Human Rights, HIV/AIDS, Access to Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) in Ghana J

1. Results Methods Demographics of respondents • 40% of the respondents were female, 65% were between 40-49 years, 95% were Ghanaian, 45% were government officials, and 50% were officials of international agencies (Development Partners) assisting Ghana in the field of HIV/AIDS. Available National Policies on HIV/AIDS • The National HIV/AIDS/STI Policy, the National Strategic Framework I & II and related policies have established an enabling environment for reducing HIV vulnerability and promoting access to care including ART. • . Accreditation of ART sites as a national policy ensures standardization of care across the country. Adherence to the National Guidelines for ART in Ghana eliminates treatment disparities on the basis of race, gender, age or socioeconomic status. • A government subsidy for ART requires patients to pay an equivalent of only $5/month for all ART services including ARVs, thus mitigating the financial barrier to care. However, transportation cost is still a barrier to many people living with HIV/AIDS, who for now, have to travel long distances to access ART services until the government’s goal of universal access to ART is fully implemented. 20 respondents(10 policy makers and 10 Development Partners in the field of HIV/AIDS in Ghana) participated in a face-to-face interview using an investigator-administered open-ended questionnaire. Interviews were conducted in Accra between July-September, 2005. Respondents’ responses regarding available policies on HIV/AIDS including access to ART were evaluated in the light of available relevant national documents. Human Rights, HIV/AIDS, Access to Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) in Ghana J Joyce Addo-Atuah PhD Candidate, Dick Gourley Pharm D, Shelley White-Means PhD, Greta Gourley Pharm D/PhD, Robin Womeodu MD, Richard Faris PhD. University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN. Conclusion Background Policies in Ghana on HIV/AIDS and access to ART conform to international HIV-related human rights principles especially: • The rights to non-discrimination, equal protection and equality before the law. • The right to life. • The right to the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health. Appropriate national policies are essential for creating an enabling environment which helps reduce vulnerability to HIV/AIDS and promote access to care for the affected. As part of a larger cross sectional qualitative study on ‘Factors Relating to Access to Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) in Ghana,” available policies on HIV/AIDS including access to ART in Ghana were examined. Reference: United Nations HIV/AIDS and Human Rights : International Guidelines. New York and Geneva, United Nations, 1998.