I have to fight for my own stigma,” she said.
She added that she is ready to lead intensified public campaigns if given the necessary backing.
“We just need a push. Just push me a little to continue the sensitisation. I’m not afraid of anybody. You can use us,” she said. She also acknowledged other advocates such as Reverend John Azuma who have joined the effort to challenge stereotypes and educate communities.
Ohemaa reiterated that continuous public education, accessible treatment, and visible real-life stories are essential to ending stigma. She urged government agencies, media houses, health organisations and community leaders to collaborate to ensure that HIV remains an active part of public health conversation throughout the year.
