The Upper East Region has a HIV prevalence rate of 2.2 per cent, exceeding the national average of 1.9 per cent, Dr Ernest Opoku, Deputy Regional Director in charge of clinical care, said on Wednesday.
He said there were spots in the Region where HIV prevalence was nearly 3 per cent saying it was a challenge, as HIV was not easily detected after an initial infection doubling the rates of infection among people unknowingly
Dr Opoku made this revelation during this year's commemoration of World AIDS Day in Bolgatanga under the theme: "Universal Access and Human Rights; Action Now".
He said though the country's HIV prevalence was better compared to other countries, the 1.9 per cent was considered a generalised HIV epidemic where HIV prevalence had consistently been above one per cent among pregnant women, and of which no segment of the population was spared the menace" He said the HIV prevalence is higher in sub populations such as homosexuals and professional sex workers.
Dr Opoku said the Regional Directorate as part of its efforts to achieve universal access to treatment, care and support, was assisting
private service providers and other satellite clinics dotted over the region to provide the required services.
Mr Mark Owen Woyongo, Upper Regional Minister, said the reduction in the lifespan of the country's productive citizens was worrying saying it was separating families and leaving in its wake, orphans and vulnerable children.
He asked people of the region to be reminded of the threats of the disease and galvanise support for the necessary measures to eliminate the mother-to-child transmission and to sustain and scale up the proportion of people living with HIV who were on treatment by 2015.
Mr Woyongo asked the people of the region to appreciate the enormity of the problem; being the least developed region coupled with the HIV and AIDS threat, calling on all to be crusaders of its eradication.
Madam Teni Ayuepaadu, the Regional President of People Living with HIV and AIDs, appealed to President John Atta Mills and the NDC government to include the anti retroviral treatment on the drug list of the National Health Insurance Scheme.
She said many of her colleagues preferred to stay at home leading to premature death because they are not able to pay the GH¢5.00 fee for drugs when they visit the clinic every month.