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Health News of Saturday, 20 September 2008

Source: GNA

Youth group embarks on intensive HIV/AIDS campaign

Akim Oda (E/R), Sept. 20, GNA - The Universal United Youth Organisation (UUY), a non-governmental group at Akim Oda in the Birim South District has embarked on an intensive campaign to educate the youth on the dangers of HIV/AIDS. This followed reports that most of the youth in the municipality were not perturbed about the disease due to the high illiteracy rate in the area.

In their campaign, the group adopted drama on the mode of infection and the dangers of the disease.

It has also encouraged the communities to form HIV/AIDS clubs and initiate debates and public durbars to discuss it. The group had in the past organized a quiz competition among five Senior High Secondary Schools in the Birim Central Municipality and a week-long campaign on HIV/AIDS prevention and abstinence. Addressing the youth, Mr. Eric Pinaman Asare, President of UUY, noted that the biggest challenge in the campaign against HIV/AIDS was how to influence Ghanaians, particularly, the youth to change their attitude towards sex.

Mr. Edward Asiedu Acheampong, National Organiser, urged the people to be realistic with the HIV/AIDS pandemic and stop associating it with superstition. He said HIV/AIDS was a draw back to political and socio-economic advancement. Mr. Acheampong appealed to the communities to show compassion to people living with the disease.