Koforidua, Dec 3, GNA - Ghanaians have been urged not to be complacent with the gains made in the HIV and AIDS control but should be mindful of their life style in order not to change the trend. Ms Rose Nani, Coordinator of the New Juaben Municipal Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT), said this at a youth seminar organized by the Young Men Christian Association (YMCA) and Youth Challenge International (YCI) in Koforidua to mark the World AIDS Day. She said although the region and the municipality had been able to reduce the prevalence rate, attitudinal change of people's lifestyles also remained a challenge in controlling the disease and urged the youth to lead responsible sexual lives.

Ms Nani said apart from the reduction in the prevalence rate and AIDS related deaths, more people had embraced the Anti Retroviral (ART) drug and therefore were being managed from other opportunistic infections that caused death.

She appealed to the youth to test and know their HIV status since it was the surest way to be able to manage the disease through the use of the ART.

Mr Daniel Ofosu, the Regional Coordinator of the YMCA, despite the awareness creation and sensitization, some of the youth still take lightly the need for responsible sexual behaviour which had contributed to large number of youth being infected the world over. An HIV patient said when he tested positive 10 years ago, his CD4 count was 25 but after using the ART his CD4 count had risen to 721 indicating that the drug was potent and that he could live all his God given years without any stress from opportunistic infections. He appealed to all persons who had been tested positive to go for the drug since it was the surest way to boost their immune system against all other diseases. As part of the programme, VCT was organized to enable the participants test and know their HIV status. 02 Dec. 10