Contemporary discourse on HIV/AIDS among the youth in a city in Ghana: a case study of Tafo-Pankrono

Human and its associated Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) have negatively affected many lives and altered many homes. HIV-related stigma is a major obstacle to HIV prevention and the well-being of people living with HIV (PLWH) in many developing nations, including Ghana. Since the first reported case in March 1986, the government of Ghana has put in place many measures to prevent its spread and increase access to treatment and health care, yet stigma and discrimination remain a barrier to achieving these goals. Many people perceive the disease as a death sentence. Due to certain socio-cultural factors, the disease is sometimes perceived as a punishment for immoralities, hence fuelled certain behaviours (stigmatisation and discrimination) exhibited against people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). Using a mixed data analysis, qualitative and quantitative research approach, this research examines the impact of HIV/AIDS and how it affects the life of PLWHA from 2000-2023, focusing on the Tafo and Pankrono communities in the Asante Region of Ghana. This will provide a comprehensive understanding of the effect of HIV on the lives of people living with it. The study discussed media and government policies in shaping HIV/AIDs as a discourse, cultural and societal factors that influence the perception, impact of stigma and discrimination on prevention efforts and access to support services, governmental policy frameworks. Primary contacts, such as HIV-positive clients, the youth, hospital personnel, and data managers, were interviewed, and statistical analysis was also conducted to obtain the number of people who have tested for HIV over the years; these responses and the statistical data were duly analysed. It could be said that the efforts and measures put in place by health personnel and the government to curb or reduce stigma and discrimination, so far, have yielded positive results or are relatively good. Despite these efforts to reduce stigma-related issues, factors such as societal norms, beliefs, and traditions, misconceptions about the disease continue to be a barrier to addressing stigma and discrimination affecting PLWHA.