Persons living with HIV/Aids are calling on government to supply them with anti-retroviral drugs with immediate effect.
The HIV/patients have also called on the Ministry of Finance to sign tax waiver letters now to allow anti-retroviral drugs which have been left at the ports to be cleared immediately.
The patients made the call at a press briefing organised by the Non-State Actors for Health And Development (NSA) GHANA in collaboration with Network of Persons living with HIV (NAP+ Ghana) and Young Health Advocates Ghana(YHAG).
Due to shortages of anti-retroviral drugs in most health facilities in the country, the patients living with HIV/AIDS have expressed their apprehension towards losing their lives to the disease.
According to them, in July, a consignment of the anti-retroviral drugs was imported by the Global Fund to Fight Aids, TB, Malaria (GF-ATM) in collaboration with the government of Ghana but as at now, it is sitting at the port because it has not been given clearance.
They also said on December 1st, 2020, another consignment was shipped and is also sitting at the port, owing to the unavailability of tax exemption letters.
The Patients also alleged that government has over the period failed to provide a certain quantity of ARVs in a timely manner despite support from donors.
They alleged that when people go for their drugs, they are either turned away or some are given the drugs for only two weeks instead of the required three months.
Mrs Elsie Ayeh, the President of NAP+ Ghana called on government to act immediately as the lives of thousands of people depend on the drugs.
“We are not getting the drugs and when we talk they say we are lying. Meanwhile, we are the ones who go for the drugs and we don’t get it especially in the Eastern and Ashanti Regions. Why are they playing with our lives like that? she fumed
He added that,”We had information that the Ministry of Finance had signed the tax waiver letters, so if it has been signed why are the drugs sitting at the ports? I also heard that the Food and Drugs Authority has to clear it so if that is the case what have they been waiting for?”
The Patients have also declared their intentions to petition government on the issue by Friday, December 18, 2020.
Ghana| Atinkaonline.com| Porcia Oforiwaa Ofori
