Sunyani-Ghana, Dec. 15, GNA – MIHOSO International, a health-focused NGO through the USAID JSI Care Continuum project has brought back to care 136 People Living With HIV/AIDS (PLWHAs) in two Municipalities of the Ahafo Region.
The NGO implemented the project in the Tano North and Tano South Municipalities of the Region between October 2021 and September 2022.
According to Mr. Thomas Benarkuu, the Programmes Director of MIHOSO, the project was funded by the United States President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), a US government initiative to help save the lives of those suffering from HIV/AIDS.
It was designed to strengthen the Government of Ghana’s capacity, and its partners, to provide quality, comprehensive HIV services for people living with HIV in Western, Western North and Ahafo Regions.
Speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Sunyani, Mr Benarkuu said the project’s implementation had achieved significant impact in the two municipalities and commended the PEPFAR and its partners.
“The project worked with the Ghana Health Service and other partner civil society organisations, and linked about 136 PLWHAs in the two Municipalities to treatment”, he explained.
In addition, “it further identified PLWHAs and the Ahafo Regions achieving 95 per cent of the project target, he added, saying it also supported persons already on HIV treatment to remain in care.
The drastic increase in the number of PLWHAs currently receiving ART in the project’s implemented municipalities resulted from increases in case identification, linkage and B2C campaign for patients that interrupted treatment.
Meanwhile, some of the beneficiaries has lauded the implementation of the project, and commended MIHOSO and the JSI Continuum and expressed the hope that the project’s implementation would be extended to benefit many people.
“We are looking healthier and doing our petty businesses. We are no more facing the problems of public stigmatisation and discrimination and we appreciate the project implementers a lot”, Gifty, one of the beneficiaries and a petty trader stated.
Gifty said she was however, hopeful that more PLWHAs in the Ahafo would be identified and supported to improve their livelihoods.
