Social media rumors of an AIDS outbreak at the Ho Technical University have been refuted by the Volta Regional Health Directorate of the Ghana Health Service.
According to the initial news report from a blog, more than 400 pupils have tested positive and have been told to go home. Without completing adequate due diligence, a number of social media influencers shared and referenced the unconfirmed article.
However, the Regional Health Directorate has categorically said that the publication is untrue and unsubstantiated and has advised the public to ignore it.
The Volta Regional Health Directorate reports that a thorough analysis of HIV testing data from medical facilities in the Ho Municipality and the entire Volta area indicated no rise in the number of cases of HIV that have been reported there or in the area as a whole.
They noted that neither Ho Technical University nor any other tertiary institution in the Volta Region has experienced a spike in HIV incidence.
Here is the complete statement :
FALSE REPORTAGE ON THE HIV INCIDENCE IN THE HO TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY
The attention of the Volta Regional Health Directorate has been drawn to an online publication by an unverified and unknown news portal ‘ajnewonline.com’ with the headline “Hookup Trend Leads to HIV Outbreak at Ho Technical University: Over 400 students suspected positive”.The publication has subsequently been quoted by various social media actors without any form of due diligence.
The Regional Health Directorate by this release is informing the public to disregard the saidpublication since it is false and unfounded.A review of the HIV testing data in all the health facilities in the Ho Municipality and the rest of the Volta Region does not suggest an increase in recorded HIV cases within any facility or the Region as a whole. For the avoidance of doubt, the region states emphatically that there has not been a surge of HIV cases in the Ho Technical University or any other tertiary institution in the Volta Region.The Volta Regional Health Directorate and its partners have over the period successfully implemented several strategies to fight HIV/AIDS.
These strategies seek to reduce new infections by 85% and eliminate mother-to-child transmission.The Region however encourages its inhabitants to avoid stigmatization and fully lend themselves to the disease awareness campaigns and tailor-made services that meet their specific needs so as to consolidate the gains made in HIV prevention, testing, and treatment. HIV services are available in all private and public health facilities in the Volta Region.The public is assured that their right to privacy and confidentiality will always be upheld as is the case in all disease conditions.
In conclusion, let us take note that HIV is still real, and all must endeavor to live positivelythrough sexual abstinence or by both uninfected partners being faithful to each other, and by the consistent use of condoms
