EXTREME MAKEOVER: Ghana and migrant female sex workers

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Ghana, a mineral-rich country along Africa’s western sea coast, is endowed with a good education system and an efficient civil service. What is lacking, however, is a policy that targets mobile and migrant populations who are at high risk of contracting HIV.

After Ghana’s first case of HIV was reported in 1986, the disease spread slowly and steadily until 2003, when efforts by the government and humanitarian actors started to register success. Today, Ghana has the lowest HIV prevalence in West Africa.

But amongst mobile and migrant populations, the prevalence remains high.

Ghana has developed a national strategic plan with the aim of delivering much-needed HIV prevention, care, treatment and support services to 80 per cent of Ghana’s key affected mobile and migrant populations by 2015.

Statistics show that female sex workers, who are part of the population the government is targeting, are particularly vulnerable to HIV infection. The national HIV prevalence in 2010 was estimated at 1.5 per cent. Among female sex workers, it was estimated to be as high as 25 per cent.

In response to this, the Internationl Organztion for Migratn (IOM) and partners are conducting research which will contribute to evidence-based HIV and AIDS programming for migrant female sex workers in Ghana. The study will be conducted along Tema-Paga, the country’s longest and most widely traveled transport corridor.


ORIGINAL PIECE:

Migration is a recognized social determinant of migrant’s health. “Migration Health” refers to the physical, mental and social well-being of migrants, mobile populations, their families, and communities affected by migration. Mobility itself is not a risk factor, but rather the person’s risky behaviour. The links between migration, population mobility and HIV are still not widely understood. IOM is increasingly focusing on “Spaces of Vulnerability” where migrant and mobile populations interact with local communities in environments conducive to multiple concurrent partnerships or higher-risk sexual behaviours. Ghana is experiencing a mixed HIV epidemic: a generalized low level epidemic and a high level epidemic among Most At -Risk Populations (MARPs). The national HIV prevalence in 2010 is estimated at 1.5%. Among Female Sex workers (FSW), the HIV prevalence may be as high as 25%. Two types of Female Sex workers are described in Ghana- roamers (mobile) and seaters. Roamers usually operate at night and are found in and around bars, night clubs, hotels, brothels, popular eating and drinking spots and along some streets and parks known to be pick-up spots. Seaters usually operate at home, are located in specific communities and have some structure and organization. Ghana has developed a National Strategic Plan for Most At Risk Population with the goal of reaching 80% of all identified MARPs by 2015 with a comprehensive package of HIV prevention, treatment, care and support services.With funds from UNAIDS, IOM is currently conducting a behavioral study on HIV Vulnerability among Female Sex Workers along the Tema–Paga Transport Corridor-the longest and most widely travelled corridor in Ghana. The findings of this study will contribute to evidence based programming for Most At-Risk Populations (MARPs) in Ghana. IOM has established partnership with an international and local NGO, Management Strategies for Africa (MSA) and West Africa Program to Combat AIDS and STI (WAPCAS) respectively.


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Region: Ghana, West Africa
Theme(s): Migration, Health, Female sex workers

The author is a health communications consultant. Follow her on Twitter [@msanyuosire] & keep tabs on tips she shares with health communications officers by "liking" her facebook page [Mary-Sanyu Osire].