Dr. Hubert Hounkpatin, Ada-East Health Director, has revealed that polygamous culture and attitudinal disposition have been contributing causes to the district’s high number of recorded HIV cases.
He raised concern about the numbers recorded in the districts, particularly among adults, the majority of whom had more than one sexual partner, claiming that the district’s prevalence rate was greater than both regional and national rates.
Dr. Hounkpatin who disclosed this at an Ada East District Assembly Ordinary Session said, “In Ada, they have multiple partners, and that is where the issue is; as health professionals, we cannot disclose to your partner if you say no,” he mentioned.
According to him, the transmission of HIV is mostly dependent on unprotected sex among persons who have a high number of relationships, since those who have several partners are more likely to transmit the disease than those who do not connect into a larger sexual network.
The District Health Director emphasized that condoms were supplied to community members for free, but some do not use them, and appealed for behavioural change to lessen the threat in the district.
“The challenge we’re having, especially with males, is that when they come in and are diagnosed, they won’t tell their partners, and you can’t disclose,” he explained.
He advised infected people to avoid unprotected sex with uninfected partners or partners with uncertain HIV status.
Ms. Sarah Dugbakie Pobee, Ada East District Chief Executive lamented that most guests who came to the area for social activities ended up impregnating the young females, which could be one of the factors leading to the high incidence of instances HIV cases being documented.
She said Ada’s position as a tourism enclave meant that people flock in virtually every weekend, and that the risk of those visitors spreading the disease to Ada inhabitants was considerable, emphasizing that the situation needed to be thoroughly investigated and addressed.