FIGHTING THE AIDS MENACE

LEADERSHIP plays a critical role in any human endeavour and so in the fight against HIV/AIDS we also need very effective leadership.
It is for this reason that the United Nations has advocated renewed leadership to eradicate the stigma associated with the pandemic on the occasion of World AIDS Day, which was observed last Saturday.
According to the Secretary-General of the UN, there is also the need for leadership that fully understands the epidemic so that resources would go where they are needed most.
The DAILY GRAPHIC believes that it is time for the media to be expressly identified with such leadership roles and champion the fight against HIV/AIDS, which is threatening to scourge our generation.
The media have an important role to play as watchdogs and this role should find expression in the ability of the journalist to ensure accountability not only from those who wield political power but also people who influence key policy decisions.
A vibrant and vigilant media constitutes an asset to any country and that is the standard our media must measure up to.
That requires our journalists or media practitioners to brace themselves up for the task ahead, well armed with the relevant information, including accurate facts and statistics, to help adequately inform the people on the challenges ahead.
HIV/AIDS must not be relegated to the background. That is, while recognising that as professionals, we are bound to select news and news analysis based on their news-worthiness and relevance to our development, it may not be misplaced to remark that HIV/AIDS in itself is news and that until we snuff out the threat, we must not rest on our laurels.
About a year ago, many Ghanaians were stirred by news reports that some sitting Members of Parliament (MPs) and former MPs had failed to appropriately account for money given to them by the Ghana AIDS Commission for HIV/AIDS education.
The media need to highlight such stories and move beyond speculations to effectively investigate and establish the facts in order to keep our public officers alive to their responsibilities.
Again, we need to actively educate the people on the prevention of the pandemic, with greater emphasis on effective preventive measures.
We believe that the ABC of prevention, that is, Abstinence, Being faithful and Condom use, must be rigorously pursued, especially considering the sexual lifestyle of Ghanaians.
Studies indicate that many Ghanaians become sexually active at an early age of 15, and in our increasingly sophisticated and globalised world, abstinence alone may not easily work, although it is still key in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
Our religious organisations, including the churches, need to recognise that and find an effective and tactful way of educating their followers on how best they can prevent HIV/AIDS.
We are gladdened by the news that the government has secured $93 million for the procurement of more anti-retroviral drugs to make the management of HIV/AIDS more successful.
The DAILY GRAPHIC wishes to encourage the government to devote more resources towards ensuring easy and universal access to anti-retroviral drugs by all people living with HIV/AIDS.
The HIV/AIDS prevalence rate in the country has remained relatively stable in recent years and we wish to challenge Ghanaians not to get complacent.
Perhaps, we also need to find out why the three northern regions in the country have some of the lowest prevalence rates in the country in order to help other regions to significantly reduce their prevalence rates.
We also call on Ghanaians to recognise HIV/AIDS as a national emergency which requires the sustained attention of all sectors of society. Thus, the national priority now should be the need for a massive campaign to encourage people, including national leadership, to take HIV tests.