The two-year, "Stigma and Discrimination Reduction Project," would be implemented in the Wa Municipality and Nadowli-Kaleo District from 2025 to 2026.
It was funded by the Global Fund under its G7 programme through the Ghana-West Africa Programme to Combat AIDS and STI (WAPCAS) to sensitise people on the need to shun stigma and discrimination against persons infected with HIV and TB.

Speaking at a meeting with stakeholders in Wa including members of the Wa Municipal Health Committee at the weekend, Mr Benjamin Buabeng, the Programme Manager of HERO NETWORK, said stigma and discrimination were major setbacks to the fight against the spread of HIV and TB.

He observed that people living with HIV in Ghana suffered discrimination in all spheres of life including churches, social groupings, and homes among others, which deterred other people from testing and going for medications.

"People are not even free to do the HIV testing because there is fear of stigma and discrimination, those who have tested, know their status and are positive, are not going for their medication because of the fear of same stigma and discrimination," Mr Buabeng explained.

The Programme Manager indicated that the project, therefore, sought to enlighten the public on the impact of HIV and TB-related stigma and discrimination on the public as it puts every person at risk of contracting those viruses.

He added that it was also to contribute to achieving the 2030 global agenda of 95-95-95 (ensure that by 2030, 95 per cent of people living with HIV know their HIV status, 95 per cent of people diagnosed with HIV receive antiretroviral therapy (ART) and 95 per cent of people on ART achieve viral suppression).

Mis Alexandra Ayanful, the Project Coordinator at HERO NETWORK, stated that lack of or limited knowledge of HIV and TB led to the stigma and discrimination against persons living with those conditions.

She, however, indicated that stigma and discrimination were barriers to achieving global health goals and needed a well-coordinated and multi-sectoral approach including monetary and legal reforms and evidence-based interventions to address.

Naa Osman Daudi, Sunche Naa, the Chairperson of the Wa Municipal Health Committee, expressed gratitude to the NGO for extending the project to the Municipality.
He said the committee welcomed any intervention that would help contribute to enhancing healthcare service delivery to the people.