AIDS: One out of 25 Infected

ONE out of every 25 people in the country is infected with HIV/AIDS.

The Ministry of Health report which revealed this, indicated that the number represents 4.6 per cent of the population of Ghana.

The Accra Metropolitan Director of Health Services, Dr Andrew Arde-Acquah made this known when he launched “Change for good AIDS Prevention” Project in Accra.

He said the most disturbing feature of the statistics is that young people and women are the most vulnerable to the infection.

This, he said, is due to social, cultural, economic as well as biological factors of these group of people.

He, therefore, called for effective educational programmes to prevent the disease from further escalating.

Dr Arde-Acquah expressed concern about how in many communities there are limitations to health care facilities.

He said the traditional family and immediate community support to young people with information and guidance about sex and sexuality seem to be crumbling under the impact of urbanisation and modernity.

He said with little continuity in sex education, young people more often relied upon their peers for information and guidance about sex and related issues.

“There is evidence from several studies to suggest that peers have become a more important source of knowledge, advise and support on sexual issues,” he said.

Mr Arde-Acquah commended the organisers of the programme, British Airways and UNICEF for their effort at curbing the AIDS menace in the country.

The UNICEF Representative in Ghana, Mr Ramesh Shrestha called on religious and traditional leaders as well as parents to take up the challenge of supporting the journey of the youth through their critical period of human development.

He said the private sector’s role is crucial, given its flexibility and resourcefulness in addressing the AIDS pandemic.

Mr Robert Laryea, Executive Director of Youngsters Peer Education Project, said increased understanding of sexual and reproductive health needs of young people has contributed to a growing interest in resolving factors that place them at risk.

He therefore stressed the need for various agencies, both governmental and non-governmental to get involved in fighting the disease.