The lack of public maternity wards in the Ablekuma West Municipality is hampering efforts at reducing mother to child transmission of HIV/AIDs in the area.
At present, pregnant women diagnosed for the disease are said to be abandoning treatment upon transfer to other health facilities for delivery, a situation that exposed unborn babies to the virus.
Principal Pharmacist at the Dansoman Polyclinic, who is also Focal person for the HIV/AIDs programme in the municipality, Mr Richard Bekoe, made the disclosure to the Ghanaian Times yesterday during sensitisation of residents on the disease.
“Immediately we detect that they have the virus, we put them on treatment, but because in the whole municipality none of the public health facilities undertake delivery, we transfer them to other areas like Mamprobi and Kaneshie.
Most of these pregnant women stop treatment when they are transferred and some don’t even go at all, putting babies at risk and defeats our efforts at reaching the 90-90-90 target,” he noted.
Making reference to this year’s theme for the commemoration of World AIDs Day; “Communities make the difference”, Mr Bekoe noted the relevance of all persons in the community to reduce infections.
“Many people have the disease and live with us in the community so we all have a role to play to encourage them to test, stay on treatment and not stigmatise and discriminate against them.
“When we all come together, we can curb this disease. It shouldn’t be the preserve of health workers alone if we are to fight HIV/AIDs,” he urged.
Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Ablekuma West, George Cyril Bray, who was about three hours late to the programme scheduled to begin at 9:00am, in a urged residents to be cautious in their activities, in order not to contract the disease.
He promised to do all within his power to improve healthcare delivery in the area.
BY ABIGAIL ANNOH
