Women Association supports HIV/AIDS victims

Page 18, June 7, 2008

Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
( Women Association supports HIV/AIDS victims)
THE Indian Women Association in Ghana has presented a cheque for GH¢3,000 to the Pro-Link, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), to assist the organisation to cater for people infected and affected with HIV/AIDS.
The NGO, which is involved in HIV/AIDS prevention, education and counselling, has formed support groups for people living with the deadly disease, in addition to catering for the needs of some children orphaned by the disease.
The Indian High Commissioner to Ghana, Mrs Ruchi Ghanashyam, who presented the cheque on behalf of the association, said the war against the HIV/AIDS menace should be fought from all fronts.
She, therefore, commended the association for collaborating with the Pro-Link to bring comfort to people affected and infected with the disease.
Mrs Ghanashyam commended the efforts of the NGO and gave the assurance that the Indian High Commission was prepared to contribute towards the achievement of such laudable objectives.
The President of the association, Mrs Mahek Mahinani, said the association had been involved in the provision of assistance to the needy in the country.
It provided GH¢10,000 to the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) to mitigate the suffering of last year’s flood victims in the northern part of the country.
She said the gesture of the association had also been extended to the Nima cluster of schools, orphanages, the Akropong School for the Blind and inmates of the Accra Mental Hospital.
Mrs Mahinani said that was the first time that her outfit turned its attention to the HIV/AIDS menace, and expressed the hope that its collaboration with Pro-Link would bring smiles back to the faces of some of the affected and infected victims.
The Deputy Executive Director of the Pro-Link, Mrs Gertrude Nunoo, said currently, her organisation was providing care and support for more than 100 children who had been orphaned by the disease in the Volta, Central, Ashanti and Greater Accra regions.
She said family members who were taking care of the orphans had been registered with the National Health Insurance Scheme to enable the orphans enjoy free medical care.
Mrs Nunoo said the presentation by the Indian Women Association was, therefore, welcome, since it would go a long way to support the NGO in its activities.
She also expressed her gratitude to the association and called on other philanthropists to assist the Pro-Link to enable it extend its activities to all the 10 regions in the country.
The Head of Programmes of the Pro-Link, Mrs Ethel Sakitey, said the greatest problem facing people living with HIV/AIDS was stigmatisation, and called on Ghanaians to embrace such people to minimise the spread of the disease.

Pix I shows Mrs Ghanashyam (second left) presenting the cheque to Mrs Nunoo, while Mrs Sakitey (right) and Mrs Mahinani (left) look on.

Pix shows Mrs Ghanashyam (second left) presenting the cheque to Mrs Nunoo, while Mrs Mahinani and Mrs Sakitey ( fourth right) look on.