People living with HIV/AIDs (PLWHAs) in the Sunyani Municipality have appealed for nose masks, hand sanitizers, and veronica buckets to enable them to comply with safety protocols to protect themselves from contracting the Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19).

The 991 PLWHAs who are active clients placed on Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART) at the Sunyani Municipal Hospital (SMH) complained they felt neglected and had been denied attention in the fight against the COVID-19.

They comprise 238 males and 753 females.

The PLWHAs made the appeal in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Sunyani after the Non-state Actors Ghana (NSAs), a non-governmental organisation consisting of consortium of academia and civil society organisations presented 60 nose masks to the ART Unit of the SMH.

Mrs. Esther Sarfowaa Boakye, the Head of the Unit, told the GNA that 38 children comprising 20 boys and 18 girls have also been placed on the ART and they all needed protective equipment.

She observed that the patients were vulnerable; hence the need to ensure that they and health officials had enough protective equipment such as gowns, gloves and masks to protect themselves and their immediate families.
Mrs. Boakye thanked the NGO for the support, and appealed to corporate and religious bodies, philanthropic organisations and individuals to emulate the patriotic gesture and support the PLWHAs to protect themselves against the COVID-19.

Mrs. Theresah Agyei-Mensah, the Bono, Bono East and Ahafo Chair of the NSAs, assured the NSAs would continue to support the PLWAs to access quality healthcare.

She said they were high risk group because of their health situation and advised them to adhere to social distancing, wash their hands regularly under running water and comply with government directives.