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World AIDS Day 2024 – Take the Rights Path

By Richard Agodzo

As we commemorate World AIDS Day 2024, it is essential to reflect on this year’s theme: Take the Rights Path. This theme resonates deeply with Ghana’s ongoing HIV response, especially as we face critical challenges that threaten the health and rights of people living with HIV (PLHIV), including children born to HIV-positive mothers.

Access to quality healthcare is not just a need; it is a right. For many Ghanaians living with HIV, this right is increasingly under threat due to persistent shortages of antiretroviral (ARV) drugs. These medications are a lifeline, preventing the virus from replicating, keeping immune systems strong, and enabling people to live healthy, fulfilling lives. However, recent stock shortages have endangered the progress we’ve made, putting PLHIV, particularly exposed infants, at significant risk.

The Rights of PLHIV and the ARV Crisis

The World Health Organization and UNAIDS have long emphasized that universal access to treatment is a cornerstone of HIV care. In Ghana, we have made remarkable strides in expanding treatment access. Yet, in 2024, we still face systemic issues that jeopardize these efforts. ARV shortages are more than a supply chain problem; they reflect a violation of the fundamental right to health for PLHIV. Without timely access to medication, thousands of people risk treatment interruptions, which could lead to drug resistance, increased transmission, and deterioration in health.

Particularly concerning is the situation for HIV-exposed infants. Babies born to mothers with HIV require prompt and sustained treatment to prevent mother-to-child transmission. Interruptions in ARV supplies put their lives at risk, undermining the work Ghana has done to reduce pediatric HIV cases. The reality is that no child should suffer due to healthcare system failures.

Communities at the Center of the Response

In these challenging times, letting communities lead becomes not only necessary but also a right. Communities are the heartbeat of Ghana's HIV response. From grassroots organizations to networks of PLHIV, these groups are best positioned to understand and address the needs of those most affected. Empowering communities means allowing them to shape strategies that directly respond to local challenges, whether it’s advocating for continuous ARV supply or creating peer support systems to reduce stigma.

But for communities to lead effectively, they must be adequately resourced and supported. When we invest in community-led initiatives, we ensure that our response is tailored, sustainable, and human-centered. The power of community-driven action is evident in how local groups have stepped in to fill gaps, organizing treatment campaigns, educating the public, and supporting PLHIV to navigate the complexities of care.

Rights-Based Approaches for the Future

As we reflect on this World AIDS Day, it’s crucial that we embrace a rights-based approach to healthcare. This means recognizing that access to ARVs, proper healthcare for HIV-exposed infants, and the ability to participate in shaping healthcare decisions are not privileges but entrenched human rights.

We must demand accountability from all stakeholders, from government agencies to international partners, to ensure that no Ghanaian living with HIV is left behind. By strengthening our healthcare systems and prioritizing the consistent supply of lifesaving medications, we can uphold the dignity and rights of every individual affected by HIV.

In the spirit of this year’s theme, let us commit to taking the rights path – ensuring that healthcare, treatment, and prevention services reach every corner of our nation. By letting communities lead and centering the rights of PLHIV, we can overcome the challenges and build a future where HIV no longer threatens lives in Ghana.

On this World AIDS Day, I urge policymakers, healthcare providers, and all Ghanaians to stand together. The time to act is now. Let’s work to ensure that everyone’s right to health is respected, protected, and fulfilled.




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