Kintampo is a town located in the Bong Ahafo region of Ghana. The town has a population of about 49,046 people. Majority of them are commercial farmers who grow a lot of cash crops for export. They also produce a lot of foodstuffs to feed people in the country at large. A considerable number of the people work in offices to promote national development. In spite of its socio economic importance, the inhabitants of the town are prone to sexually transmitted infections such as HIV/AIDS, gonorrhea, syphilis. Among these sexually transmitted infections, HIV/AIDS is rampant and therefore, there is the need to alert the general public on the causes, effects and its prevention. Human Immunodeficiency virus infection and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is a spectrum of conditions caused by the infection with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). As the infection progresses, it interferes more with the immune system increasing the risk of developing common infections like tuberculosis and other opportunistic infections and tumors that only affect people who have weakened immune system. These late symptoms of HIV infections are referred to as the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS).
Research has proven that, one of the major causes of HIV/AIDS in the Kintampo municipality is having unprotected sex with an infected person. During sexual intercourse, there is the exchange of fluids between the partners which can lead to the transfer of the virus from the infected person to the other partner and this can result in HIV/AIDS contraction. Most people do not protect themselves during sexual intercourse because of their religious affiliations. Certain religious beliefs prohibits individual from the use of condoms which is a major tool for protecting during sex. As a result of this, when such individuals indulge in sexual activities with infected people or people who are at high risk of having the infections such as prostitutes, there would be a possibility of contracting the infection. Ignorance on the part of most individuals have led to the formulation of various perceptions such as there usually is more pleasure when barrier is used and this usually makes them refrain from the use of protections during sex. When AIDS is contracted by an individual, it results in weakened immune system of the person. As a result of weak immune system the body becomes prone to various diseases.
Another cause of HIV/AIDS in Kintampo municipality is the transfusion of infected blood to an uninfected person. Anaemic patients who are scheduled to receive blood transfusion may be at risk of contracting HIV/AIDS as a result of negligence on the part of the medical practitioner. This occurs when the blood to be transfused is unscreened before the transfusion process and when it happens that the blood is already infected by the virus, then, there would be likelihood for the transmission of the infection to the patient. During blood transfusion of blood components such as whole blood, packed red cells and fresh frozen plasma that are derived from the blood of an infected individual, HIV and other blood borne viruses can be easily transmitted to the receiving the blood. The risk of contracting HIV through blood transfusion has been minimized yet, people who inject drugs, share and reuse syringes contaminated with HIV infected blood is extremely hazardous. An individual who unfortunately gets infected with HIV live their life under stigmatization in the society. Infected individuals are openly condemned and branded as disgraceful in community. This may eventually have psychological effect on the individuals making life unbearable.
Among the causes of HIV/AIDS is the sharing of infected and unsterilized sharp objects. Circumcision, the removal of the clitoris of females and the foreskin of male genital organs in most rural communities in the Kintampo municipality are done by unqualified practitioners who are not accustomed to the act of sterilizing sharp tools and objects used during the process. As a result of this, people stand at very high risk of acquiring HIV/AIDS when an infected person is included in the process, through cuts that, may result from the process. Also, sharp objects such as razor blades are among objects that are shared among individuals in rural communities in the Kintampo municipality. When this becomes frequent, such objects may be used by infected person and stand the chance of transmitting the infection. The contraction of HIV/AIDS does not only have adverse effects on the individual but sometimes the society too. The increase in the number of people infected with the disease has become a burden to the government as a result of an increase in medical bills. As the number of infected individuals increase, a lot of people become more susceptible to various diseases as a result of weakened immune system and as such a relatively high amount of money is required to meet the health needs of these people.
Moreover, perinatal transmission is also one of the major factors that cause HIV/AIDS in the Kintampo municipality. Perinatal mode of transmission pertains to the transmission of the infection from a mother to a child during the period around birth. In this condition, mothers who are infected with HIV are at risk of giving the infection to their babies during pregnancy, childbirth, and also through breastfeeding. HIV transmission which occurs during breastfeeding by an infected mother is called vertical transmission. The contraction of this infection may lead one to death eventually. The acquisition of this disease comes along with susceptibility to different other infections as a result of the ability of the virus to destroy the bodys defensive cells and also a lot of trauma which may lead to depression and eventually death of the individual if the necessary treatment and emotional uplifting is not provided.
To sum it all up, some of the causes of HIV/AIDS which have been made known includes having unprotected sex with an infected person, being transfused with an infected blood which could either be whole blood or packed red cells, sharing of infected sharp tools and objects, and also babies being eligible to contract the disease from their infected mothers during pregnancy, childbirth and even breastfeeding. Also, it has now been established that the contraction of this disease has its effects not limited to the infected individual only but also to the society at large. HIV/AIDS has the ability to affect the economy of a society by an increase in the governments expenditure as a result of increased medical bills. The infected individual also becomes an object of stigmatization once word gets out that one is infected. Increase risks of contracting various infections on the part of the infected person and eventually death which also brings about a reduction in the labour force of the community hence affects productivity and growth.
As a result of this, it is a necessity to put in place preventive and control measures to minimize the rate at which individuals get infected. Some suggestions and recommendations that can help curb the spread of HIV/AIDS include abstinence from pre-marital sex, use of protection during sex with untrusted partners, careful screening of blood that is to be transfused before transfusion process begins, avoid sharing of sharp objects such as razor blades, sterilization of cutting tools in our hospitals after use and also putting in place additional precautions. With these suggestions and recommendations above, effective control of the spread of the virus would be achieved.