The Metropolitan AIDS Committee (MAC) of Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA) is coming out with a work place policy, making it an offence to discriminate against employee victims of the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS).
Mr Kwame Brefo-Boateng, Focal Person on HIV/AIDS at the TMA said copies of the document were being distributed to all private and public establishments in the Tema Metropolis to serve as a guide to both employers and employees.
He was distributing food items made up of quantities of bags of rice, milk, eggs, Anapuna salt, tooth pastes, toiletries and fruits worth GH¢900.00 to 264 people living with the HIV/AIDS at the fevers unit of the Tema General Hospital, as part of activities marking the World's AIDS day that falls today.
The day is being observed under the theme "leadership, reducing stigma and discrimination", and the slogan "be bold, know your status".
The focal person advised employers against discriminating against their employees who have contracted the disease, as that is dehumanizing and could contribute to shorten their lives untimely.
The move would also discourage victims from talking about their status.
He advised the victims to abide by their medical doctors advice and take in the prescribed drugs and stop buying over the counter drugs at pharmacy shops.
Mr Brefo-Boateng noted that education on the menace contributed to give hope to victims, and urged all to seek knowledge, to serve as a guide to prevent contracting it.
A victim who contracted the disease through blood transfusion said victims refused to declare their status because relatives tend to neglect them as a result.
The AIDS Committee is embarking on the education in schools as the youth are vulnerable and could contract the disease out of ignorance.